How to Get Mold and Smell Out of a Dishwasher With Baking Soda

Mold, and its accompanying odor, presents a problem if it invades your dishwasher. Left untreated, mold grows and spreads. In those circumstances, it's questionable whether your dishes would even come out clean. Commercial cleansers strong enough to kill mold can damage the seals and gaskets in your dishwasher. Baking soda works as a mild abrasive and also contains deodorizing properties. You can scrub the mold in your dishwasher with baking soda, then wash it away with white vinegar, to leave the interior clean and fresh.

Baking soda
Scrubbing sponge
2 cups distilled white vinegar

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the upper and lower dishwasher racks.
- 2
  Sprinkle baking soda on a damp scrubbing sponge and scrub the top, bottom and sides of the top rack. Add additional baking soda and scrub the top, bottom and sides of the bottom rack. Put the racks aside.
- 3
  Sprinkle baking soda liberally in the bottom of your dishwasher. Dampen a scrubbing sponge and scrub away any mold from the bottom of the dishwasher. Pay particular attention to the areas around the drain and the heating elements.
- 4
  Dampen the sponge as needed and use additional baking soda to scrub the walls and door of the dishwasher. Scrub around the rubber seals along the door. Place the racks back in the dishwasher.
- 5
  Add 2 cups of white vinegar to the bottom of the dishwasher and start the wash cycle with the hottest water setting. Allow the dishwasher to run for five to 10 minutes, then stop the cycle.
- 6
  Let the dishwasher sit for at least 30 minutes so the vinegar and baking soda can continue to deodorize the dishwasher. Continue the wash cycle until it is complete.

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