GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- One of the hardest working appliances in the home is your kitchen's dishwasher. On average, that helpful machine does 215 loads a year. Making sure your dishwasher runs as efficiently as possible for as long as possible is what Angela Warner from Warner's Stellian talked about on KARE 11 News @4.
Warner offered these helpful tips to get the most out of your dishwasher:
- Use rinse aid. Dishwashers are actually designed to sue the rinse aid to sheet off the water on dishes to assist in the drying process. It also helps prevent water spots on your dishes. So, keep your reservoir full.
- Don't overuse dishwasher soap. If you are using dry power, use 1 TBSP or less.
- Don't rinse your dishes. The soap needs something to do! And, well-meaning homeowners still stuck on pre-rinsing their dishes waste 20 gallons of water.
- Load your dishwasher correctly to ensure dishes get as clean as possible:
- Use the hooks on the upper level for wine glasses
- Put user end of utensils up in your dishwasher basket
- Keep plastics on the top shelf (unless you have a dishwasher whose heat is lower and allows you to put it on the lower level).
- Run the tap next to your dishwasher until the water is hot, ensuring that the water entering the dishwasher can get as hot as possible. Do this prior to starting your dishwasher. This will boost the all-around performance of your dishwasher.
- If you have a new, plastic tub dishwasher, be patient. The dishwasher's drying performance will improve over time as the tub "seasons." Don't prewash your dishes, as this impedes the seasoning process, manufacturers say.
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