After going through a hectic day and indulging in a sumptuous meal, cleaning the dishes is an onerous task that most people hate to do. A dishwasher is a perfect solution to giving you the luxury to rest while it keeps your dishes and utensils clean and sparkly. Not only does it take away the drudgery of hand-washing your dishes, but it also helps in saving water. It will ensure that your dishes are thoroughly cleaned, however, maintenance and regular cleaning to your dishwasher is required to keep it operating at its peak. Here are a few maintenance tips to ensure your dishwasher runs optimally.
REMOVE ALL EXCESS FOOD SCRAPS OFF YOUR DISHES
While your dishwasher is cleaning your plates, large food particles can sometimes get stuck within the filter. For that reason, it is always recommended to remove all food scraps on your plates before loading them into your dishwasher to enable optimal washing performance.
LOAD YOUR DISHES THE CORRECT WAY
Ensure that your dishes and crockery are placed upside down so allow excess water to run off the surface for effective drying. On occasion, the water jets from the dishwater might not reach certain areas to perform effective cleaning. For that reason, do not overlap plates to obstruct the water jets from cleaning them.
STEPS TO CLEANING YOUR DISHWASHER
- Cleaning with vinegar: Pour 2 cups of vinegar in the bottom of the dishwasher and run it on low. Mid-way through the cycle, bring it to a stop for 15-20minutes and let the vinegar work its magic. Proceed by continuing with the washing cycle.
- Freshen up your dishwasher: You can fill your dishwasher with powdered lemonade, Tang or Crystal Light and run it on an empty cycle. Not only does this freshen up your dishwasher but powers off mineral deposits as well.
- Clean the spinning arms: If you notice any debris or food particles clogging the spinning arms, use a toothpick or a needle-nose plier to clear them carefully to prevent any scratches to the arms.
- Washing the filter: If you are using your dishwasher regularly, it is recommended to clean your filter once a month. Remove the filter at the bottom of your dishwasher and soak it in soapy hot water to remove unwanted debris.
- Wiping the external surfaces: Soak a soft toothbrush with vinegar and water solution to scrub off all food particles around the door seal.
- Remove mold with bleach: Fill up your detergent holder with bleach and run it on an empty cycle to remove all mold growth. DO NOT mix other cleaners or vinegar with bleach during such a process.
Without getting your hands dirty and by allowing you to spend more time with your family, having a dishwasher in your home is one of the best advantages you can have. Maintaining this amazing kitchen appliance is an important responsibility to keep it running efficiently for a long time. For that reason, you can now apply these maintenance tips to your dishwasher as soon as possible.
