Bob's Handy Dishwasher Tips. An appliance technician shares 7 important tips to help you get sparkling clean dishes from your dishwasher.
Written by Bob Meadows of B&D Appliance Repair Service in Palmdale, CA
So you're dishes aren't looking as good as you'd like and you're thinking about calling an appliance repairman. Maybe it's not your dishwasher that's the problem. Many times, people overlook some very simple steps they should be taking to help their dishwasher do the best job possible. Before you pick up the phone and possibly waste money on a service call, try the following 7 tips and see if those dingy looking plates & glasses come to life again!
1. Rinse most or ALL the food off your dishes prior to putting them in the dishwasher. Use warm water only, NO SOAP, when rinsing. Even though you think you've rinsed all the soap off, you haven't! This will cause a sudsing effect in your dishwasher and leave a film on your dishes. If you leave food on your dishes, that food usually ends up clogging the pump, spray arms and drain lines. Then you'll need to call me for a repair!!
2. Do not overload the dishwasher! Leave some room so that water from the spray arms can get to all the dishes.
3. Do not put large & tall items in dishwasher. Wash these items in the sink by hand. (The Old- Fashioned Way). Large items like pots, pans and skillets block the water. Tall items like cookie sheets can block the spray arms from turning.
4. If your machine has a pop-up tower connected to the lower spray arm, be sure not to cover the opening in the center of the lower rack. This has to be clear so the tower can pop up and clean the top rack. If you have a dish covering this area or even leaning over it, the top rack will not get cleaned properly.
5. Do not use too much dishwasher detergent. More is NOT better! I suggest filling the first cup (which goes into the tub immediately) completely full. The second cup is not necessary but if you want to put detergent in that one also, only fill it half way. I prefer using the pre-measured packets. However, don't put the packet in the soap cup like it says on the box. Put the packet on the bottom of the dishwasher under the lower rack. This gives the dishwasher more time to rinse out all the soap before the end of the cycle.
6. VERY VERY IMPORTANT!! When you are ready to start your machine, first turn on the HOT water at the sink and wait till it gets as hot as it's going to get. Then turn the water off and start your dishwasher. This puts hot water into the machine from the start. If you don't do this, the tub could fill up with cold water.(Because it's usually a long way from the Hot Water Heater to the kitchen) Cold water will not disolve the soap or clean the dishes properly.
7. Finally, Clean your dishwasher once a month! I recommend that you use "LemiShine". This product is available at most grocery stores. This will help keep hard water deposits from building up in your dishwasher and help keep your glasses sparkling clean!! Just follow the directions. You can read more about this product at: http://www.lemishine.com
If you follow these 7 important Tips I've explained to you, I'm sure you'll be happier with how your dishes come out and you won't need to call for repairs as much!
*Note: If your dishes still don't come clean after following my tips, check to see if the following word is on the front of your dishwasher--------> "Frigidaire" <---------If you see that word, it means you didn't ask me what brand of dishwasher I would recommend. I like some of the ranges, refrigerators and dryers they make. In fact, I have a "Frigidaire" gas range and I'm very happy with it but if you want clean dishes, you should have a word like ---->"Kitchenaid" on the front of your dishwasher.
-Bob Meadows
B&D Appliance Repair Service
(661) 947-3428
2. Do not overload the dishwasher! Leave some room so that water from the spray arms can get to all the dishes.
3. Do not put large & tall items in dishwasher. Wash these items in the sink by hand. (The Old- Fashioned Way). Large items like pots, pans and skillets block the water. Tall items like cookie sheets can block the spray arms from turning.
4. If your machine has a pop-up tower connected to the lower spray arm, be sure not to cover the opening in the center of the lower rack. This has to be clear so the tower can pop up and clean the top rack. If you have a dish covering this area or even leaning over it, the top rack will not get cleaned properly.
5. Do not use too much dishwasher detergent. More is NOT better! I suggest filling the first cup (which goes into the tub immediately) completely full. The second cup is not necessary but if you want to put detergent in that one also, only fill it half way. I prefer using the pre-measured packets. However, don't put the packet in the soap cup like it says on the box. Put the packet on the bottom of the dishwasher under the lower rack. This gives the dishwasher more time to rinse out all the soap before the end of the cycle.
6. VERY VERY IMPORTANT!! When you are ready to start your machine, first turn on the HOT water at the sink and wait till it gets as hot as it's going to get. Then turn the water off and start your dishwasher. This puts hot water into the machine from the start. If you don't do this, the tub could fill up with cold water.(Because it's usually a long way from the Hot Water Heater to the kitchen) Cold water will not disolve the soap or clean the dishes properly.
7. Finally, Clean your dishwasher once a month! I recommend that you use "LemiShine". This product is available at most grocery stores. This will help keep hard water deposits from building up in your dishwasher and help keep your glasses sparkling clean!! Just follow the directions. You can read more about this product at: http://www.lemishine.com
If you follow these 7 important Tips I've explained to you, I'm sure you'll be happier with how your dishes come out and you won't need to call for repairs as much!
*Note: If your dishes still don't come clean after following my tips, check to see if the following word is on the front of your dishwasher--------> "Frigidaire" <---------If you see that word, it means you didn't ask me what brand of dishwasher I would recommend. I like some of the ranges, refrigerators and dryers they make. In fact, I have a "Frigidaire" gas range and I'm very happy with it but if you want clean dishes, you should have a word like ---->"Kitchenaid" on the front of your dishwasher.
-Bob Meadows
B&D Appliance Repair Service
(661) 947-3428
You can print this page and share it with your entire family! Your teenagers need to see this!!
Just right-click on this page & click print & there you go! Or you could copy & paste to a blank page
and save as a document and then print it out.
(but it won't work if you don't have a printer) LOL!
Just a little humor...very little
Just right-click on this page & click print & there you go! Or you could copy & paste to a blank page
and save as a document and then print it out.
(but it won't work if you don't have a printer) LOL!
Just a little humor...very little
