Five Ways to Maximise the Effectiveness of Your Dishwasher

Unlike many other kitchen appliances, dishwashers can end up getting neglected. Much like washing machines, dishwashers suffer as a result of our busy lives. Keen to get rid of all of our dirty dishes, we shove as much as we can into the shelves, hit the power button and wait for the beep.

But this isn’t a efficient in regards to energy costs, the condition of our washed items nor the long-term health of our dishwashers. To help, we’ve compiled five simple ways that you can improve the efficiency of your dishwasher right now.

1. Loading Correctly

There are a number of items that you can place in better positions within your dishwasher to ensure they are being properly cleaned. For example, pot or pan handles can sometimes block the water being sprayed onto all of the dishes. Ensure that pan handles, nor any item (such as baking trays), is blocking the spray. Pots and pans should be placed on the bottom shelf of your dishwasher in a way that doesn’t obstruct the cleaning of items above, and trays should be placed to the back or side of the bottom shelf.

2. Handwash Smaller Utensils

While it may seem like we’re causing you more hassle, it can be a good idea to handwash particularly small items. As Repair Aid deals with dishwasher repairs, it is not unusual for us to repair dishwashers broken by small items slipping to the bottom of the dishwasher and obstructing the drainage system or damaging the spray arm or heating element. More commonly, small items slipping through the basket can interrupt the movement of the spray arm – stopping the rest of your dishes from being cleaned.

3. Item Placement

Placement of items is important to ensure an efficient wash cycle. Glass should never be placed on the lower rack of your dishwasher due to the water pressure from the spray arm. This can cause glass to become strained and, therefore, more likely to crack or shatter. While plastic cups don’t have the same problem as glass cups, they do have the tendency to turn during a wash. For this reason, place them upside down in spots where they are secure and are unlikely to move. The top rack should be reserved for smaller items such as plastics and child or baby items.

4. Taking Care of Silverware

Silverware is often talked about when it comes to dishwashers. There was even once a perception that silverware couldn’t be placed in dishwashers! But there is absolutely nothing wrong with placing everyday silver items in your dishwasher. To make sure they receive the best clean, place cutlery pointing downwards to ensure that the parts in contact with food items are cleaned.

5. Doing Detergent Right

You may not realise it, but there is a right way to do detergent that ensures you are not wasting more than you need.

Firstly, experiment with the amount of detergent that you use in your washes to see if you can save on the amount of detergent that you use per wash. Producers of detergent encourage you to use more as this benefits their profit margin, but reducing the amount of detergent you use doesn’t necessarily mean a less efficient wash. This will lead to you saving money on your detergent.

Additionally, only place detergent in the dishwasher once you are ready to wash. Powder detergent can lose its cleaning ability if it is left to become moist, whereas liquid detergent can leak out and down the drain.

These are just but five of the ways that you can end up with a more effective wash. By following these simple tips, you can save on money, on frustration and on needless dishwasher repairs.