Dishwashers are so, so vital to keeping our households operating efficiently in today’s day and age. Gone are the long hours spent scrubbing dishes by hand and waiting for them to dry (although you can still do that if you so desire). This has been replaced by the ease and simplicity of throwing all our dishes into this contraption that cleans everything for us in a jiffy. They’re truly helpful, and without them, the previously simple task of just rinsing off dishes becomes much harder.

That’s why you need to be sure to keep your dishwasher operating as efficiently as possible. It can be tempting to ignore performing routine maintenance on it, but it needs to be taken care of just as every other appliance does. Sigwald Service Co. has 3 quick and easy tips to help you keep your dishwasher operating as efficiently as possible, and by following them you’ll ensure you’re getting the most out of it. For any other dishwasher or appliance-related questions or concerns, give us a call! Our team is waiting at the ready to help you solve whatever might be troubling your home.

Wash Dishes by Hand Before Putting Them in the Dishwasher

You’ve finished your plate full of food, so the next logical step is to put it in the dishwasher, right? After all, isn’t the point of it too, quite literally, wash your dishes? Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help it out a little. Before putting a plate full of food scraps or whatever else may be stuck to it into the dishwasher, scrape it – or rinse it off – to remove some of the bulkier, tougher parts. While the dishwasher will do its best to get rid of those anyway, residue can get left on glasses that won’t be pretty once you check on everything after the cycle has finished.

Adjust the Water Heater Temperature

Most water heaters aren’t shipped with a temperature that is set too high. The ideal temperature setting for washing dishes most effectively is roughly 120 degrees, so tweak your water heater to fit somewhere in that ballpark. When the water is too cold, you’ll have a tough time trying to adequately heat your dishes and dry them. Conversely, when the temperature is too high, your dishwasher will effectively sear the dishes inside, flash-drying them without getting rid of all the bits of food you’re trying to get rid of.

Don’t Overcrowd the Dishwasher

There’s a ton of space inside those sliding trays, so obviously it makes sense to fit as much as possible in there. Except, it doesn’t. When you cram as many dishes as possible into the dishwasher, you can end up blocking some of the plates, trays, pots, and pans that need washing and prevent them from getting washed. If you’re thinking that the next dishwasher load is going to be chock-full, consider washing those last few dishes by hand in the sink, freeing up valuable space in the dishwasher.

These three tips will help you optimize the frequent dishwashing you already do, and it’ll hopefully keep your dishes sparkling clean without sacrificing energy efficiency or extra water spent on second loads. For more dishwasher tips and tricks, give Sigwald Service Co. a call at (361) 729-1584 for the best appliance service in Rockport!

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