How to clean inside washers and dishwashers?

Question

I know that question probably sounds ridiculous!

My situation is this!

I'm moving into a condo next week that came with a washer and dishwasher (yay!). I'm not sure how long the place was vacant. It was a power of sale, so the people there before me couldn't afford their mortgage.

I'm slightly paranoid about using the machines before cleaning them. I've never had a dishwasher before.

Would it be ok to just run an empty cycle on each? Do I need to use a detergent? I heard vinegar is good for things like this, would that work?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Grats on the new place and the luxury of a dishwasher!

The nose knows.  If the dishwasher doesn't smell, you're in a good place but definitely run a full, empty cycle using just vinegar.  Use 2-3 cups.  That will help with any drainage issues too.  If there is an odor, I'd suggest finding the drain area and any moving parts and clean those with a baking soda/vinegar solution.  Dishwashing detergent is formulated to clean dishes best not the inside of the washer itself.

For the washing machine you could also use vinegar, but it might be a good idea to run a cup of bleach in an empty cycle on the hottest water setting.  You can add the bleach when the washer is full or put it in the bin if the machine doesn't drain before each use.

These methods will disinfect and eliminate odors.  If you feel you need to deep clean, vinegar and baking soda will clean the inside of both really well.