Are You Loading Your Dishwasher Correctly?
Yes, the point of a dishwasher is to free up your time and have something do those dishes for you. However, if you don’t load it properly, your appliance isn’t going to be able to do the job correctly. Many people mistakenly call for appliance repair in San Francisco when their dishes don’t come out clean when in reality, there’s nothing wrong with the machine – they just don’t load it properly. You’ll then end up spending a bunch of extra time trying to re-clean everything. That defeats the whole purpose of having a dishwasher, doesn’t it?
The trick is to make sure you are loading your appliance correctly, maintaining it correctly, and setting it correctly to enjoy years of sparkling clean dishes with every cycle. Following are some guidelines that will help you enjoy your dishwasher to the fullest and avoid wasting time re-cleaning:
- Make sure to remove excess food on dishes before it dries. A lot of people think, “Why do I have to clear dishes off when I have a dishwasher?” However, if you leave food to sit on dishes and it dries, you’ll be lucky if soap and hot water removes stuck-on food completely during wash cycles. It takes far less time to give dishes a quick swipe before food dries than it is to try to soak or scrub dishes to remove food later on.
- Consider using dishwasher detergent that contains special enzymes to latch onto, break down, and wash away food. They will really help make sure even stubborn foods and greasy substances lift off your dishes easily every time.
- Make sure your dishes are facing the right way. Many people have no idea that there is actually a correct way to have the dishes facing to get the best cleaning. Load the bottom rack with the most “challenging to clean” dishes like pots and pans and plates. Usually, the water source is in the middle of the machine, so you’ll want to clear a path between the spray and the dishes, and you’ll want to have the dishes facing the center.
- For the top rack, make sure that mugs, cups, and bowls are face down. This way, they won’t collect water or little deposits of food. If water spots are a problem, be sure to add a rinse aid to fight water deposits. Rinse aids add a sheeting action to help keep the water drops from clinging to dishes or drying into streaks and spots.
- When loading your silverware, be sure to mix them up and spread them out. Avoid putting all the spoons together facing the same way, etc. Prevent nesting and distribute them evenly. Load knives with the sharp end down!
If you find your dishwasher isn’t cleaning your dishes as well as it should be, get a hold of us at Absolute Appliances Repair for appliance repair in San Francisco – we serve the entire Bay Area, including San Rafael, Mill Valley, Novato, Larkspur, and other areas in Marin County. Contact us today!
