Dishwasher Fungus

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How do you wash your dishes? Choose one of the following answers:

1. Dishwasher.
2. By hand.
3. I throw them out the window when they're dirty; a trick I learned from Lisa Douglas on Green Acres...



If you answered "#1. Dishwasher," be warned. Your dishwasher may be trying to kill you.

This is old news to those of you who read "Fungal Biology" but for the rest of you, be aware that studies have found that dishwashers are the perfect host for extremotolerant fungi, which includes black yeast, a type of yeast potentially dangerous to human health. The fungi are tolerant to heat, detergents and salt, allowing them to thrive and grow in the dishwasher environment -- especially on the rubber band of dishwasher doors.

Black yeast can cause disease in both healthy and compromised immune systems. If inhaled, these fungi can colonize the lungs and cause infections that can be difficult to treat. People who are taking antibiotics and those with poor immune systems, diabetes, and cystic fibrosis are at greater risk of lung and skin infections caused by the fungi.

What can you do to banish fungi from your dishwasher?

Follow these steps, as found here:

Baking soda, vinegar, and bleach may help to kill mold, mildew, and fungi growing on the inside surfaces of your dishwasher. This cleaning regimen should be done once per month to prevent fungi from taking hold.

Start by removing all racks and washing them by hand in hot soapy water. Use a soapy sponge to wipe down the dishwasher's interior surfaces and around the rubber door seal. Let everything air dry thoroughly.

Combine a half cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of hot water in a spray bottle. Spray all surfaces thoroughly and scrub with an old toothbrush around the crevices and seal. Use a scrub brush for large surfaces.

Put the racks back into the dishwasher. Fill a small glass bowl with vinegar and place it on the top rack. Run the washer on the hottest setting. Sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda on the dishwasher floor and run the machine a second time on high heat.

Finish by running the washer with a commercial dishwasher cleaner, followed by hand cleaning all surfaces with a four-to-one mixture of hot water and bleach.


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This all seems like rather a lot of bother, doesn't it?

Mistress MJ advises you to give this task to your houseboys.

NOTE: Mistress MJ is in the habit of cleaning her dishwasher on a monthly basis as a matter of hygiene and to keep it smelling fresh. However, I had no idea there is an actual FUNGUS capable of thriving in the dishwasher! Nonetheless, dishwasher fungus is the least of my worries at the moment so unless I see THIS winking at me...


dishwasher fungus "Exophiala dermatitidis"...also found in washing machines

...I'll be on the fainting chaise with a cocktail.