Tips for Cleaner Dishes!
Tips for Cleaner Dishes! Make sure you are using your dishwasher to its full potential!
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Loading the dishwasher is an institution in our house. It’s a sacred event. And not everyone is skilled enough to do it. 😉 In fact, this skill seems to be one that is passed down through genetics…true story. Case in point: my Dad…and I. We have a problem, albeit a good problem! We can load a dishwasher to its maximum capacity and have it come out with clean dishes every time. I don’t believe in hand washing dishes unless I absolutely have to, so it is in my best interest to make sure I can get every dish into my dishwasher that I can! So what’s the problem you ask? Don’t load my dishwasher unless you plan to fill it up full! And I follow the same rules when I go home…don’t dare load my Dad’s dishwasher! Haha!
My dishwasher is the #1 factor in having a clean kitchen, so I like to maximize the work it can do for me. I figure, the less dishes I have to deal with the better! So here are some tips to make sure you are using your dishwasher to its full potential!
- I always rinse our dishes before they go into the dishwasher. I know you don’t have to do this, but I do it for a couple of reasons: so the dishwasher screens don’t get clogged, and to ensure my dishes come out sparkling.
– – - Make sure you choose the right cycle for cleaning your dishes. Use the power wash for heavily soiled dishes, or the delicate cycle for china. But for everyday dishwashing I use the normal or energy cycle.
– – - Use proper detergent. I like the dishwasher tabs because I find that my dishes come out cleaner with this type of detergent.
– – - Use jet dry. If your detergent tabs don’t have jet dry included, make sure you add jet dry with every wash.
– – - Don’t overcrowd your dishes. Make sure each dish is put properly into its slot.
- I line all plates along on the bottom on one side of the dishwasher, and line all bowls along the other side.
- I put all cups and large dishes on the top rack. Don’t be afraid to move around the adjustable arms in your dishwasher to accommodate large or awkward shaped dishes.
- Put delicates on the top racks too. My new dishwasher has a great feature on the top rack for delicate items or light weight cups, called Delicate Care Soft Grips. They’re great for keeping dishes in their spot!
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- Make sure not to crowd your utensils! There’s nothing worse than having 2 spoons stuck together with peanut butter after a wash.
- Tip: I always point my knives down as well…this prevents accidental stabbings! 😉
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- Tip: I always point my knives down as well…this prevents accidental stabbings! 😉
- Clean your dishwasher! Yes, you do have to clean your dishwasher! I run our dishwasher empty through a full cycle with vinegar about once a month. You will also have to occasionally clean out the traps and screens that can get covered with food residues.
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What are your best dishwasher tips?
Are you the loader or do you let others load the dishwasher too?
Let me know in the comments…I find this topic fascinating! 😉
Disclosure: I am part of the Frigidaire Canada Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
i’m the loader of the dishwasher, lol. It drives me nuts when people load the dishwasher “wrong.”
We typically use tablets too, but I’ve been testing out a liquid detergent that I won. My dishwasher doesn’t like it. I’ve had to use three times as much as what the bottle says. I’m using it up and then going back to my regular tablets.
We also found that our dishwasher didn’t like the liquid or powder detergents very well, so we went back to tablets, and so far so good!
I am also like that. There is a proper way to load the dishwasher. I just wish I could find a dishwasher that worked well. We have a Maytag and it does ok, but not great. even after rinsing the dishes, they still come out dirty. I have asked my hubby to clean the traps. I run vinegar through it. I use jet dry. I don’t use an over abundance of soap, and it is still etching my glasses. Drives me batty. Might need to try different detergents too.
Detergents are so tricky. I find that using the capsules with the jet dry right in them work best. And we toss ours right into the bottom of the dishwasher – not in the compartment. We find that it dissolves better and makes the dishes cleaner!
I use Seventh Generation powder and plain ole vinegar instead of Jet Dry. My dishes and glasses come out spotless