Things You Should Never Do With Your Dishwasher, According To An Expert

If you can't imagine hand-washing dishes — even though there are cons to using a dishwasher – there are a few things you shouldn't be doing when using this appliance. These are things that can waste your time or even shorten the dishwasher's life span. Depending on the brand, your dishwasher should last you between 10 and 20 years. 

So, what shouldn't you do? First, you don't need to prewash your plates according to expert Andrew Laughlin (via Instagram). Scraping the food off your dishes so it doesn't turn into hardened gunk is all you need to do. Your appliance will do the rest with the help of the best type of detergent for your dishwasher. Another thing Andrew says you should never do is ignore essential maintenance on your dishwasher. Quickly take care of the alerts for low salt or rinse aid, and open the dishwasher door regularly. This prevents mold, mildew, and odors from forming. 

And the last thing Laughlin suggests you shouldn't do? Randomly throw your dishes into the dishwasher while overfilling it. Not properly loading items in your dishwasher can block the spray arms, which means the water isn't spraying (or cleaning) your dishes. If your dishes are lying on each other, the water and detergent can't get between the surfaces. Load your items with the largest in the back and the plates facing inward for the best performance.

Just like a car runs better with high-quality gas, your dishwasher will clean better with quality detergent and rinse aid. Be sure to keep your rinse aid topped off, and when you're ready to start your dishwasher, do a few things first for the best clean. Run the water in your kitchen faucet until it is hot so the washing cycle starts with hot water, which effectively gets dried food off your dishes. Check the temperature of your water to make sure it's set at the optimal cleaning temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Always set your dishwasher on the cycle that matches what you're trying to clean. For pots and pans, the heavy cycle works best, while the standard cycle may not clean these items as well.

Don't forget to clean your dishwasher and run an occasional white vinegar wash. Even though it's a cleaning machine, dishwashers need maintenance cleaning to remove food particles, mineral build-up, and gunk left over from detergent. You'll also need to do a thorough cleaning (more than wiping down the outside and outer parts) every few months to clean the filter and other parts inside your dishwasher. Use expert advice on how to clean your dishwasher to make sure you're maintaining everything you need to. Your dishwasher will repay you by cleaning your dishes better, and lasting longer.