Celiac help needed

[Spryte]

Hello, all!  I haven’t posted much lately, but occasionally manage to read.  It’s been a busy/hard time lately.

I need the brain power and collective knowledge of the hive.  I don’t have the bandwidth, energy, or health to research a lot right now.  

If you are or live with an extremely sensitive person with celiac, can you talk to me about how to go GF, hard core?  Pretend I know nothing, and am a total beginner. 

I live with two people who have multiple anaphylactic allergies to many items, so I’m good on general allergy maintenance.  But while caring for those needs and dealing with other stuff, I have severely neglected my own celiac situation, and am in bad shape now. I believe (and the insides of my intestines attest) that I’ve been dealing with a lot of hidden gluten and cross contamination.  One kid here is allergic to wheat, and I (erroneously) thought following along with his needs would be enough for mine.  (Nope.)  

I think I need to start fresh, as if I know nothing, to see what I’ve missed.

So ... what would you tell a newly diagnosed person, who knew nothing about celiac?  

 

 

 

 

[prairiewindmomma]

1. Check all medications and supplements. Many have gluten in their binders. 

2. Check all bodycare products—shampoos, lotions, etc.

3. If you are highly sensitive, make the entire household GF. If you are not—separate cookware, toaster, etc. If you are using a mixer with gluten in your kitchen, consider the entire kitchen glutenized as some is aerosolized when mixing.

[73349]

Barley is the most obnoxious ingredient ever because it's gluten that doesn't require an allergen disclosure. Anything with "malt" in the name should be presumed barley unless marked otherwise (e.g., "from corn").

I assume oats are contaminated with wheat unless they have third-party certification.

If you didn't replace your toaster, pastry brush, cast iron, colander, or other cooking tools, that's recommended. We don't allow gluten in the house (except the cat food) so we don't get re-contamination.

It's possible to have celiac disease and also a sensitivity/intolerance to more, such as dairy or corn. You might try keeping a food diary and see if there's a possible culprit in there.

ETA: Prairie is right about medicine! The blue Advil gel caps, for instance, contain gluten, whereas the regular brown tablets do not. Target's store brand of medicines is pretty good about labeling GF.

Edited September 6, 2019 by whitehawk

[Jean in Newcastle]

See if your celiac specialist (usually a gastroenterologist) will set you up for an informational meeting with a nutritionist. 

Read labels.  Labels are required to list wheat as an allergen so if it says "wheat" it is an easy way to rule it out.  But that isn't enough because barley and rye and some other wheat-related grains are also bad for someone with celiac.

I agree with previous posters about replacing kitchen items. 

I also agree with checking on personal care items and medications.

I find the app "Find Me Gluten Free" to be invaluable for finding places where I can eat out.

I  also find the app " Ipiit" to be somewhat helpful in the grocery store.  I use my Smartphone to scan the barcode and IF it has the item listed it will tell me immediately if it is safe or not.  But products aren't necessarily listed so it can be hit or miss.  But popular brands and items are usually listed. 

[73349]

Oh hey also you might not be absorbing certain nutrients well if your villi are in bad shape. Common ones that you might need to supplement are Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and iron. Sundown Naturals is one company that offers GF vitamins.

[Pen]

I probably have very significant   nonceliac gluten sensitivity (occasionally I wonder if I could actually have celiac) .  It has been helping me to tell myself, “99% gluten free is 0% protected”. 

I’m glad you started this thread!

[scrapbookbuzz]

Follow a paleo method of eating. Seriously. There's absolutely no grain in paleo and that helps quite a bit!

[73349]

35 minutes ago, scrapbookbuzz said:

Follow a paleo method of eating. Seriously. There's absolutely no grain in paleo and that helps quite a bit!

That is very helpful for, say, getting cookbooks from the library, because the trend seems to be fading.

OTOH, when shopping for food, beware of the difference between "gluten free," a legal claim of < 20 ppm, vs. "no gluten ingredients" or "paleo friendly," which is not necessarily celiac-safe.

Edited September 6, 2019 by whitehawk

[Spryte]

Thanks so much!

This helps.  

I’ll write a bit more later, just wanted to say a big thank you now.  

 

[scrapbookbuzz]

36 minutes ago, whitehawk said:

That is very helpful for, say, getting cookbooks from the library, because the trend seems to be fading.

OTOH, when shopping for food, beware of the difference between "gluten free," a legal claim of < 20 ppm, vs. "no gluten ingredients" or "paleo friendly," which is not necessarily celiac-safe.

Yes! Always make sure to read EVERY ingredient list. Seriously. It's ridiculous but you really have to do so. The online service of eMeals has a paleo version. it's been very helpful for me!

[Junie]

5 hours ago, Spryte said:

Hello, all!  I haven’t posted much lately, but occasionally manage to read.  It’s been a busy/hard time lately.

I need the brain power and collective knowledge of the hive.  I don’t have the bandwidth, energy, or health to research a lot right now.  

If you are or live with an extremely sensitive person with celiac, can you talk to me about how to go GF, hard core?  Pretend I know nothing, and am a total beginner. 

I live with two people who have multiple anaphylactic allergies to many items, so I’m good on general allergy maintenance.  But while caring for those needs and dealing with other stuff, I have severely neglected my own celiac situation, and am in bad shape now. I believe (and the insides of my intestines attest) that I’ve been dealing with a lot of hidden gluten and cross contamination.  One kid here is allergic to wheat, and I (erroneously) thought following along with his needs would be enough for mine.  (Nope.)  

I think I need to start fresh, as if I know nothing, to see what I’ve missed.

So ... what would you tell a newly diagnosed person, who knew nothing about celiac?  

 

 

 

 

I am allergic to wheat, oats, and barley.  I'm probably also allergic to rye, the other gluteny grain, although I haven't been tested for it.

 

Some questions to consider:

Has your child been showing symptoms of illness?

Is there something that you're eating that he isn't?

Do you eat out?  Eating out is very difficult.  

Have you eliminated cross-contamination issues -- toaster, colander, peanut butter, mayonnaise, etc.?

Have you eliminated oats?  Oats can be found in body washes and cosmetics.  You need to make sure that all of your skincare products are gluten free.

Have you eliminated barley?  Barley hides in so many cereals.

 

I hope that you are able to figure it out and that you feel better soon!!

 

[kbutton]

Alcohol? I am not well versed because I don't drink (will use for cooking), but that might be a place you need to watch.

Flavorings are always a big guess. I think some vanilla is, and some isn't. 

Spice mixes. 

Cutting boards.

Dishcloths and other clean-up tools.

Not hand-washing your glutened items LAST in your sink and then cleaning the sink accordingly. I have a really nutty procedure for doing dishes. If I am making a GF meal for someone else, I use very specific towels and washcloths that don't get washed with regular towels and dishcloths. I also pull out a plastic basin that I use just for washing veggies and GF foods, etc., and then I re-wash stuff that I know to be clean in that basin and with those cloths, just in case. 

[kbutton]

I also have a countertop and some cupboards that are solely for gluten free storage and prep.

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, StellaM said:

 

I haven't done this yet - do you think keeping one sink for g/f and the other for gluten would work ? Or yes, a basin - that might be better. Although in our house, the basin would be better for gluten food (minority of food eaten) and the whole sink for g/f ? 

Always something to learn!

Are you talking about sides of a double sink or two different sinks? We wouldn't have any luck keeping one side of a double-sink for gluten. A basin for gluten foods could work too. I am the only one who is GF in my house, so I am the opposite scenario.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

Be careful with foods that have been double dipped in. If someone has spread peanut butter on wheat bread and then put knife back in jar to get more.  Things like this are important to be very careful with.

A lot of chocolate bars are fine, but if you get the seasonal or holiday shaped ones they are not gluten free.  Example would be regular peanut butter cups are fine, but if you get the pumpkin or Christmas tree shaped ones they're not GF.

 

[Spryte]

Oh my goodness, I’m learning so much.  What a mess I’ve made of this!

Body products, face products... I will have to check.  Totally possible.  And barley.  Ugh! ...my favorite formerly GF BBQ sauce now contains barley, I learned last night...

And ... we don’t have wheat contamination in our kitchen at all, but we do have other gluten contamination.  I’d thought (wrongly) it would be enough.  Is it time for new pans?  Someone said utensils - as in silverware, too?  Or just cooking?

Until now I have not been very careful.  I just didn’t view it with the same urgency as my kids’ anaphylactic allergies.  Now I do.

I will ask my GI doc for a referral to someone to help guide us through the process, too.  

Thanks, all, for the guidance here!

 

[athena1277]

Lots of good advice here.  I’ll add a few more.  

Vinegar - it must be distilled to be ok.  BBQ sauce, ketchup, etc. need to be checked.

Wooden spoons, cutting boards, etc. are a big no-no.  Since they are so porous it’s nearly impossible to get all the gluten off of them.  If you just can’t live without them, have one for gf and one not.

Things that are hard to wash well, like waffle irons, get 1 for gf, 1 for not.  Label them.  

Also label the peanut butter, jelly, spreadable butter, anything that you need 2 of to avoid contamination.  It may help for a while to label everything that you buy.  At least for a month or 2 until you and your family are better at avoiding cross-contamination and you know what is ok to eat.

[Pen]

15 minutes ago, athena1277 said:

Lots of good advice here.  I’ll add a few more.  

Vinegar - it must be distilled to be ok.

 

Is grain based vinegar ok at all? 

[Spryte]

Oh no.  This is so disheartening.  But at least I can see where I’ve gone wrong.  Wow.  

The wooden cutting boards?  So no way to thoroughly de-gluten them for use?  That’s disappointing - ours are mostly handmade by people we love, and sentimental.  I guess they could become decorative?  

Vinegar, too?  This explains why I was terribly sick recently, probably.  

I can’t thank you all enough.

[kbutton]

https://www.verywellfit.com/is-vinegar-gluten-free-562363

 

[73349]

1 hour ago, Spryte said:

Oh no.  This is so disheartening.  But at least I can see where I’ve gone wrong.  Wow.  

The wooden cutting boards?  So no way to thoroughly de-gluten them for use?  That’s disappointing - ours are mostly handmade by people we love, and sentimental.  I guess they could become decorative?  

Vinegar, too?  This explains why I was terribly sick recently, probably.  

I can’t thank you all enough.

Anything with little crevices you can't possibly get everything out of is a risk. Wooden/bamboo cutting boards, rolling pins, and utensils are just impossible. Dish sponge cannot be shared. Toaster oven cannot be shared.

OTOH, you don't have to worry about metal silverware, nor anything made of glass. I wouldn't bother with separate sinks, just rinse thoroughly.

This is why I made the whole kitchen gf (link to checklist). There is no way we wouldn't screw up on a regular basis--one of using the wrong cutting board, another using the wrong jar of peanut butter, etc. It cost me about $600 to change everything over, including giving away or composting food, replacing equipment, etc.

We used to be pretty close to zero waste. Now I don't buy anything out of bulk bins unless it's going to get rinsed first (beans, yes; dried fruit, no). I've also basically quit shopping at one grocery store that has no shelf labeling and started shopping more at another than has a symbol on the shelf stickers to help me find gf items (still have to read the product label).

[cintinative]

It sounds like you have received some really good advice. 

I was wondering if you have your TTG level checked by your G.I. doc. My son gets it checked yearly. Anyway, it's a good indicator for me about how well we are doing at keeping cross-contamination at bay.  If it is still higher despite my efforts to lock things down, I might have missed something. I was just wondering if you know that your Celiac isn't well managed because of your TTG or if it is because you feel unwell (or both). As others have mentioned, sometimes Celiacs can have a sensitivity to dairy and also some Celiacs can't even handle gluten-free oats. Those things wouldn't show up in your TTG but they sure would make you feel yucky.

I don't think (??) anyone has mentioned eating out. With kids with food allergies, you probably don't do that much, but be very careful of cross-contamination in restaurants.  For example, while Domino's does have a "gluten free" pizza, they clearly state it is not made in a dedicated prep area, so if you eat it, you will most likely gluten yourself.

I agree on the barley--barley malt, malt extract, malt flavoring--it hides in things you would not expect.

I also agree on the spices--I made the same mistake recently. I had been buying spices at Aldi and suddenly their chili powder says "may contain wheat, etc."  If I hadn't looked, we would have possibly been in trouble.  It's exhausting, but do regularly check your canned goods like beans too. For some reason some brands like to use wheat as a filler (even in regular canned kidney beans).  Although if your child has a wheat allergy, you probably already know this.  😃

IF you can wait on some appliance switch outs, I was able to get a lot of those extra appliances for very low prices around Black Friday. We bought a toaster, griddle, and waffle iron (all for about $15 total) and dedicated them gluten free. Before that, I toasted in the oven and pancakes were made in a dedicated skillet.

In general, things that cannot be thoroughly cleaned (e.g. waffle iron, bread maker, toaster) cannot be used for gluten free after they have been used for gluten. 

ETA: I forgot about the colanders. You need a separate one for gluten-free. They just cannot be cleaned thoroughly enough. 

 

Edited September 7, 2019 by cintinative

[Spryte]

22 hours ago, cintinative said:

It sounds like you have received some really good advice. 

I was wondering if you have your TTG level checked by your G.I. doc. My son gets it checked yearly. Anyway, it's a good indicator for me about how well we are doing at keeping cross-contamination at bay.  If it is still higher despite my efforts to lock things down, I might have missed something. I was just wondering if you know that your Celiac isn't well managed because of your TTG or if it is because you feel unwell (or both). As others have mentioned, sometimes Celiacs can have a sensitivity to dairy and also some Celiacs can't even handle gluten-free oats. Those things wouldn't show up in your TTG but they sure would make you feel yucky.

I don't think (??) anyone has mentioned eating out. With kids with food allergies, you probably don't do that much, but be very careful of cross-contamination in restaurants.  For example, while Domino's does have a "gluten free" pizza, they clearly state it is not made in a dedicated prep area, so if you eat it, you will most likely gluten yourself.

I agree on the barley--barley malt, malt extract, malt flavoring--it hides in things you would not expect.

I also agree on the spices--I made the same mistake recently. I had been buying spices at Aldi and suddenly their chili powder says "may contain wheat, etc."  If I hadn't looked, we would have possibly been in trouble.  It's exhausting, but do regularly check your canned goods like beans too. For some reason some brands like to use wheat as a filler (even in regular canned kidney beans).  Although if your child has a wheat allergy, you probably already know this.  😃

IF you can wait on some appliance switch outs, I was able to get a lot of those extra appliances for very low prices around Black Friday. We bought a toaster, griddle, and waffle iron (all for about $15 total) and dedicated them gluten free. Before that, I toasted in the oven and pancakes were made in a dedicated skillet.

In general, things that cannot be thoroughly cleaned (e.g. waffle iron, bread maker, toaster) cannot be used for gluten free after they have been used for gluten. 

ETA: I forgot about the colanders. You need a separate one for gluten-free. They just cannot be cleaned thoroughly enough. 

 

 

Re: how I found out that things were being mismanaged.  I have a complicated health history, and it’s terribly complex.  Coupled with kiddos’ multiple LTFAs.  Lots of management.  When I got my initial diagnosis i just didn’t have the bandwidth for more.  So I thought doing what DS does for wheat allergy would be enough.  And it was mostly ok.  And then...

 I have been terribly ill this summer.  I have autoimmune issues and when I go down, it’s a big deal.  I started with salmonella from administering daily shots to a turtle (despite precautions); moved to C Diff (because I have a history of it, and so am prone to it); then UTI turned kidney infection was resistant to antibiotics; and somewhere in the midst had several ruptured ovarian cysts. ...and with all that going on, I just stayed miserably ill for 3-4 mos. I’m a bit better now, but not back to my usual level of wellness.

GI just did an upper GI, endoscopy and colonoscopy.  So - it appears that my intestines look pretty bad, and she says it looks like damage from celiac. That is just from the GI talking to DH after the colonoscopy, and I haven’t had my follow up yet. I’ll get more info soon.

So, I’m thinking that I’ve done a terrible, horrible job of managing the celiac issue.  

I will see her soon, and find out more. 

[cintinative]

@Spryte  I am so sorry to hear about your awful summer with so much illness. What a hard, hard journey you have been on. We're all here to cheer you on as you take baby steps towards better health for yourself.  Please don't beat yourself up for not doing more when you were so ill--it really does sound like you had zero bandwidth and your gut has to be a total mess from all those antibiotics!  Hang in there. 

[Spryte]

Oh!  Progress notes:  we have been on a mini vacation as I’ve been posting, and just arrived back home.  We arrived home to a new toaster on the porch (yay Amazon!) and we picked up a new skillet.  

Baby steps indeed, but ... progress.  Tomorrow I will tackle the fridge and pantry, and begin to attempt to figure out how to change our kitchen.

You are all wonderful.  Thank you!

[Spryte]

29 minutes ago, Seasider too said:

 

Spryte!!!!!

I wish we were all your next door neighbors. You have had a rough go, I hope you have some IRL help. I hope that honoring your own dietary needs helps you feel noticeably better, and soon. 

 

Thank you.  🙂

We did have some good friends and neighbors to help out, and I am so grateful to them!

[Harriet Vane]

Aw Spryte, sounds horrible! I’m so sorry you have had such a rough time.

[Pen]

I’m thinking you should try to have the whole home be completely gluten free?  It seems like maybe you’ve been dealing with too much to have to remember which colander is the GF one.    If u aren’t sure total GF would be permanent maybe all the gluten gear could be packed away for the time being.  Maybe next summer you could supervise a non GF family member in how to clean up handmade breadboards for display....   but right now put health first

[ElizabethB]

I would not use any store bought condiments, sauces, etc. for a while...you can make your own BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, etc.  Or, just go sauce free for a bit, eat very plain whole foods that you know are safe, easier to cook and you'll know you will be OK, you can add more complicated sauces and extras later.  With my extensive food allergies I started making my own pasta sauce, it was easier than I thought it would be.  I would also avoid dairy for a while while you are building up, it can often irritate the villi when they are knocked down, then you can see if you can add it after 6 months of strict GF, no dairy practices.  

So, you could eat spaghetti squash with your homemade tomato sauce and a meat with an oil you can use.  You could make a honey mustard sauce for salad with honey and dry powdered mustard, check for one with no other ingredients.  You can make another dressing from rice milk mixed with avocado.  Or, just go dressing free for a bit, eat a veggie heavy salad or just veggie sides.

The chili powder I used to buy started adding in a lot of stuff, I make my own taco mix from scratch, this is the chili powder I use, it is actually cheaper than what I used to buy and is more flavorful: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RHVH58/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A paleo cookbook with simple recipes also sounds like a good idea for a while until you build up your health to research new things to add.

You can find good products at asian grocery stores and Whole Foods, some things that you might look for are rice vinegar, any rice based products with few ingredients, coconut vinegar, etc.

I get rice breading online, it spices up chicken nicely, the only ingredient is rice, I buy it by the case!! You can get smaller quantities, here is what I buy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EHXWIQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Edited September 8, 2019 by ElizabethB

[Pen]

 

Quote

eat very plain whole foods that you know are safe, easier to cook and you'll know you will be OK,

 

This is basically what I’ve been doing. No gluten. Plus no corn. Plus no dairy. No soy. No peanuts. No eggs...    for me, being off all those at once seems to make a difference 

I do have some salad dressing I can eat.  A tahini based vegan  “ranch”dressing, for example. 

(Today I had some quinoa with spinach and herbs as a topping, and some chicken with salt, garlic, pepper.  Also a piece of gluten free dark chocolate as indulgence—it’s allowed by the book below!) 

Generally I am eating Lots of salad, cooked vegetables, some meat, some fruit, bone broth, nuts... 

and have been    following the elimination diet in this book The Autoimmune Fix: How to Stop the Hidden Autoimmune Damage That Keeps You Sick, Fat, and Tired  Before It Turns Into Disease https://www.amazon.com/dp/162336700X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iQzDDbR6T0DTB

 

The hardest for me and the one I hope I’ll be able to add back in time is dairy.  I miss half and half in some coffee, or milk in tea—though I guess not having those helps cut out most caffeine too.  

Edited September 9, 2019 by Pen

[Pen]

1 hour ago, Seasider too said:

 

This is also what I miss the most. I have found that a spicy chai coconut milk latte can be satisfying, once I got used to it. 

 

Recipe?!  I have trouble with getting coconut milk to mix smoothly

Edited September 9, 2019 by Pen

[kbutton]

20 hours ago, Spryte said:

So I thought doing what DS does for wheat allergy would be enough.  

That is a common assumption--don't be too hard on yourself. I am sorry it's been so awful! 

I thought of another thing--it may have been mentioned...be careful about cast iron. I think if you've been using gluten in cast iron a lot, you probably have to totally strip and re-season the pans. When we go to my MIL's, I try to just not think about it...but her cast iron is really smooth from years of use--it probably doesn't have as many nooks and crannies as mine does that hasn't been used nearly as long. Someone else might know better. I have some cast iron that was GF (I was already GF when I started), but there have been other food allergies since, including coconut. I used to cook with coconut oil a lot. My plan, someday, is to wash really well, boil water in it several times (until nothing oily stays on the water when I boil it), then reseason. From there, I might have my DH use it to cook for a couple of months just in case. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

3 hours ago, kbutton said:

That is a common assumption--don't be too hard on yourself. I am sorry it's been so awful! 

I thought of another thing--it may have been mentioned...be careful about cast iron. I think if you've been using gluten in cast iron a lot, you probably have to totally strip and re-season the pans. When we go to my MIL's, I try to just not think about it...but her cast iron is really smooth from years of use--it probably doesn't have as many nooks and crannies as mine does that hasn't been used nearly as long. Someone else might know better. I have some cast iron that was GF (I was already GF when I started), but there have been other food allergies since, including coconut. I used to cook with coconut oil a lot. My plan, someday, is to wash really well, boil water in it several times (until nothing oily stays on the water when I boil it), then reseason. From there, I might have my DH use it to cook for a couple of months just in case. 

I got totally new cast iron BUT then dh glutened it in the first week.  I totally started over with it - scrubbed it down and reseasoned it and had no trouble with it.  (I wouldn't do that with something that had years of gluten build-up, but for that one time on a new pan, it worked. 

Honestly, dh is the biggest problem in our supposed-to-be-gluten-free house.  He can have snacks etc. with gluten downstairs in his office.  If he brings anything upstairs (very rare now) I just calmly take it down to that one room.  (The reason for this is that we have had some near misses due to people absentlymindedly thinking a snack had passed the no-gluten grocery list rule that I use as the main grocery buyer but he had bought it and brought it in so it was not safe. )  Both ds and dh can also get gluteny foods when we eat out and/or can bring gluteny things as long as they are in a sealed take-out container that is not shared food.  We have had zero problems with this rule.  Ds is totally on board with it.  Dh is supposedly on board but tends to "forget" (he probably really does forget but I can't understand why he would.)

Edited September 9, 2019 by Jean in Newcastle

[cintinative]

2 minutes ago, Seasider too said:

A question for this crowd: can you de-gluten a dishwasher?

 

To be honest, I never considered it. Is your worry that somehow the contaminated water will recycle onto the dishes? 

[cintinative]

Well, we have some people here who eat gluten and some that do not, and we all use the same dishwasher.  Restaurants that have both gluten free and non gluten free items use the same dishwasher. I would think, unless I misunderstand how a dishwasher works, that unless there is something amiss in the operation of the dishwasher, the dishwasher should not contaminate the dishes.  However, sink dish washing could be an issue. I am not nearly careful enough in that area. 

[73349]

If a dishwasher gets dishes clean, it gets rid of gluten like it gets rid of everything else (from smooth surfaces). I have never seen replacing the dishwasher or running an empty cycle between G and GF dishes recommended; I think it would be wasteful.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Re. dishwasher.  On my dishwasher, sometimes I have to hit the "drain" button to drain dirty water out of the bottom.  Otherwise I get gunk that washes up on my dishes during the rinse cycle.  This doesn't happen often but when it does, I know that I have to do a short cycle with baking soda and vinegar to refresh the dishwasher and then push that drain button to make sure that everything drains away.  This is on my radar right now because I just had to do it yesterday.  But normally, I don't worry about my dishwasher at all if it is rinsing and draining correctly. 

[prairiewindmomma]

15 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Re. dishwasher.  On my dishwasher, sometimes I have to hit the "drain" button to drain dirty water out of the bottom.  Otherwise I get gunk that washes up on my dishes during the rinse cycle.  This doesn't happen often but when it does, I know that I have to do a short cycle with baking soda and vinegar to refresh the dishwasher and then push that drain button to make sure that everything drains away.  This is on my radar right now because I just had to do it yesterday.  But normally, I don't worry about my dishwasher at all if it is rinsing and draining correctly. 

We cleaned out the filter, scrubbed the seals, and cleaned the jet holes on the swinging arms on the dishwasher when we did our GF trial when we were trying to sort out my autoimmune issues. There were food bits trapped there that was were washing up on our dishes. If that's an issue with your dishwasher, I'd check those places.

[Jean in Newcastle]

4 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

We cleaned out the filter, scrubbed the seals, and cleaned the jet holes on the swinging arms on the dishwasher when we did our GF trial when we were trying to sort out my autoimmune issues. There were food bits trapped there that was were washing up on our dishes. If that's an issue with your dishwasher, I'd check those places.

Thanks.  I did clean the filters and the jet holes too.  As far as the gluten free thing goes, I would clean all of those places but if you are only gluten free (like we are now) I figure all food gunk after a time will be gluten free gunk.  Still not want I want on my dishes though! 

[kbutton]

You can use a citric acid based cleaner in your dishwasher. Something like Lemi-shine. I use plain citric acid. Before I run a "clean the dishwasher" cycle, I clean all the filters and such really well. If we don't use something like this, our hard water will kill the dishwasher. Generally if our dishwasher is not cleaning, it's got vegetable gunk in the filter, and we're good to go after we clean it. It's usually a film of dead broccoli and other veggies that tend to leave tiny bits behind.