The cleaning experts at BBC Good Food have shared a simple trick you can use to make sure you kill all the bacteria in your dishwasher - and leave it sparkling clean.

And all you need is some vinegar.

In a new Instagram post, the experts gave a run down of all the things you need to be cleaning in your dishwasher and how frequently.

This included taking out the racks, the filter and cutlery basket, as well as the spray arms.

Good Food captioned the post: “How often do you clean your dishwasher? Reviews writer Natalie talks through the steps of cleaning hers – and it’s actually much easier than she thought it would be!”

To clean inside the appliance, they recommend using a sponge and hot soapy water to wipe away any grime.

They also recommended using a rinse aid, which can help the machine’s water rinse the dishes and glasses properly.

Next, add some dishwasher salt to remove any build up from hard water. You’ll then need to assemble the machine.

For the last magic touch, the expert advised using a cup of distilled white vinegar to the top rack.

Then you should run a regular cycle.

The experts said: “For the finishing touch, I’m adding a cup of distilled white vinegar into a plastic container and running a regular cycle to neutralise any odours, and that’s it.”

Cleaning fans shared some of their own hacks in the comments, with @jacintavela commenting: “A quick wash with a spoonful of citric acid leaves it as new!”

Suzie said: “I never knew you can leave the vinegar in a cup! That’s a tip thank you!! I leave a piece of lemon! The spinner!! Another tip I didn’t realise it goes off!”

However, if you are going to use vinegar to help clean your dishwasher, you’ll need to be aware of the problems it could potentially cause.

The experts at Which? warned against using the likes of apple cider vinegar to clean the appliance.

They recommended using a proper dishwasher cleaner, but warned against using apple cider vinegar and lemon for cleaning.

They said in an Instagram post: “Do not chuck in apple cider vinegar or lemon juice; it’s a quality piece of engineering, not a fish supper. Course it helps to use the very best dishwasher tablets in the first place.”

Appliance experts at Currys explained that if you don’t have any white vinegar to hand, apple cider vinegar can be used as a good alternative.

On the other hand, those who warn against using vinegar point out that the liquid could damage the appliance by breaking down rubber seals and gaskets, as well as discolouring the metal.

CNET wrote: “Be aware that vinegar can break down the rubber gaskets and hoses in your dishwasher, leading to costly damage. On top of that, if vinegar mixes with salt that's been left on your dishes, it can discolor metal pans, flatware and mixing bowls.”