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So
moral of this tale is: “Don’t confuse dishwashing with dishwasher”.
3 Rinse additive
This is something that gets forgotten once free sample bottle that came with dishwasher has been used.
Its job is to make water run off dishes faster so they can dry quicker. Without it there would be little beads of water on everything at end of cycle. Glasses especially would appear to be water stained or be left with a gritty residue.So if poor cleaning is a problem, check rinse additive level.
But remember, only one or two drops are added per load. A few ounces of rinse additive lasts a very long time. Such a long time that customers often think it is not being added, and blame additive for problems it has nothing to do with
To refill, look on dishwasher door for a cap or plug that is removable. It is often overlooked because time between fill ups can be months. Also, appliance manufacturers could help solve this problem if more of them added some sort of “Hey, I’m empty” indicator. Frigidaire dishwashers have a neat little indicator. Right next to soap dispenser is a clear plastic eye that changes colour when additive is empty. So every time you add detergent to machine you also see this eye staring back at you. White if empty, and black if full. Simple, effective, and smart.
4 Proper loading
Lastly, don’t forget that how you load dishes can drastically affect how well they are cleaned.
Proper loading will allow water to penetrate all nooks and crannies. Try following suggestions:
·Cups and glasses on top rack with bottoms up ·Plates on bottom rack all facing same direction ·Bowls either rack, but all facing same direction ·Utensils in utensil holder in a mixed fashion (some knives, forks, spoons together in each compartment) to allow gaps between them ·Large items, such as a spatulas, laying down on top rack ·Pots bottom up wherever space allows (on their side okay if positioned so that water will drain out)
Placing dishes and utensils in an orderly manner really does make for a better wash. It allows water sprays to penetrate dishes thoroughly. Try it … it works.
The analogy I offer customers is: If you were going on a car trip would you pack car efficiently, or just open doors and throw everything inside so that passengers had to fight with luggage. I think you get picture.
Dishwasher efficiency
If your dishwasher is having a mechanical problem result may show up as poor cleaning. Anything from low water pressure, broken pump, not draining fully, or even a blocked filter could be cause.
So how do you know if machine needs repair? You don’t. But, by checking all previous problems first a lot of more common causes of poor cleaning can be easily eliminated.
Also, you have probably heard this a million times before, but before telephoning for service read you owner’s manual. It can include some valuable information. It will usually give you a checklist of items to test before calling for service.
Summing up
You now know what is needed to make dishes come out of dishwasher sparkling clean. Hot water, good detergent, rinse additive, and proper loading practices. That’s it – that’s all. Provide all four of these things to dishwasher and your cleaning success is guaranteed.
So load up machine, go get yourself a liquid refreshment, put your feet up and let dishwasher do all work.
