Home › Home & Kitchen › Kitchen & Dining › Storage & Organization › Dish Racks How to Clean a Dish Rack Published: July 8, 2026 · Updated: July 8, 2026
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Empty the drip tray and wipe the rack dry after each use, and once a week scrub the whole thing with hot soapy water or a vinegar soak to clear the pink or white scum and mildew that build up in the corners. A rack left wet grows mold — drying is the real fix.
Recommended Dry the tray daily; weekly scrub with hot soapy water or a vinegar soak to clear scum and mildew — A dish rack sits permanently wet, so it collects water scale, soap scum, and the pink or black mildew that thrive in damp corners — cleaning is really about not letting it stay wet. Every day, tip the standing water out of the drip tray and wipe both the tray and the rack so they can dry, because a rack that never dries is where mold starts. Once a week, take it to the sink and scrub every rod and corner with hot soapy water and a brush, paying attention to the tray's low spots and the feet. For hard-water scale or set-in mildew, soak the parts (or lay a vinegar-soaked cloth on them) in a 1:1 mix of white vinegar and water for 20-30 minutes, then scrub and rinse; a little baking soda helps on stubborn grime. Stainless racks resist rust and mildew better than coated wire, which chips and then rusts. Dry it fully before you load dishes again.
