How to Help Your Dishwasher Run Better.

When you think about all your household appliances and how much convenience each one brings to your life, your dishwasher is probably toward the bottom of the list. Not fun to do without, of course, but far from catastrophic.

Still, since you have one just the same, why risk having out of commission for any length of time when there are simple steps you can follow to help it perform better, last longer, and with fewer repair issues along the way.

Let’s have a look:

1. Scrape and rinse your dishes

There are at least two schools of thought on this issue – especially where water conservation comes into play – but when it comes to proper maintenance, your dishwasher will simply run better if you rinse dirty dishes, cutlery, bowls, etc. That keeps food particles out of the pump assembly, drain lines, and spray arms which can form a blockage and cause bacteria to breed. Of course, you can still conserve water if you scrape your dishes before rinsing them.

2. Don’t overload your machine

There’s a difference between running a full vs. overloaded dishwasher.  The former helps conserve energy and water while the latter hinders your machine’s ability to get everything clean.  Overloading can also result in a leak.

3. Keep these items out of your dishwasher

Would you place a plastic-wrapped bagel in your toaster to heat it? Of course not. Well, it’s just as detrimental to run any of the following items with a full dishwasher load:

1. Wooden Utensis and Cutting Boards
2. Cast Iron Pans
3. Items with Hollow Handles
4. Copper and Pewter Items
5. Crystal and Hand-blown Glass

4. Not just any detergent will do

This may seem like a no-brainer, but if we hadn’t seen repeated examples of these mistakes, we wouldn’t be advising you against them.  First, the only kind of detergent you should use in your dishwasher are those specifically designed for that purpose. Anything else simply isn’t properly formulated to do an effective cleaning job. Next, powders generally outperform gels, especially if the gel contains bleach which can dissolve seals and gaskets. Gels also leave more spots than powders. Finally, make sure the word “detergent” appears on the package; inferior products use abrasive cleaning agents, including sand.

So, how’s your dishwasher been running lately? If it’s seen better days, one call to Your 1 Plumber is a great first step to return it to peak performance status.  We look forward to our next opportunity to serve you.