Maintaining your dishwasher is key to clean dishes with every wash. So here are a few tips for getting the most out of this appliance periodically. Remove the trap that is located in the bottom of the dishwasher run it under cool water ensuring there is no debris and then put it back securely the arms inside the dishwasher. Spray water throughout the wash and rinse cycles if there are clogs in those arms then your dishes won’t get a full wash or rinse. Some types of dishwashers allow for easy removal of the arms if you can remove the arms in your unit soak them in your sink in a mixture of water and vinegar. If removal is not possible soak some paper towels in a vinegar solution and wrap them around the arms. Leave them wrapped for about 10 minutes or longer if there is a big buildup of hard water deposits. You may have to use pipe cleaners to push the deposits out of the arms. If you have rust on your dishes check and see if the coating on the dish racks is still in place if you see rusted prongs you can repair these with vinyl paint and rubber tips. Remember to use a rinse agent in your dishwasher to maximize its cleaning power. If you have an older model without a rinse agent dispenser pour one cup of white vinegar into the bottom of the dishwasher before you start each cycle.