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Ezine Ready

How to Properly Use a Dishwasher

So your dishwasher isnt cleaning as well as you would like it too. Your dishes come out with spots on them and sometimes there is food still stuck to them so you have to wash them by hand afterward. You begin wondering why you even bother with the dishwasher. Well before you give up on the dishwasher, there are a few things you can take a look at to figure out why your dishwasher isnt cleaning as well as youd like. You should take a look at your water temperatures, the detergent you are using, the rinse additive, and how you are loading the dishwasher.

For water temperatures, manufacturers suggest at least a temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit for the start of the wash cycle, 140 degrees to remove food particles, and 155 degrees to disinfect and kill bacteria. Restaurants typically clean with water temperatures of around 180 degrees just to avoid any health concerns. A lot of consumers misunderstand these requirements, but do so with good intentions. The temperature of the water in a dishwasher is key to good cleaning, but not it is not uncommon to find household water temperatures around 100 degrees.

There is a large movement today to try and be green and eco-friendly. This has lead many households to lower their water temperatures down to around 100 degrees. They are hoping to save energy from heating their water. They succeed in that aspect, but they do realize that it comes with a cost. By lowering the temperature of their heated water that much, they are affecting how well their dishwasher can clean. Not only will the dishes come out of the dishwasher with spots or sometimes even food stuck to them, but without hot enough water being used, they will come out with bacteria on them which will stay there the next time we eat on them.

Using your dishwasher with lower water temperatures may also lengthen the cycle. If the temperatures for the dishwasher are too low, then the dishwasher may stop frequently to heat the water so that it may continue the cycle. A cycle of normally 40 minutes may end up taking up to 2 hours to complete. This will not only consume up more water, but more energy as well. So your intentions to save energy and water may end up doing the opposite when it comes to using the dishwasher.

Using the proper dishwashing detergent is also a very important part of the dishwasing process. Usually you get what you pay for with dishwashing detergents. You should try and stay away from detergents that are a lot cheaper than everything else on the shelf or the cleaner that states that cleans everything else in the house too.

Gel or crystal cleaners are both as good, so it is up to you. It doesnt matter which one you choose, it just comes down to, if it works for you, then stick with it. Gels usually will dissolve faster in the water, so if you are washing with a lower water temperature, then it may be best to go with a gel. But, the crystals are less messy.

When using crystal detergent, know that it can trap moisture from the air inside of it. This can cause it to become clumpy or harden and not as consistant. The lumps will make it harder to dissolve during the dishwashing process. If after the dishwashing cycle you find there are clumps of detergent left inside the dishwasher, then it is most likely because of this effect.

Another thing to keep in mind is that dishwasher detergent and dishwashing detergent are two different things. They are not interchangeable. Each product is formulated to perform a specific job. Dishwashing detergent is what you use to clean dishes in the sink and is more of a soap. Dishwasher detergent is what you use in the dishwasher.

The rinse additive is another integral part of the dishwasher process. Most people dont use this or forget to add this to the cycle once their free sample they once had is used up. The purpose of the additive is to allow the water to run off the dishes faster so that they dry faster after the cycle is complete. If after the cycle is completed you find some residue on your dishes or some spots, then it is usually an issue with the drying process. Using a rinse additive will usually fix this problem and allow your dishes to dry without any spots on them.

A little bit will go a long way when it comes to rinse additive though. Remember that only one or two drops of rinse additive will be enough per cycle. To refill it, look inside the dishwasher on the door for a cap. This is where you usually add the rinse additive. Because a little bit goes a long way, there is usually a long period of time before you ever have to refill it again. This is why rinse additive is often forgotten. Some dishwashers even have an indicator if the additive is running low or is out completely. Be sure to check your dishwasher to see if yours has any type of indicator.

Finally, a simple practice that wont cost you any extra money can go a long way to help you get cleaner dishes with a dishwasher. using proper loading techniques will go a long way when it comes to how clean your dishes will be and will allow water to touch every dish is every spot.

Cups and glasses should go in the top rack and their bottoms up. This will allow water to be sprayed up inside of them and will also maximize loading capacity for the top rack. Plates should go on the bottom rack and should all face in the same direction. Bowls can be placed on either rack, but like plates they should all face the same direction. Never place bowls too close or on top of each other as water wont be capable of being sprayed inside each bowl.

With the same idea of bowls in mind, to allow water to be sprayed on each utensil, you should place utensils in the utensil rack, but in a mixed fashion. This will prevent all the spoons from fitting inside each other and will allow gaps for water to penetrate. Larger utensils such as serving spoons or spatulas should be laid down on the top rack.

Pots can be placed whereever space allows on the bottom rack as long as they are faced bottoms up or at least tilted so that water may drain out.

While many of these steps can help you get a better cleaning job out of your dishwasher, sometimes it may just come down to the fact that your dishwasher may need some maintenance. So how do you know whether or not your dishwasher needs maintenance? Well many time you dont. But, if you take the necessary steps as explained above and you still arent getting a good enough cleaning job out of your dishwasher, then it very well may need some maintenance.

So in short, having plenty of hot water (that is hot enough), good detergent, a rinse additive, and using proper loading techniques are all things you can do to breathe new life into your dishwasher. So put those dishes in your dishwasher and let it do the work for you!

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