A dishwasher includes a washing receptacle for items to be cleaned, a pump for liquid, a flow heater for liquid, a device for spraying items to be cleaned, a control device for wash cycles of the spraying device, and a device for providing steam having a separate steam dispenser and unit for producing a jet of steam supplied by the steam dispenser. The steam dispenser and the steam jet unit are disposed in the dishwasher in such a way that the steam jet unit always supplies steam to the same predetermined location in the washing receptacle specifically identified and configured for receiving particular items to be cleaned, e.g. particularly dirty items. An uncontrolled escape of steam from any section of the entire washing receptacle is prevented, thus improving the cleaning result with maximum usage of the steam and without also being dependent on activation of a separate steam washing cycle.