If your dishwasher is not cleaning dishes as well as it used to, it may be because of the heating element. This element heats water and detergent to create steam, which cleans dishes. If the element is dirty, the water doesn’t heat up as well and dirt and food build up on the plates and in the crevices of the dishwasher. Here are four easy steps to cleaning your heating element:

  1. Remove any built-up food or debris with a brush or vacuum cleaner.
  2. Pour a small amount of white vinegar into a spray bottle and mist the heating element with it.
  3. Let the vinegar sit on the heating element for about five minutes, then wipe it off with a cloth or paper towel.
  4. Pour a small amount of boiling water onto a clean cloth or paper towel, then wring out the excess moisture. Use this cloth to clean around the edges of the heating element where vinegar didn’t reach. ..