A Sneaky Trick For Cleaning Your Dishwasher

You may put off cleaning your dishwasher for weeks (ahem, months) when you know it needs it, but now you have no excuse.

All you need to get your dishwasher as good as new is a spare packet of Kool-Aid Unsweetened Lemonade. That's right, Kool-Aid, the beloved flavored drink should also serve as an MVP in your cleaning arsenal.

As Huffington Post explains, you'll first need to make sure your dishwsher is totally empty. "Then, pour a packet of unsweetened lemonade Kool-Aid into the detergent dispenser. (This flavor is the only one that does the trick!) Next, run the dishwasher on any cycle," writes Michelle Manetti. "This surprising substance should help eliminate any stains." And don't swap in Kool-Aid Cherry or Tropical Punch when you test-drive this technique, ladies and gents. Aspiring dishwasher cleaners can only use the lemonade flavor as the citric acid in it is the key ingredient in fighting dirt and grime.

Also worth noting: After the dishwasher cycle, you may still need to grab a sponge to wipe away any loosened-up residue and food bits. "Rust spots, gone! Lime deposits, gone! Mildewy bits, gone! It took maybe two minutes of light scrubbing and the interior of my dishwasher actually looks like new," praised Ayn-Monique Klahre on The Kitchn. "In an older dishwasher, at least, you can't expect miracles to appear on their own, but with a little elbow grease, that combination of citric acid and super-hot water can get your dishwasher looking squeaky clean!"

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