Tag Archives: dishwasher care

What Can Damage A Dishwasher?

Are you wondering what can damage a dishwasher? There are plenty of things that can do it. Some of these things as given by dishwasher repair professionals include:

Placing dirty dishes and plates in the dishwasher

The dishwasher is meant to clean the dishes, so you should put the dirty dishes here, right? While this is true, placing excessively dirty dishes here can clog the drain lines, pump assembly, and spray arms.

This provides a breeding ground for bacteria and prevents the dishes from getting cleaned properly.

To avoid this, make it a habit to scrape all the food off the plates and dishes before placing them in the dishwasher.

Some people say that you should rinse the dishes. No, you don’t have to. Scrape them off is enough as it leaves some residues on them that make the detergent work better.

Abusing the door

It’s fun to play with the dishwasher door at the end of a cycle and watch as the steam comes billowing out, but you shouldn’t as this weakens it.

You also should stop your kids and pets from playing with it.

You should only open the door when placing the plates inside and removing them. If you notice any issue with the door, get in touch with a professional and have it fixed as soon as possible.

Overloading the dishwasher

The other thing that will significantly damage your machine is overloading it. As much as you want to save some money by running a cycle with as many dishes as possible, overfilling the machine isn’t the way to go.

This is because it often leads to damage to the machine. The dishes also don’t clean as well as they should, and you might be forced to rinse them twice, which doesn’t save you time or money.

Overloading the machine also increases the chances of it leaking as the water inside the machine is diverted from the bottom of the tank and splashes out, under the door.

To avoid the dangers of overloading the machine, place just enough plates inside the dishwasher. Once full, close the door and run the cycle.

Using too much or wrong detergent

Did you know using too much detergent can damage your dishwasher? Using the wrong detergent builds up residue in the wash and rain pumps, clogging the appliance and creating a breeding ground for bacteria and other organisms.

To be on the safe side, be cautious about the detergent you use.

As a rule of thumb, use detergents specifically designed for your dishwasher. This means that handwashing dish detergent and other soaps shouldn’t find their way into your dishwasher.

When choosing the detergents, always go for powders instead of gels. This is because gels contain chlorine bleach known to dissolve gaskets and seals.

Gels don’t work well in hard water and clog the detergent dispenser, which can impede the appliance’s cleaning performance.

Even though you intend to clean the dishes, you shouldn’t use just any detergent—use a quality detergent that will give you excellent results. As a rule of thumb, avoid cheap, and no-name powders as chances are high they contain inferior cleansers that don’t clean the dishes as well as they should, and you are forced to run several cycles, which you can guess, leads to wastage of resources.

Other cheap cleaners contain sand, so they don’t offer any cleaning benefits.

To be safe, take time to research and find good quality cleaning products that will effectively clean your dishes and prevent the dishwasher from clogging up.

Hard water

Hard water causes the dishes to break and builds up mineral layers on the inside of the dishwasher and its pipes.

To prevent your dishwasher from getting damaged by hard water, soften the water using water filters, water softeners, water softening units, and conditioners.

Power surges

Rapid power fluctuations will also damage your dishwasher and other electrical items and appliances. To protect your appliances, get a surge protector.

Appliance repair Northern VA recommend that you go all the way out and invest in whole house surge protection that will protect your dishwasher and other appliances in the house.

How Not To Load A Dishwasher—A Detailed Guide

There are plenty of guides on proper loading of the dishwasher, so it might be a bit cliché writing another one. This is the reason we have put together this detailed guide on how not to load a dishwasher.

Pre-rinse the dishes

You must have heard that to keep your dishwasher functioning optimally and keep away appliance repair professionals, you need to clear as many food particles from the dishes as possible.

While it’s true that removing most of the food particles will make the work easy for your dishwasher, you shouldn’t pre-rinse the dishes. This is because you will be wasting water and energy.

The dishwashing detergents are designed to cling to the food particles and separate them from the surfaces. This means that when you remove all the food from the dishes, there will be no place for the detergents to adhere to hence you might not get the clean dishes you are looking for.

The right thing to do is scrape off the large food particles instead of rinsing them.

You should only consider pre-rinsing the dishes if you aren’t planning to clean them immediately—you want to keep the dishes in the dishwasher until you have a full load.

By rinsing the dishes you prevent foul smells from emanating after the dishes have stayed in the dishwasher for a couple of days.

Load the pates in the top rack

The top rack looks great, and this is where you should put the plates, right? Wrong.

Dishes are meant to go to the bottom rack. This is why there are tines intended to hold the plates in place to maximize the number that fit and make sure that the hot water passes through for proper cleaning.

You can get away with having a plate or two on the top rack, but when you cram several of them there, you interfere with how other items fit and get cleaned.

Place glassware over the tines

The cups and glasses indeed belong on the top rack, but you shouldn’t place them over the tines. Instead, place them between the tines to prevent cracks and chips from occurring when they bump or rattle against each other during a cycle.

Place the dishwasher pieces facing the same direction

You should have all the dishwasher pieces facing one direction to maintain uniformity and have an easy time, right? Again, wrong.

For proper dish cleaning, you should place the dishes in opposite directions. This means that the dishes on the rear should face forward, and the ones in the front face towards the back.

The same thing applies to the spoons and forks—place them in varying positions in the utensil tray.

By doing this, you allow water to reach all the dishes and at the same time prevent the forks and spoons from nesting into each other.

For the best outcome, load the dishes so that they all face the center of the bottom rack.

Place the platters at the front.

Cutting boards, large platters, and casserole dishes belong at the back or sides of the bottom rack. This is not only to give you room to pack other dishes, but placing them in the front increases the chances of blocking the soap dispenser and preventing detergents from reaching the rest of the load.

Overfill the dishwasher

You might have the impression that when you put all the dirty dishes in one cycle, you save water and energy, but this isn’t the case.

Like the washing machine or refrigerator, cramming your dishwasher full makes it run inefficiently. The water and soap also don’t circulate freely; hence the dishes don’t get as clean as they should.

To be on the safe side, you should only stock what is required—don’t load your dishwasher more than it can carry.

Load even non-dishwasher safe items

I know it’s easy to throw all the dirty dishes and cutlery into the dishwasher and forget about it, but you shouldn’t do it as you will be damaging them.

According to dishwasher repair Northern VA professionals, when you throw plastic containers in the dishwasher, the hot water can melt or even warp that plastic. There is also the risk of cracking wooden spoons and gold flatware discoloring.

To protect your dishes, always confirm whether dishwasher safe before putting them in.

Why Is My Dishwasher Not Starting?

Imagine this. You have guests over, meaning that you have countless dishes to clean. You rush to the kitchen, put the dishes in the dishwasher, and push the start button. You count on the dishwasher to immediately light up and do the dirty work, but it doesn’t.

Why is my dishwasher not starting? You wonder. According to dishwasher repair professionals, this will happen due to plenty of reasons such as:

There is no power supply

There is no way your dishwasher will work if there is no power supply. When your appliance fails to start when you expect it to, you should check the power plugs. In most appliances, the plugs are hidden behind the cabinets or under the sink.

You should inspect them and confirm they aren’t kicked.

If you can’t access the plug, look at it and ensure that it’s securely in the wall and there aren’t any signs of damage or fraying on it or the cord.

You also should check the circuit and confirm that it hasn’t tripped. Also, confirm that the appliance is properly plugged into the wall outlet.

Take a look at the door latch.

The door latch tells the dishwasher that the door is sealed shut and it’s safe to start the waterworks. Like other parts of the appliance, plenty of things can go wrong with the latch. For example:

The latch can jam: You need to check whether old soap or food gunk is in the door latch itself. If the latch is jammed or clogged with old gunk, there is no way it’s going to click shut. This means that there is no way the switch will trigger the dishwasher to start.

The latch can break: The door latch or latch switch can also break. And when this happens, the door won’t click and hold itself closed anymore. This means that the dishwasher can’t start and run safely. In such a case, you have to replace the door latch and even the switch.

The child safety setting might be on: Some dishwashers have child latches meant to keep the children from accessing the dishwasher or accidentally trapping themselves inside.

If your appliance isn’t starting, check whether you have activated the settings.

The control panel isn’t working.

The control panel of your appliance is made up of buttons, minicomputers, and settings that control the wash cycles. Like other appliances, when something goes wrong with the control panel, the dishwasher is bound to start acting up or even failing to start.

In most cases, you can’t tell when the problem is with the control panel unless you have faced the problem before. And to be on the safe side, let an expert handle it.

You have problems with the internal components.

Your dishwasher buttons, door latch, and control panel can be working properly but fail to start when the essential internal components are broken.

One of the most common parts that fail to work is the thermal fuse.  The thermal fuse prevents overheating of the control board, and when the fuse blows, electricity stops making it to the control board, which comes in handy at stopping fires and burning the electrical equipment in the event of a malfunction.

When the thermal fuse is blown, the dishwasher will hardly start unless you replace it.

Motor start relay

The motor start relay tells the dishwasher motor to start working. In other words, it relays the start signal to the motor. If the start relay isn’t functioning, the rest of the dishwasher won’t get the “Go” signal from the control panel.

Drive motor

The drive motor provides the power to swish the water around the inside of the dishwasher. When the drive motor is out, there is no serious water action which means you won’t have clean dishes, and you most likely won’t get the dishwasher to start.

The drive motor is complex, so it’s good to leave it to an appliance repair Northern VA professional to look at it and find out what is stopping the dishwasher from working.

When hiring the repair professional, ensure that they are experienced and know what they are doing. You don’t want to hire someone that will introduce more problems to your appliance.

Five Most Common Problems with Dishwashers

Having a dishwasher comes with plenty of perks: you save time, protect your hands and forearms from the water, you get sanitized dishes and utensils, among many other benefits. The unfortunate thing is that, like other appliances in your home, the dishwasher develops problems that not only reduce its efficiency, but also bring it to a stop.

Want to know about these problems?

Here are the five most common problems with dishwashers as given by dishwasher repair experts:

Leaking dishwasher

This is probably the most common dishwasher problem you can have. The unique thing with this problem is that the dishwasher will leak due to plenty of reasons, and it will present itself in different ways. Some of the reasons the dishwasher will leak include:

  • An ineffective water pump seal
  • A water inlet valve that has spoilt due to hard water or corrosion
  • Cracks in the drain hose or recirculation hose
  • A float switch is stuck or has gone bad

With the help of your owner’s manual, try diagnosing the problem and fix it. If you are having challenges, stop putting your appliance at more risk and hire a contractor to help you fix it.

Failure of the dishwasher to start

You have dirty dishes that you should clean but on starting the appliance, it won’t start. This is a clear sign you have a problem with your unit, and you should move with haste and fix it.

Begin with checking the power sources and ensure the fuse hasn’t blown. You also should ensure the outlet isn’t malfunctioning. To be certain of the problem, try power cycling the appliance.

If the problem is due to a blown fuse, replace it, and you will have an optimally functioning appliance.

Your appliance will also fail to start if the door has a problem. For example, if the door hasn’t latched closed, the dishwasher won’t start. You should also check for problems with the latch and fix them before proceeding with the other troubleshooting steps.

Does your appliance sound like it’s trying to work, but it doesn’t run correctly? The motor might be stuck. If this is the case, try spinning the fan motor by hand and see if it will move. When doing it, remember to turn off the power from the main panel to avoid getting electrocuted.

Failure of the dishwasher to dry the dishes

Besides cleaning the dishes, a properly functioning dishwasher should also dry the dishes, so you get them out clean and dry, and all you have to do is store them. Since drying the dishes is a primary role of the appliance, it means that if it’s not drying them, it has a problem, right?

The unit will fail to dry the dishes due to plenty of reasons. One of the reasons is the heating element malfunctioning. If you do the troubleshooting and the heating element is fine, you might be having a problem with the high limit thermostat or the rinse aid dispenser.

The high limit thermostat keeps the dishwasher from getting too hot, but when the thermostat isn’t functioning properly, it might cause the heat to switch off prematurely, and the dishes don’t dry.

The high limit thermostat is often located at the bottom of the dishwasher tub, directly behind the access panel. You should access it and use a multimeter to check whether it’s functioning properly.

If you are having a problem with the rinse aid dispenser, the dishes won’t dry properly.  First, ensure the dispenser is empty, then troubleshoot the source of the problem.

The dishwasher is leaving a film, spots, or residue on the glassware

A properly functioning dishwasher should give you clean glasses at all times. This means that if you have a residue or spot, you have a problem with the dishwasher.

In most cases, the spots and residues are due to hard water. Thankfully, you can lessen the hard water effects by adding a dish detergent booster or rinse aid to the dishwasher.

The dishwasher making odd noises

If your dishwasher is making unusual sounds, check the internal parts and figure out what is wrong. If you have the skills, you can do it yourself, but for the best results, let a reputable and experienced appliance repair Springfield professional help.

Is It Worth Fixing A Dishwasher When It Breaks Down?

With so many cheaper and efficient dishwashers in the market, it’s normal to ask yourself, is it worth fixing a dishwasher when it breaks down?

The answer to this question isn’t a yes or a no, but more of a decision-making answer. To decide whether to fix or replace the appliance, you need to consider several things such as:

The amount charged by the service provider

When your appliance breaks down, you hire a dishwasher repair professional to fix it. Different professionals charge different rates depending on their experience, location, and nature of the problem.

To decide whether to fix the appliance, compare the contractor’s fee and the cost of a new appliance. Of course, you shouldn’t pay for a repair when the fees are higher than the cost of a new appliance.

The appliance repair market is full of unscrupulous contractors, so be cautious when comparing prices.

Don’t approach one contractor and think that is the amount charged by all contractors. Get quotes from 3 to 5 contractors from different locations, then compare them.

Avoid uptown based companies as they charge higher fees. The high fees aren’t because the contractors provide the best services, rather because they pay higher rents there.

If you do your comparison and find that the average price is higher or close to the price of a new appliance, simply get a new unit.

On the flip side, if you find the repair price lower than the machine’s price, fix the dishwasher. For best results, work with an experienced technician that understands what they are doing.

Age of the appliance

How long has the appliance been around? If your appliance is 8, 9, or 10 years, don’t bother fixing it—simply replace it.

The reason for this is because most of the modern appliances are designed to last for only 10 years. This means the closer your appliance is to 10 years, the better it is to replace it.

The problem the appliance has

Minor dishwasher problems are easy and cheap to fix, so it makes sense to fix your appliance if it has a minor problem. If your appliance is missing a seal, pressure switch, latch, drain pump, fill valve, or any other easy-to-find part, simply fix it.

On the other hand, if the appliance has a serious problem such as a malfunctioning motor or circulation pump, it’s more economical to replace the dishwasher as the cost of a new part and installing it will be much higher than the cost of a new dishwasher.

Warranty

If you have had your dishwasher for 1-2 years, you most likely have a warranty. This means when the appliance breaks down, you simply take it to a factory-authorized shop and have it fixed at no cost to you.

Due to this, it’s better to have the dishwasher fixed regardless of the problem’s nature. After all, the cost isn’t transferred to you.

If you never bothered with the warranty at the time of purchase or your appliance is old, you aren’t covered by the warranty, so you have to shoulder all the costs.

If the problem is minor, you can get money from your pocket and pay for it, but you are better off replacing the unit if the issue is complex.

Buying a new dishwasher

If you don’t have a warranty, your dishwasher is old, and/or the appliance has a complex problem, you shouldn’t bother with fixing it. Instead, buy a new one.

When buying a new appliance, take your time and ensure you buy the right one. One of the things to look at when buying is the efficiency rating of the unit.

Of course, you want a highly energy-efficient dishwasher that will consume little energy and function efficiently for a long time.

The price is another factor to consider. While expensive dishwashers function better and last for a long time, avoid the luxurious ones as they have too many features that you probably won’t need.

Go for moderately priced units within your budget.

After buying the appliance, take good care of it, so it lasts for a long time, and avoid hiring appliance repair Northern VA professionals now and then.

How Many Years Should A Dishwasher Last?

When you get a new house, you want the appliances to last for as long as possible to minimize the amount of money you have to spend on appliance repair and replacement.

The dishwasher being an integral part of the kitchen, you must wonder, how many years should a dishwasher last? On average, dishwashers last between 9-10 years. Of course, several factors will influence the appliance’s lifespan such as:

Frequency of use: In an ordinary house, the dishwasher will cycle five times a week. If you have fewer people living in the house or you are rarely in the house, you will use the dishwasher less often, meaning the appliance will last for a much longer time.

Quality: Like other products in the market, dishwashers are of distinct qualities that vary depending on different brands. As you might guess, high-quality appliances from reputable manufacturers will last for a much longer time than poor-quality units from an unknown company.

Maintenance: How well do you take good care of your appliance? You should expect a well-maintained unit to have a much longer lifespan than a poorly maintained one.

Price: Although expensive doesn’t mean better, in most cases expensive appliances have longer lifespans. This is because they are often of better quality. Besides this, expensive appliances save you a lot of money as they operate more efficiently.

Can you expand the dishwasher lifespan?

Yes, you can definitely do that. Here are tips on how to do it:

Keep the appliance clean

Going for a long time without cleaning the dishwasher causes different parts to become grimy, which reduces the appliance’s cleaning power and efficiency.

Built-up residue can also cause the dishwasher to clog up and even breakdown.

To avoid this, make it a habit to routinely wipe down the door seals and food spills using warm water, mild soap, and a soft piece of cloth.

Every few months, open up the appliance and clean the food trap and filter.

Don’t overload the machine

You might have the impression you are saving money and time when you cram many dishes in the dishwasher, but this isn’t the case. Overloading the machine will restrict the water spray patterns, preventing proper cleaning.

Since the dishes won’t get clean enough, you have to rewash them. Running the machine unnecessarily reduces the appliance’s lifespan.

The mechanical parts also wear out more frequently, forcing you to keep on hiring a repair technician to repair and replace them.

To avoid all this from happening, load your dishwasher with just enough dishes. Remember, you are better off having two full cycles than many partial cycles.

Only use the dishwasher to clean the dishes

When you scour the internet, you will come across videos of people cleaning different things with their dishwashers. Don’t do this.

Don’t clean your car parts with the dishwasher as the parts are greasy and the dishwasher and detergent aren’t designed to handle that amount of grease.

When you frequently clean the car parts in your dishwasher, it’s a matter of time before you clog the filter and ruin the pump.

You also shouldn’t wash candlestick holders with the dishwasher as the hot wax embeds into the different crevices and you end up destroying the machine components.

A good rule of thumb is to never clean anything that isn’t dishes.

Rustproof the racks

The racks are covered in a plastic coating that prevents rust from coming about. When rust develops on the racks, it gets to the pump and since the pump is the heart of the dishwasher, the rust flakes can get to the pump and clog it.

To prevent this from happening, regularly inspect the racks, and if the plastic coating has worn off, repair it immediately.

Follow the owner’s manual

Every dishwasher comes with a playbook (also known as the owner’s manual) which contains valuable information on how to use and maintain the machine. To avoid issues, follow the manual’s wisdom.

Fix problems as soon as they come up

Even with the best care, it’s common for the dishwasher to develop problems. When this happens, hire dishwasher repair Springfield professionals to fix it as soon as possible.

Dishwasher Repair: Tips On How To Properly Load The Dishwasher

For you to properly clean the dishes, you have to load them properly in the dishwasher. Here are tips on how to go about it as given by dishwasher repair professionals:

Loading the top rack

The top rack is designed for glasses, cups, saucers, and smaller items. Place the items at an angle with the dirtiest surface facing downward. To prevent the dishes from chipping or getting damaged, ensure similar items don’t touch.

Place lightweight and dishwasher-safe plastic items such as storage containers on the top rack. If including any household items you can clean in the dishwasher, keep them on the top rack. Place them away from high temperatures of the drying element in the bottom of the appliance.

Ensure the plastic items you place in the dishwasher rack aren’t too small to fit through gaps. This is because items that can fall through the gaps can block one of the washer arms or land on the dishwasher’s heating element and get burnt.

Does your appliance have a fold-down shelf with stemware holders? Secure the stems of wine glasses and champagne flutes in the holders for extra protection during washing.

Some dishwasher models have flexible spray nozzles on the upper rack where you can place tall glasses and water bottles.

Got long utensils such as ladles and spatulas? Lay them flat on the upper dishwasher rack. Ensure the utensils can slip through the rack and block the spray arms.

Loading the bottom rack

The bottom rack is the ideal spot for plates, pans, bakeware, instant pot inner pots, and casserole dishes. Place dinner and lunch plates between the tines on the bottom rack and angle the dirty sides towards the washer jets.

Watch you don’t stack the dishes on top of each other as this will cause nesting and prevent the dishes from getting clean evenly. You can avoid nesting by alternating larger and smaller plates.

Position large bowls between tines or along the side, back, or front of the bottom rack. Face the inside of each bowl towards the center of the dishwasher and angle them downwards.

If you have larger cookware items such as pans, pots, and baking dishes, place them along the sides or back of the lower rack. Angle them down to ensure better cleaning and drainage.

Place flat pans and platters on the side or back of the lower rack away from the dishwasher door. Avoid placing them in the front door as you can block detergents from reaching the dishes.

Loading the silverware

The key to ensuring the silverware get clean is to ensure the water reaches the entire surface area. Don’t place forks or spoons in one section unless you alternate the direction. Load the silverware into the silverware basket while taking care to avoid nesting when loading, as this can cause some of the utensils to clean inefficiently.

To protect your fingers and hands when loading, place knives with the handles facing up. For the spoons and forks, place them with the handles facing down.

If your silverware baskets have lids, take care as they might flip up if the handles don’t fit into the slots in the lids.

Once everything is in place, fill the detergent dispense to the necessary level based on how hard the water is in your area.

Tips for getting excellent results from your dishwasher

For clean dishes all the time, clean the dishwasher regularly.

Use the correct amount of dishwasher detergent. As mentioned above, this will depend on how hard the water is. If the water contains a lot of minerals, use more detergent for every load.

Ensure that the detergent is fresh and not clumping. Give the liquids a good shake before you use them. This will break any lumps in powdered formulas leaving you with easy to use detergent.

Watch what you place in the dishwasher. Some items, such as cast iron and ceramic-coated cookware, should never see the insides of the dishwasher. This is because they will get damaged, and you can’t restore them.

At least once a year, hire an appliance repair Springfield professional to inspect your appliance and ensure all the parts are functioning optimally. If they have a problem, the professional should fix it immediately before it gets worse.

Dishwasher Repair: Common Dishwasher Noises And What They Mean

Dishwasher noises mean there is a problem with your appliance. According to dishwasher repair professionals, the dishwasher will make a myriad of noises that have different meanings. These noises include:

Grinding noises

Grinding noises are due to different reasons. A light grinding can be due to the running of the dishwasher motor, and you have nothing to worry about when you hear it.

If you immediately hear loud grinding noises, your unit might be having problems with the plastic blades of the drain impeller.

The appliance uses the blades to break up larger food particles. When things get stuck there, they make grinding noises.

If there is nothing stuck in the blades and you can still hear the noises, the noise might be coming from the water inlet valve. The valve will make the noises when there is not enough water getting into the dishwasher.

Inspect the dishwasher for clogs and replace the problematic parts.

Banging noises

Can you hear non-rhythmic banging inside the dishwasher? Contact a plumber to help you with the diagnosis of the problem.

You will have banging noises when the spray arms are hitting the dishes. You will hear a banging sound, but since the spray arms are rotating in a circle, the bang sound will have a unique rhythm to it.

If this is the case with you, simply readjust the dishes. On the other hand, if the noises aren’t rhythmic, you may be having a water hammer.

When you have a water hammer, the valves of the dishwasher close, forcing the water behind it to rattle the pipe, leading to a banging noise.

The plumbing professional you hire will find out the cause of the water pressure and install an adjuster to ensure that you don’t burst a pipe.

Did you recently install a dishwasher? A banging sound will come about when the drain line thumps against the wall or cabinets during the operation. You need to readjust the dishwasher, and the noises will go away.

Buzzing

Buzzing sounds are sounds of water as its being forced down the drain or food disposal. In most cases, when you hear these sounds, you have nothing to worry about even if the sounds are loud. This is because they can get too noisy when there is a lot of food to get rid of.

Humming noises

It’s normal for the dishwasher to hum during normal operation, but if you hear humming sounds that are louder than normal or high-pitched, investigate the dishwasher fan or motor.

If the humming is coming about during a drying cycle, the fan is most likely the culprit as the motor isn’t in use. On the other hand, if it occurs during any other cycle, the motor might be damaged.

You need to hire an appliance technician to troubleshoot the appliance and fix the problematic area.

Rattling

Rattling noises are due to the dishes that you put in the appliance. You might be having a loose fork somewhere, plates touching each other, a cup being jostled by water, or any other issue.

If the noises aren’t from the dishes, they are most likely from a faulty motor. You can tell where the noises are coming from by running an empty wash cycle. If you can still hear the rattling noises, they might be coming from the faulty motor.

When inspecting the motor, also take a look at the drain and filter for any solid objects that might be causing the noises.

Sometimes the noises are due to a water hammer in the pipes. You will have to hire a plumber to prevent serious damage to your plumbing.

Clicking noises

Just like humming noises, clicking noises are regular operating noises from the dishwasher. While this is the case, sometimes, the sounds can be brought about by tiny objects such as a seed bouncing around.

If you recently repaired your dishwasher, for example, replacing the O-ring, you might be having clicking sounds when the ring isn’t seating properly.

Telltale signs that the clicking is due to the recent repairs is rhythmic clicking. Before you hire an appliance repair Northern VA professional, take a look at the part you recently replaced.

Dishwasher Repair: 5 Tricks To Get Cleaner Dishes From Your Dishwasher

The reason you invested in a dishwasher is that you want to have an easy time cleaning your dishes. There is nothing more aggravating than opening the dishwasher door after a cleaning cycle and find the dishes still dirty. This happens when you improperly clean the dishes. Do you want to have cleaner dishes after every cycle? Here are tips to follow as given by dishwasher repair experts:

Keep the dishwasher clean

There is no way you are going to have clean dishes if the dishwasher is dirty. At least once a week, inspect the dishwasher for dirt and clean it if dirty. Start with examining the drain filters as the dirt and grime from the dishes goes here.

When you go for a long time without cleaning the filters, they can clog up, preventing the dishwasher from cleaning as well as it should.

You also should pay attention to the spray arms. Use a cable, steel wire, or wire hanger to poke the arms and remove any gunk that might be there.

Over time, it’s common for gunk to build up around the interior of the doors. Clean the door seals by wiping them down with a damp piece of cloth or paper towel.

Run the right cycle

Dishwashers come with a variety of cycles that allow you to adjust the washing levels depending on what you are washing and the amount of washing you need:

  • Rinse cycle: Appropriate for light cleaning
  • Quick cycle: The cleaning ranges vary from half an hour to an hour. They are made to tackle light cleaning jobs.
  • Normal cycles: These are the most ideal for day-to-day cleaning of the dishes.
  • Pots and pans cycle: Ideal for large and more heavily soiled cookware.

Some dishwasher models have more specialized cycles, such as anti-bacterial and semi-rinse. For you to choose the right cycle, use the care manual as the guide. If you have lightly soiled dishes, a normal or quick wash will be perfect for you. On the other hand, if you have stuff that has baked or dried on the plates after a normal meal, go for the auto cycle.

Do you have baked-on stuff or cookware? Go for the pots and pans cycle. Choosing the right cleaning cycle is vital as a failure to do it will lead to dirty dishes at the end of the cycle.

Use the right temperature

For the best dishwashing results, the temperature of the water should be 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Water that is hot enough easily dissolves and activates the dishwashing detergents. It also dissolves grease leaving the dishes spot-free.

If the temperature is too low, the dishwasher doesn’t clean the dishes thoroughly. On the other hand, if the water is too hot, the ingredients in the detergent don’t function properly. Some of the soils might also fail to get adequately removed.

To check the temperature of the dishwasher, turn on the faucet nearest to the dishwasher. Place a thermometer in a cup under the faucet and let the water run into the cup. If the temperature isn’t around 120 degrees Fahrenheit,  adjust the water heater.

Load the dishwasher properly

How you load the dishwasher not only determines how efficiently the dishwasher functions, it also determines how clean the dishes get. Before loading the machine, scrape off as many excess foods from the dishes as much as you can.

Some homeowners go to the extent of rinsing the dishes, but you don’t have to. If there are bits of food that have crusted over and stuck on the dishes, don’t worry about them as the dishwasher will get rid of them when you run the appropriate cycle.

When arranging the dishes, do it by how dirty they are. Group the ones that need a heavy wash together and those that require light or standard cleaning by themselves. Doing this prevents you from having some of the dishes cleaner than others. It also prevents you from running two heavy cycles.

Keep the dishwasher in top shape

Cleaning the dishwasher isn’t enough. You also need to repair it regularly to keep it in top shape. When you notice a problem with the unit, ask an appliance repair Springfield professional to give it a look and fix the problem.

Dishwasher Repair: 8 Tips To Keep The Dishwasher In Top Shape

dishwasher repair

For the dishwasher to last for long, you need to take good care of it. Dishwasher repair professionals observe that it’s the everyday tasks that make all the difference. Want to keep your appliance in tip-top shape? Here are tips on how to go about it:

Don’t overpack the appliance

A full dishwasher is indeed more energy-efficient, but when you overpack it, you end up running into problems. An overcrowded appliance doesn’t run efficiently. It doesn’t clean the dishes as well as it should. When you pack it too tightly, some of the dishes don’t get clean, and you have to re-wash them, which is double the work.

If you have a lot of dishes that need to be cleaned, run two loads so that everything gets clean. You can also hand wash a few dishes that aren’t too dirty.

Watch where you place the dishes

Where you place the utensils greatly determines the results you get. For optimum results, place the delicates on the top rack and the more durable dishes on the bottom shelf. The cooking utensils are best placed on the top rack—not in the cutlery bin.

Stagger the forks and spoons in the cutlery bin with some handles facing up and others down. This will allow water to get in between them so that they can be as clean as possible.

When placing the dishes in the dishwasher, find out the direction of the water sprayer. Place the soiled sides on the side of the water while taking care that you don’t block the sprayer with any large items.

Avoid placing sterling silver and silver-plated utensils in the dishwasher. Hand wash the dishes instead. If you have to wash them using the dishwasher, don’t put them in the same load as stainless steel. This is to avoid any reaction that might come about due to both metals.

Keep the dirtiest dishes together

When the dishes aren’t too dirty, you can get away with shorter, lighter cycles. This saves you energy and at the same time, reduces your energy bill. When you have dirty dishes, and you run a short cycle, the dishes will come out still dirty.

For you to have an easy time cleaning them, group the dirtiest dishes then run a longer cycle. You can even hand wash the dirtiest dishes.

Scrape excess foods—don’t rinse

When the dishes are too dirty, many homeowners rush to pre-rinse the dishes with the hope that the dishwasher will have an easy time. Don’t do this. Pre-rinsing not only leads to water wastage, but it also worsens the performance of the detergents.

There is no harm in removing the excess food before you put them in the dishwasher, but you shouldn’t rinse the dishes—scrape them instead.

Clean the door seals

Regular use of the dishwasher increases the chances of gunk building up around the appliance door and even around the soap drawer. The build-up is not only ugly to look at, but it also affects the strength of the seal and at the same time provides a breeding ground for mold.

To avoid this, clean the dishwasher seals with a damp piece of cloth or mild detergent.

Watch the soap

For you to get cleaner dishes, you might be tempted to add a lot of soap to the dishwasher. This is wrong. A lot of soap clogs up the dishwasher preventing it from running as efficiently as it should.

Different dishwashers have different soap requirements. If you aren’t sure of the right amount of soap you should use, check the recommendations of the manufacturer.

Soften the water

If you live in areas that have hard water, consider softening it before you allow it into the dishwasher. Hard water leads to breaks and marks on the dishes; therefore, you should strive to soften it before it reaches the appliance.

If you can’t control the natural hardness of water, use a teaspoon of vinegar in the rinse cycle, and this will go a long way at keeping the unit running efficiently.

Undertake regular dishwasher inspections

Even when you are taking optimum care of the dishwasher, it’s common for problems to come about. To protect yourself, hire an appliance repair Northern VA professional at least once a year to inspect the unit and fix any issues that might be there.