Our dishwashers always get the scum end of the deal; pun intended. They to clean the thick soups and stews off our soup bowls; this awesome appliance cleans the harshest stains left from pasta and other delicious meals. Yet, when it stops working, and your kids are too busy to dry dishes, then it’s time to maintenance it—getting it back to new again.

First, don’t overcrowd your dishwasher. Think of it as a crowded sink. You can’t effective (and efficiently) wash all those dishes; neither can your dishwasher. It is better to space your dishes out and have them all get clean. Of course, on your part this is going to require more loads. It’s going to be worth it in the end, however, because you’ll have cabinets of clean dishes. You won’t open the dishwasher, make the crinkly face (we all have one!) and put the dish back in the sink.

Another helpful tip is to run hot water before starting the dishwasher. When the water in the faucet is too hot to touch, this is the temperature of your first cycle. Also, you may want to check they your water heater is set between 120 and 125 degrees. This is the ideal temperature for dishwashing. If you run a lot of loads concurrent to one another, then you may eventually run out of hot water, but still don’t overcrowd your dishes. This is never a good idea.

In addition, don’t forget to run a cycle with vinegar. This is going to clean your dishwasher of any food particles left in it. Simply put vinegar in the bottom of the dishwasher and run it for a cycle. It’s going to leave your appliance smelling nice afterward and you’ll be more inclined to do more dishes. You can also take a warm rag and cleaning supplies to do the same task, but it’s more tedious. Let your dishwasher work for you.

Furthermore, don’t forget to clean the rubber seals around your dishwasher. The steam from the dishwasher heats the rubber in the drying process. These seals often contain dirty and fungus. If they are left uncleaned, they have the potential of getting your family sick. This is why it’s important to clean them at least once a week.

Finally, you may consider buying lemon-flavored Kool-Aid to wipe out dishwasher stains. Similar to the vinegar, place in the bottom of your dishwasher and let it run for a whole cycle. The citric-acid flavoring helps fight against lime deposits and iron patches. You’re going to find that your dishwasher smells ‘lemony fresh’when you’re done, but it’s a wonderful smell!

Try all these tips the next time your dishwasher is sluggish at its job. They’re all surefire ways to get you back into your routine. As a final tip, give your dishwasher a heat cycle. Doing this during your warm cycle shortens time you’ll have to run your dishes. Before you run the appliance, run hot water from the faucet for 10-15 seconds. This will heat the water into the pipes ahead of time, shortening the warm-up cycle.