Yes, the stuff you also use for salad dressing and cleaning weird stains off coffee mugs. White vinegar is a mild acid, and calcium deposits hate acid the way vampires hate garlic.
First, make sure your dishwasher is completely empty. Like, completely empty—no forgotten spoon in the bottom. Then, grab a dishwasher-safe cup or bowl and fill it with plain white vinegar.
Place that cup on the top rack. Not the bottom. The top. Think of it as a little vinegar hot tub up there. Then run the hottest, longest cycle your dishwasher has. Not the quick-wash. Go for “heavy” or “pots and pans.”
But Wait—What If That's Not Enough?
If your dishwasher looks like the inside of a cave stalactite, you might need round two. After the vinegar cycle finishes, sprinkle about a cup of baking soda across the bottom of the machine. Then run another short, hot cycle.
Why? The vinegar loosens the gunk, and the baking soda scrubs it away like a gentle little tornado. It also kills any weird smells. You know that smell—like damp dog and old spaghetti?
You’re welcome in advance for the clean, fresh air.
