You should never put vinegar and baking soda in the dishwasher at the same time.     The two will combine and foam up and there will be a mini explosion or reaction. This is because vinegar and banking soda is very acidic.    If you combine the two together you will get a reaction of sodium acetate and lots of water.   Basically the vinegar will cause a foam volcano when it interacts with the baking soda.   In a sealed container like a dishwasher, if you put enough of the two elements in the mixture you could cause a mini explosion which would not be good for the dishwasher.

How To Clean a Dish-Washer With Vinegar and Baking Soda

The dishwasher is one of the filthiest things in our households! It is because it is least cleaned in our homes even though its purpose is to clean dishes! How ironic, right? We should at least clean our dishwasher once a month to keep it looking brand new and smelling fresh. Keeping it clean also keeps its cleaning system from damaging and keeps it working effectively! Dishwashers get dirty due to all the grease and grime from our food leftovers! Also, the odors they leave are not very pleasurable to our senses. We should also know that the bacteria make a home in such dirty places. And many diseases can get birth in these types of places. Some may prove to be fatal. So, we must clean this essential household object. It should not be washed with harsh acids or other cleaning items as they also contain chemicals that may destroy the metal. Baking soda and vinegar seem to be the best option to clean this machine. As we all know that the baking soda contains cleaning properties, white vinegar is used to absorb any bad odor and leave the dishwasher smelling fresh.

Take out big chunks:

To clean your machine, the first thing you should do is to take a look and see if there are any big or pick-able chunks in your machine! If yes, then take them out!

Clean the filter:

 After that, take the filter out and wash it separately. To do that, you have to place the filter in the soapy water, better if it's warm, for about 10-15 minutes, then take it out and rinse it with clean tap water.

Place vinegar:

Now, the main step comes! Take a cup filled with white vinegar, then place it on the top rack. After that, start the dishwasher like you usually do but put it on the hottest cycle possible. By doing so, you will see that your dishwasher looks as good as new. Vinegar has the ability that takes the grease or grimes out, especially when it is cleaned with warm water. Warm water melt any grease formed, and then they become easy to wash.

Sprinkle baking soda:

Now sprinkle some baking soda on the racks and the lower part of the dishwasher. Baking soda used should be equal to at least a cup. Now again, start your machine on the hottest cycle. Doing so helps to take away the musty odors or any stains left from the previous cycle. After it is done, take a brush and scrub away any stain that has been left. Due to vinegar and baking soda, all the grease or grim has either been removed or has melted enough to easily scrub it away.

All done:

Now see how fresh and new your dishwasher looks. You have given the dishwasher its life back by cleaning it up thoroughly. Just keep in mind to do this every month to maintain its ability to clean effectively! If you don’t clean it once every month, it can damage your dishwasher. So remember to clean it every month!