5 Tips to Prolonging the Life of Your Dishwasher

Fred's Appliance
October 7, 2013
Service

Many consider a dishwasher a luxury; others a necessity.  Whatever your viewpoint on this time, and skin saving, device it’s not something to be taken lightly when simple repairs can keep it working smoothly for years to come.  When trying not to make Dishwasher Appliance Repair a part of your monthly budge, here are a few steps to take to get the longest life out of your dishwasher.

  • Rinse the Dishes – As simple as this sounds, rinsing the dishes off to remove excess food may the the single most overlooked item on this list.  Just rinse, though, no need to wash them twice.  A simple dip to rid the dishes of hard food-matter can make all the difference.  People often say they have the dishwasher so they don’t have to rinse dishes anymore.  This is true; however, if you don’t rinse the dishes off the food sits in the trap and eventually can clog up the dishwasher.  Some specialists will tell you that it’s bad to rinse your dishes and that test studies are done with soiled dishes.  Unfortunately, they don’t usually test the years of buildup in dishwashers.  Also, their claims that not having food on the dishes allows for pitting and scaring of the dishes because the detergent doesn’t have anything to clean.  If this were the case, it would probably be a good idea to get a different detergent or smear some food on the bottom of your plates to protect them.
  • Clean the Trap – If you do toss dishes directly from the dinner table into the dishwasher, make sure you take the time to periodically clean out the trap.  Bones and other hard food matter won’t break down and will eventually clog up the inner working of your dishwasher.  If you clean the trap out monthly, you may be able to avoid killing the dishwasher.
  • Use Proper Soap Amount – Overuse of soap can cause buildup in the dishwasher, not to mention streaking the “clean” dishes.  Follow the directions on your detergent and adjust for the hardness or softness of your water.
  • Clean Periodically with Vinegar – Vinegar is the forgotten household cleaner.  It is just caustic enough to rid your dishwasher of smaller bits of food gunk and will help is smell fresher.
  • Don’t Overcrowd – Jamming in plates may seem like a good idea since you won’t have to do them by hand or run a second load later.  Unfortunately, an overcrowded washer usually means three loads; a second when you unload the excess dishes and another to clean the dishes you just pulled out.  Packed properly, a dishwasher should be able to spray dishes from all angles.  Keep this in mind.

Whatever your perspective on the dishwasher is, if you have one keep it in good repair.  Treat it much the same as you would your car, or any other major appliance.  Take care of it and have proper maintenance on it periodically.  For more ways to maintain the dishwasher you have contact us and keep things running smoothly.

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