Tag Archives: dishwasher tricks

Tricks to A Perfectly Functioning Dishwasher

A dishwasher isn’t a necessity, but it really comes in handy. After all, who wants to deal with a massive mound of dishes after preparing and eating a meal? Unfortunately, you can’t enjoy your unit if it functions incorrectly.

Thankfully, you can do several things to ensure that the unit is always in top working condition. These things include:

Keep the filters clean at all times.

You should clean your dishwasher’s filter after each usage. That may seem like a lot of labor, but it’s worth it.

After removing the filter from the machine, just rinse it under running water to loosen any trapped particles, allow it to dry, and then replace it. If you can’t remember to do it after each usage, try once a week.

The beauty of cleaning the filters is that you don’t need to hire a dishwasher repair professional to help you. You can easily do it by yourself.

Always scrape food from the dishes.

To avoid clogging the filter, scrape your plates and remove as much food residue from pans and dishes as possible before adding them to the washing machine. Foods like Weetabix and porridge adhere to dishes if they sit in the dishwasher for an extended period before being run.

Put these plates in the sink to catch the water when you run the faucet. This will assist in soaking up the worst of the breakfast leftovers. Then, just before the cycle begins, place them in the dishwasher.

Some people have the notion that they should pre-wash the dishes before placing them in the dishwasher, but you don’t have to. In fact, you usually end up causing more havoc when you pre-wash the dishes.

This is because when you pre-wash the dishes, you remove the adhering surfaces for the soap. As a result, the soap doesn’t clean the dishes as well as it should. The consequence is leaving you with dirty dishes even after running them in the dishwasher.

The right way to do it is to scrape the food from the dishes, and you are good to go. This will remove the food particles that can clog the unit and, at the same time, leave binding spaces for the soap so that it effectively cleans the dishes.

Keep the dishwasher salt topped up at all times.

Experts report that using salt is the key to a long-lasting dishwasher. Salt serves two functions in your machine: first, it softens the water and prevents the buildup of hard water deposits, and second, it helps keep the dishwasher clean by preventing bacteria buildup.

Some dishwashers allow you to tell how hard the water is where you live, but if yours doesn’t, you can find out the exact level by calling your local water board.

If your dishwasher has this feature, it will use the least amount of salt necessary to keep hard water deposits at bay.

A common misconception is that you don’t need to add salt if you live in a soft water area or have a water softener. This is not the case.

You must always add salt to the machine to keep it bacteria-free. If germs are allowed to multiply, your dishwasher’s water flow and wash performance will suffer.

Inhibiting the water flow over time may dramatically diminish the life of your dishwasher. And you don’t want this, do you?

Regularly check spray arms for blockages.

You should also clean the spray arms regularly with a mix of washing up liquid and water (how often depends on how frequently you use your dishwasher).

While you’re at it, look for debris in the jets, such as fruit pips and small food particles. A clever approach is to send water into the intake of each arm – if it flows freely, it is not clogged. If it is, clear it with a toothpick or something similar.

Besides unclogging the spray arms, check them to confirm they aren’t bent. If they are, straighten them. In some cases, you might find them too bent or damaged. In such a case, simply straighten them.

Deep clean the dishwasher

Dishwashers are one of the appliances that many people clean the least. This is because many people have the impression that they are always clean, but this isn’t the case.

According to survey, consumers clean their dishwashers three times per year on average. This is not enough. The best way out is to thoroughly clean your dishwasher every two months by running it empty on the hottest setting.

You should soak a cleaning cloth in hot, soapy water and wipe off the surface of dishwashers with plastic exteriors. Wipe it dry with a clean, dry cloth or a paper towel.

After this, fill a spray bottle with a homemade solution of one part vinegar to three parts water if your dishwasher is stainless steel. Spray it on the exterior of the dishwasher and wipe it clean with a cleaning cloth.

A screen in your dishwasher collects food and other particles. The screen becomes clogged with time, resulting in badly cleaned dishes and increased wear and tear on your dishwasher.

You should remove the filter from the bottom and spray it with hot water from the kitchen sink.

Soak the filter for 10 minutes in warm, soapy water before rinsing with hot water. Use a scrub brush to remove any leftover food particles or residue.

Rinse your filter, then before putting it back in the dishwasher, check the drain for buildup and clean it with a sponge.

Parting shot

These are some things you need to do to ensure that your dishwasher is always in top working condition. Besides these things, also use your dishwasher correctly. As a rule of thumb, never run it when it’s too full, as it will fail to function optimally and reduce lifespan.

For peace of mind that your unit is in good working shape, contact appliance repair Fairfax professionals at least once a year to look at it and fix any issues it might be having.

To Pre-Rinse or Not to Pre-Rinse: Answering The Century Long Question

Some people recommend that you pre-rinse the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher, while others advise against it.

According to dishwasher repair professionals, you shouldn’t pre-rinse the dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. This is because pre-rinsing is similar to hand-washing your car before putting it in the car wash. It doesn’t help much, does it?

Rinsing before using the dishwasher wastes hot water and usually does not improve the outcome.

You should note that modern dishwashers employ high temperatures that easily dissolve tough stains, so you have clean dishes even if you don’t pre-rinse them beforehand.

While you don’t need to pre-rinse every dish you put in the dishwasher, you should note that you shouldn’t throw a loaded plate into your dishwasher. This is because too much filth can jam your machine. This will lead to a waste of time, and in some cases, you have to hire a professional to help you clean the unit. 

For example, if you have a pan with burnt-on food residue, soak it beforehand.

Other dishwasher best practices

Besides avoiding pre-rinsing the dishes all the time, there are plenty of other best practices you can adopt to run an excellent dishwashing cycle. These practices include:

Keep the dishwasher clean.

You need to keep your dishwasher clean. Many homes overlook this duty, which is understandable given the function of a dishwasher. Why would it need to be cleaned if it is built to be cleaned?

While this is the case, you should note that cleaning a dishwasher is an important aspect of its maintenance and keep it clean at all times.

Food residue can accumulate in the filter with each cycle, while soap scum and grease can accumulate and foster germs. Even if the immediate dirt is not there, limescale can grow within the pipes, reducing efficiency.

If you do not fix these, your dishwasher’s performance will suffer. Under such conditions, it will begin to stink; in the worst-case scenario, it may necessitate costly repairs.   

There are many stages of dishwasher cleaning that you can undertake. Before cleaning, inspect the filter between cycles to ensure the same food does not contaminate the next load.

You should also give the dishwasher a general clean once a week or every two weeks, which includes rinsing the filter and wiping down the inside door.

Then, once a month, undertake thorough cleaning. This includes washing the attachments and running a general cleanser through the machine, such as white vinegar.

Load the unit properly.

It’s easy to blame your dishwasher for bad performance, but have you ever considered that it could be due to how you load it?

A dishwasher will only clean effectively if it is correctly filled, and in rare situations, it will not clean at all.

Water cannot flow through plates that are touching, for example. If the spray arm becomes clogged, the water will not be distributed effectively hence, the unit won’t clean as well as you would want it to.

Always consult your owner’s manual to determine the best way to fill your dishwasher. Depending on the model, the recommended placement for each object type will differ.

Once you’ve determined this, be careful to fill it without overloading it.

Remember that when things are smashed together, your dishwasher cannot fully access and clean the load. And you don’t want this.

Before starting a cycle, ensure the spray arm can freely revolve beneath the upper basket. You must reorganize the load or raise the upper basket if it is obstructed.

Give the dishwasher time to dry.

Even if your dishwasher is loaded with rinse aid, the drying performance may be inadequate. It’s inconvenient to unload your dishwasher only to find your dishes dripping and coated in puddles.

Thankfully, there are workarounds. After your dishwasher has run, open the door and allow it to air and dry naturally for at least 30 minutes.

Some dishwashers have an auto-open feature that will do this for you. Just ensure it has plenty of time to air before you empty it.

Allowing your dishwasher to air out can also help prevent mold from growing inside.

Some dishwashers additionally include additional drying algorithms to expedite the drying process. Remember that this will cost you extra energy, especially if there is a heating element.

Run hot water

This applies to dishwashers directly connected to hot water valves rather than those that heat the water on their own.

The hotter the water, the better your dishwasher’s cleaning effectiveness. And, if you want this gadget to start up smoothly, running the hot kitchen faucet for a few seconds prior can help.

This allows the water to be heated before your dishwasher uses it. Otherwise, the cycle will not be as hot or efficient as it may be, and performance will suffer.

Remember that the water should be at least 120°F before entering the dishwasher. You can always check this using a meat thermometer.

Take advantage of the heavy-setting

If your dishwasher is having trouble removing stains, you may not be using the proper setting. Eco cycles and dishwasher options are becoming increasingly popular, allowing users to trade a longer cycle for less energy and water consumption.

The issue is that, as with eco settings on washing machines, the performance is necessarily inferior to conventional settings.

As a result, plates and cookware may emerge with dried-on stains that are considerably more difficult to clean.

Before you choose your usual program, think about if it’s appropriate for the items you’re washing. Heavy or intensive cycles may be better if you have baked-on stains on your pots and pans.

The easiest way to eliminate this type of residue is to wash at a higher temperature.

Appliance repair Alexandria recommends using eco mode if you’re washing mild, ordinary stains. Don’t forget about the programs in between — auto can adjust to the stain level, glassware is perfect for fragile things, and a quick wash is ideal if you’re short on time.

8 Mistakes You are Making with Your Dishwasher

A dishwasher is one of the most commonly used kitchen appliances, and it saves you time and effort when dishwashing. 

To keep your dishwasher running smoothly, you must avoid making dishwasher mistakes that households make daily.

The mistakes you should avoid, as given by appliance repair professionals, include: 

You don’t read the instruction manual.

Many people have the impression that every dishwasher is the same. Due to this, they don’t bother reading the manual for their specific model as they think it’s unimportant.

Each dishwasher has a slightly different set of needs and ways of working.

One example is the type of things that each device can handle. When you don’t read the owner’s manual before using the appliance, you won’t know the items you can clean using the unit and those you can’t.

To stay safe, read the instructions before putting the different items in the dishwasher. 

Don’t put anything in the dishwasher if the manufacturer doesn’t say that it can go in.

Failing to run hot water beforehand

You might miss out if you don’t run your hot water tap before using the dishwasher. This might sound strange, but it’s true.

Running hot water before you start to use the dishwasher can ensure that the water going into the dishwasher is already hot, which can help it clean better.

Cold water can leave behind leftover soap and food. To stay safe, turn on the hot water at the sink and let it run for a few minutes.

Failing to leave the door open after a cycle

Just like with a washing machine, you should leave the dishwasher door open after using it so it can dry properly.

This is a great way to avoid mold, especially on the caps.

While this is a great practice, in most cases, many homeowners don’t do it often because they don’t know it’s the right thing to do. Others don’t know that they should do it. 

To stay on the good side, make it a habit to leave the dishwasher door open after running a cycle.

Overusing the eco mode

Eco mode or energy saver mode on your dishwasher can only be good for you and your appliance, right? Well, this is not true. Even if the mode saves energy by running at lower temperatures, setting your dishwasher to only run on eco mode could be a mistake that could hurt you in the long run.

Some people only use the eco or energy saver mode on their dishwashers because they think it would save them money and be better for the environment. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.

Running your unit only on eco mode could cause problems because the water might not get hot enough to dissolve all the soap. Soap can build up over time, leading to problems like leaks and damage to the dishwasher.

To prevent this, occasionally use the dishwasher’s highest temperature setting to keep it clean and ensure soap doesn’t build up.

Overloading the dishwasher compartments

One of the most common mistakes homeowners make when using their dishwashers is to put too many dishes, pans, glasses, and silverware in them.

Why does this matter so much? If you put too many things in your dishwasher, it won’t clean as well as if you left more room between them. Overloading your dishwasher can make your dishes have a foul smell and less clean.

To avoid this, load your dishwasher correctly, leaving enough space between the dishes so the water and soap can move around properly during the cleaning cycle.

Failing to clean the dishes

Some experts advise that you don’t need to clean your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, but this is controversial.

You should know that your dishwasher isn’t a trash can or a garbage disposal. This means that you shouldn’t allow all the trash to get there. 

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when using the dishwasher is failing to scrap off bigger bits of stuck-on food or sauce, as these leftovers could linger.

Even though dishwashers are made to clean dishes, you should still scrape and rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. If you don’t do this, bits of food will get stuck in your dishwasher and won’t clean your dishes.

This means you’ll have to clean your machine more often in the long run.

You don’t need to pre-rinse your dishes, but you should scrape off any stuck-on food. This way, you have fewer food particles getting into your dishwasher. 

Failing to clean the filter

It’s easy to forget or not even know that the dishwasher has a filter, but it does, and it does a great job of keeping your dishes clean by filtering out dirt and waste.

A dirty filter could be why your dishes come out of the washing with a film on them, and your glasses look cloudy.

Because of this, you need to clean it regularly. How often you clean it will depend on how often you use your machine. Once a week is suitable for some homes, but once a month is good for others.

You should research and find out the best time to do it. It also doesn’t hurt to consult an experienced dishwasher repair Springfield professional.

Failing to clean the dishwasher deep

Even though you should clean the filter often, you should also deep clean the dishwasher every so often.

You can do this by running a dishwasher cleaner or a bowl of white vinegar on the bottom shelf while the dishwasher is empty.

Doing this eliminates the limescale, food, and grime that have built up in your dishwasher.

It will keep your dishwasher from getting smelly, make sure your dishes get clean, and make the machine work better.

For the best outcome, deep clean your appliance at least once a week. You can do the cleaning yourself, but if you don’t have the time or aren’t sure about your skills, let an expert do it.

Why Is It Better To Run Dishwasher At Night?

If you are new to dishwashers, you must have learned that you should run them at night, right? And this is true.

Why is it better to run your dishwasher at night? There are plenty of reasons. Here they are as given by dishwasher repair experts:

You save energy

This might come as a shock to you, but it’s true. Since most people aren’t using electricity at night, this time is regarded as off-peak, which means that the electricity consumed at this time attracts lower fees.

This means that when you run your dishwasher at night, you save money compared to running it during the day.

Set your dishwasher to run at the energy-efficient setting or cycle to save even more energy.

You reduce noise pollution.

Most old appliances are noisy, and this includes dishwashers. This means that when you run the appliance during the day when there are people running chores, you are bound to make plenty of noise that can be off-putting to them.

To cut on the noise, consider running the dishwasher when everyone is asleep and can’t hear the noise.

Place the dishwasher away from the bedrooms or behind a closed door to avoid disturbing anyone.

If the dishwasher still makes plenty of noise at night to the extent that some people wake up, consider getting a newer, quieter appliance.

It’s convenient

Let’s be honest. Daytimes are busy, even if you are a stay-at-home dad or mom. This is because you have plenty of chores to run.

Getting the dishes using the dishwasher isn’t a matter of throwing the dishes in and waiting for them to get clean—you need to load them properly and wait until they are thoroughly clean. This means that when you decide to clean them during the day, the task might come in the way of your daily activities.

On the other hand, when you decide to run the dishwasher during the night, you will have been done with your daily activities, which means that you won’t be disrupting anything.

As a result, you are more likely to be involved with the cleaning as you won’t be in a hurry to complete running the dishwasher so that you can run to other activities.

You have enough water to do the cleaning.

Like electricity, water is in high demand during the day. This means that even if you were to run your appliance at this time, you wouldn’t have enough water for optimal cleaning. When you do dishwashing at night, most people will be asleep, meaning there won’t be a high demand for water.

This means you will have all the water you need to clean your dishes properly.

Best practices when running the dishwasher

You need to do several things to get the most from your dishwasher. These things include:

Run the dishwasher at the right settings: Different dishwashers have different settings that vary depending on different models. You should always check your user manual and confirm that you are using the right cycle for the type of dishes you are cleaning.

Always sort the dishes: Before putting them in the dishwasher, always sort them out and place them in different compartments where they will be properly cleaned. This means the plates and cups shouldn’t sit in the same compartment.

Scrape the food off the dishes: To give your appliance an easy time to do cleaning, always scrape the food from the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher. Some people will advise you to clean the dishes, but this isn’t wise as it removes the surface where the detergents are meant to adhere. Scrape the excess food, and you are good to go.

Load the dishes properly: As mentioned above, you need to sort your dishes to achieve ideal results. Sorting isn’t enough—you also need to load the dishes properly. This calls for you to place the glasses on the top rack and the pots and pans on the bottom rack.

Parting shot

These are some of the reasons you should run your dishwasher at night. To keep your appliance in top working condition, have it checked by a qualified appliance repair Springfield professional at least once a year.

Should You Let Dishwasher Air Out?

When you are going on a holiday, or you will be out of the house for extended periods, you might have been tempted to leave the dishwasher open for moisture to evaporate and air to flow through the insides of the unit, but you aren’t sure whether this is a great decision.

Should you let the dishwasher air out? If you are wondering about this, you should know that it’s okay to do it. According to appliance repair professionals, airing out your dishwasher comes with plenty of benefits that include:

You allow heat and moisture to escape

Heat and moisture are usually a nightmare combination for most homeowners as they create unhealthy living conditions. When you let your unit air out, you get rid of this moisture, which leaves your unit in top working condition.

Besides leaving the door open when you are leaving the house for extended periods, it’s also recommended that you leave it open regularly to ensure that the dishes are fully dry before you remove them.

A good rule of thumb is to leave the door ajar for at least 30 minutes after each cycle.

You get rid of limescale.

Limescale is the yacky white coating you see on units exposed to water for some time.

The coating results from excess calcium in the water, and while it’s not a hazard to your health, it can lead to many problems for your appliance, such as blocking the unit and restricting water flow.

As you can tell, when your appliance has excessive limescale depositions, it doesn’t run as well as it should.

When you air out the unit, you slow down or prevent the depositions from coming about as you eliminate most of the moisture.

Besides airing out your unit, it’s also highly recommended that you regularly clean the insides of your dishwasher.

You get rid of harmful bacteria.

Bacteria thrive in wet environments, and when your appliance has plenty of moisture in it, it’s bound to promote the growth of these bacteria.

When you air out your appliance, you keep the insides dry, which is handy in keeping the bacteria to a minimum.

Like when keeping the limescale at bay, you also need to regularly clean your appliance to prevent the bacteria from multiplying. When cleaning, pay close attention to the rubber seals, as this is where most bacteria love hanging out the most.

You get rid of standing water.

Even when your dishwasher is running at optimum levels, some water remains behind, which serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects.

When you leave the door ajar, you allow this water to evaporate, which leaves your unit dry and free from insect infestation.

You prevent mold growth.

The last thing you want is mold growing, where you clean the plates and forks you eat with.

Unfortunately, the moist and hot nature of the dishwasher makes it an excellent environment for mold to grow in. When mold grows in your unit, you have heightened incidences of asthma, allergies, and other complicated health issues.

When you air out your appliance, you make the insides of the dishwasher dry, which as you can guess, isn’t a great growing ground for mold.

Leaving the dishwasher door open also means that the dishwasher isn’t too hot on the inside, which impedes mold growth.

Remember to regularly clean the insides of the unit to keep the mold off.

Other dishwasher best practices

Besides airing out the dishwasher after a cycle or when you aren’t using it, also make it a habit to clean it regularly.

In most cases, cleaning the dishwasher involves running an empty cycle with hot water that eliminates most bacteria that can wreck havoc.

Dishwasher repair Springfield professionals also recommend that you move with haste and fix even the most minor issues as soon as it comes about. This prevents the problems from getting too big and complicated to fix.

Dishwasher Best Practises

Would you love to run your dishwasher at top performance? Here are tips that will guide you as given by dishwasher repair professionals:

Load your dishwasher upside down

This might sound obvious, but it’s not. Even when you have been using your dishwasher for a long time, you must have found yourself tossing cups and bowls right side up on more than one occasion, right?

You should always load everything upside down for your dishes to be clean. This way, the water gets into the insides of your glasses and bowls, removing any pieces of gunk sticking around, and as a consequence, you have sparkling clean dishes.

You should always remember to load all of your dishes upside down. The only things that are an exception are spoons and forks.

Place the bowls on the bottom rack, facing the center

Besides being cautious of the direction you place the bowls facing, you should also be cautious of the position you place them in.

You might have the impression that it doesn’t matter where you place your dishes as the water will reach them, but you should be cautious where you place them as placing them anyhow can easily lead to them missing the water spray, which isn’t the right way to go about it.

The best way to do it is to place the bowls in the bottom rack, facing the center. This way, you are sure that there is no way the water spray will miss them.

While at it, ensure that there is as little overlap between the bowls as possible. This is to ensure that your dishes receive the full force of the water stream, without leaving any smudgy spots.

Load the dishwasher from the back to the front

How you load your dishwasher is vital to how well it functions. As a rule of thumb, load your unit from the back to the front.

By doing this, you maximize the space in your appliance and, at the same time, reduce the risk of breaking anything during the loading process. The back-to-front procedure also makes it easy to unload the dishwasher once all the dishes are clean.

Keep similar silverware together.

You should put similar silverware such as spatula, whisk, and other awkwardly shaped items together. This way, you free up extra space down the unit, making the unloading and putting away the items easy.

While you should put silverware together, take care that some silverware, such as spoons, don’t nest together.

Don’t rinse food from your dishes.

To make the work easy from the dishwasher, some homeowners rinse the food from the dishes. This is wrong. As much as you will have almost clean dishes by the time you are putting them in the dishwasher, you often don’t get the results you deserve.

This is because the soap particles don’t have an adequate surface to adhere to, so the dishes don’t get as clean as they should. Instead of pre-rinsing the dishes, scrap off any leftover food and then place the dishes in the dishwasher.

When you leave some food on the dishes, you give the soap something to cling to, which is handy in giving you the spotless dishes you deserve.

Be cautious about the soap you use

You can use any soap to clean the dishes, right? As long as the soap can clean the dishes, you are good to go, right? Well, this isn’t the case. You need to be cautious of the one you go for.

As much as using plenty of soap with plenty of bubbles might seem like a great idea, it isn’t, as the excess soap often causes a buildup of moisture that takes a long time to air out.

Appliance repair Springfield professionals recommend you use the soap recommendations at the back of your appliance. If you aren’t sure about the right soap to go for, get the input of an expert.

6 Handy Tips To Keep Your Dishwasher in Top Shape

If you are like other homeowners, you want to get the most from your dishwasher. And the beauty is there are plenty of tips you can use to your advantage. Which are these tips? Here they are as given by appliance repair professionals:

Always start with a clean dishwasher

Before you place the dishes in the dishwasher, ensure that the dishwasher is clean. You should note that if you put the dishes in a dirty dishwasher, dirt and debris will get into the dishes, and you end up with even dirtier dishes than you started with.

Every few days, inspect your dishwasher and ensure no debris is hanging out in the bottom of the appliance. A great way to do this is to remove the screen and filter and rinse them. Thankfully they are easy to pop back in, and you can do it even if you have never done it before.

Besides this, make it a habit to place a cup of white vinegar in the top rack and run it in an empty dishwasher on a regular wash cycle. This will clean most of the gunk and deposits, leaving your appliance fresh and clean.

Soften your water

Hard water can sometimes be too hard on the dishwasher. Besides leaving hard-to-clean deposits, it can sometimes make it impossible to get sparkling dishes even after cleaning them for a long time.

Hard water leaves a white residue on glasses and silverware, which is off-putting.

To avoid this, soften the water before it gets into the dishwasher. If you can’t do this, regularly clean the dishwasher with vinegar to prevent deposits from forming. It also doesn’t hurt to use a special water softening rinse aid after cleaning.

Load it up right

How you load your dishwasher goes a long way toward determining the results you get. Of course, you come out with clean dishes if you load the unit properly. For you to properly load the dishwasher, you need to follow a set of rules that include:

Place the cups in the top rack and place them between tines. Never place the cups on top of the tines.

Plates and bowls go on the bottom rack, with the dirty side facing the water spray. As a rule of thumb, ensure that the dishes don’t all point in the same direction.

Place the pots, pans, and baking dishes angled down so the water spray can reach the insides.

If you will be cleaning larger items such as pans and baking sheets, ensure that you place them on the sides of the dishwasher. This way, you are sure they won’t block the spray arm or the detergent from the door.

Always stagger the utensils so that some are up and others down. Doing this ensures that the dishes don’t get nested together, and every inch of the utensils gets clean.

Use the right amount of detergent.

You might have the impression that using huge amounts of detergents will make your dishes much cleaner, but this isn’t the case. Using too much detergent costs you a lot of money, scratches your dishes, and makes the glasses cloudy.

Whether using powder, liquid, or pods, always use less detergent than is recommended in the package.

Run the sink first

Before pressing the start button on your dishwasher, run hot water in your kitchen sink first. Doing this ensures that the water is already hot when the cycle starts, and your dishes get cleaner.

Don’t shy away from cleaning other items.

The dishwasher is only meant to clean dishes, right? Well, this isn’t the case. Besides your standard cookware and serve ware, you can clean plenty of other household items susceptible to germs.

These include baseball caps, plastic toys, golf balls, plastic combs, cabinet handles, etc.

While you can clean other items with the dishwasher, dishwasher repair Springfield professionals recommend you don’t mix them with the dishes. As a rule of thumb, run a separate, gentle load.

There are plenty of items you can clean with your dishwasher, but there are equally many others that shouldn’t see the insides of your unit, as they will get damaged or even damage the appliance. Before you put anything inside the dishwasher, first confirm that its dishwasher safe.

Does It Matter Which Way Dishes Face In A Dishwasher?

Dishwashers have a spray arm that spins around and cleans all the dishes on its path. With this knowledge, you must be wondering whether it matters the direction you place the dishes facing, right?

Well, for proper cleaning, it matters the direction your dishes or bowls face. Bowls always go to the top rack. Those in the rear should face forward, while those in the front should face towards the back. This way, water will effectively reach them and give them the clean look you want.

For the plates to get clean, place them facing the center of the bottom rack.

Other valuable tips to get the most from your dishwasher

Besides strategically placing your dishes and bowls, you should consider plenty of other tips to get the most from your dishwasher. These tips as given by appliance repair professionals include:

Load the dishwasher properly

Everything begins here as there is no way you will get the most from your dishwasher if you don’t load it properly.

Before you do the loading, scrape off all large food pieces. Please note that you don’t have to pre-rinse the dishes—scraping them off is enough as they tend to come out much cleaner this way as they have some soil for the detergent to cling to and lift away.

When placing the bowls, angle them in such a way that the dirties surface faces downward, while leaving enough space for water to flow up and around each surface. There should be no nesting.

When it comes to the silverware, mix them up in the holder or alternate the spoons with one handle up and another down, to prevent the spoons from nesting against each other, covering the surfaces from detergents.

Before closing the dishwasher door, confirm that the spin arms are moving freely without hitting any surface. You also should check that you haven’t blocked the detergent dispenser with any large item.

Use hot water

The water you use to clean the dishes significantly determines the quality of your results. Dishwashers perform the best when the hot water is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. At these temperatures, the dishwasher will clean the dishes and remove any stains that might be present.

The best way to ensure that hot water always reaches your dishwasher is to use a water heater. Before cleaning the dishes, turn on the hot water tap in your kitchen sink and let the water get hot.

Use the right dishwasher detergent.

Like water, the detergent you use on your dishes goes a long way in determining your results. As a rule of thumb, use the right amount of detergent and choose one that provides the necessary ingredients for a deep clean.

If you have hard water in your system, use more detergent for every load or a booster.

Ensure that the detergent you use is fresh and not clumping for the best outcome. If using liquids, give them a good shake before using. Also, break up any lumps in the powdered formulas.

Don’t overload

While the dishwasher saves you time and effort, don’t try to overdo it by cramming all the dirty dishes in the appliance, as it won’t do proper cleaning, and you will have to redo the cleaning, which beats the whole purpose of owning the dishwasher in the first place.

If your dishwasher is overcrowded, the detergent and water can’t effectively circulate to clean the dishes thoroughly. In some cases, the situation is even dire as the dishes don’t clean at all.

If you have large loads that need cleaning, don’t try to clean all of them at once—separate them into smaller loads. You can also roll up your sleeves and hand wash some items.

Use the right cycle settings.

Thanks to advances in water and energy usage, dishwashers have different settings ideal for different dishes. To tell which setting you should use for your dishes, refer to your manual.

Dishwasher repair Northern VA professionals highly discourage against using the standard setting for all your washing as it’s a recipe for disaster. For example, if you use the standard-setting on fragile wine glasses, there are chances of the glasses cracking and don’t want this, do you?

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.

How Do You Fit More In A Dishwasher?

Imagine this. You have a large load of dishes, and you don’t want to do it in two cycles. How do you fit more in a dishwasher? Are you asking this? You are in luck as there are plenty of tricks you can use to maximize the dishwasher space without overcrowding and breaking the dishwasher, and you have to hire an appliance repair professional to fix it.

Some of these tricks include:

Take out the forks, spoons, and knives

It’s recommended you clean the silverware from the bottom rack, and you can do it if you don’t have a lot of dishes to clean. But, if you have a large load like in our case, you don’t have this luxury, so you should free up space by removing the forks and knives from the bottom rack.

Luckily, the silverware is easy to clean. Put them in a sink full of warm, soapy water, and you are done in minutes.

Cleaning the bowls, salad spinners, pot liners, and other bulky items isn’t as easy, is it? So, you should let the bulkier, difficult to clean items take the space of the easier to clean items.

Hold the small items in a mesh bag.

Does your load have plenty of water bottle tops, lids, and other small items that won’t have a place in the dishwasher? You shouldn’t leave them out of the cycle. Throw them in a mesh laundry bag, then lay the bag on top of the items on the top rack and let the dishwasher do its work.

The bag keeps the small items from falling through the cracks and ensures that the dishwasher functions to its best.

Load glasses between the tines

This tip has been around for a long time, and it’s not only the best way to load your dishwasher, but also a great way to ensure that your dishwasher carries as many items as possible.

When loading the dishwasher, place glasses between the tines, and not on top of them.

By doing this, you will have a highly functioning dishwasher and get cleaner glasses and, at the same time, prevent the glasses from breaking.

Squeeze flat items around the dishwasher perimeter

Have you stocked the dishwasher to the brim, and it seems like it can’t take anymore? Not so fast. Is the perimeter full?

If it’s not, this is one of the best places to squeeze in flat items such as plastic cutting boards, sheet pans, and cooling racks.

When you put them here, you leave enough space for the bulkier items, and at the same time, you ensure they are in the spray arm’s line, so they are clean by the time you are removing them.

Place some top rack items in the bottom racks.

If you have been reading how to properly load your dishwasher, you know that each item has its place. Some items belong in the top rack and others in the bottom rack.

Most people begin with loading their top racks, so by the time they get to the bottom rack, they have fewer items.

If you find yourself in a situation where you have a few top rack items, and you have a few spaces in the bottom racks, you should go ahead and place them there. Some of the best items to put here are the mugs and cream bowls.

Since these items aren’t supposed to be cleaned here, give the racks a shake test before running the cycle.

Other valuable dishwasher loading tips

To get the most from the dishwasher, you need to load it properly. Some of the valuable dishwasher loading tips you should consider include:

Load the plates so that they face the center: The purpose of this is to ensure that they are in the spray arm’s line. Spray arms work from the middle out, so by placing the items such that they face the center, you ensure that they get the proper spray treatment they deserve.

Use a wire dish rack: Are you cleaning items that are too big for the mesh laundry bag and small that they won’t flip around during a cycle? Dishwasher repair Springfield recommend using a wire dish rack. Turn the rack upside down and use it to anchor your items down.