Three tips for cleaner dishes

Try these tips for cleaner dishes, or get a new dishwasher at UAKC

Here are three suggestions to make sure you're getting the most out of your dishwasher:

1. Don't pre-clean your dishes.

Some people want to give their dishwasher a little help by pre-washing their dishes. While you certainly don't want to put your leftover for baked on food in your dishwasher, it is not a good idea to rinse off your dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. Dishwasher detergents contain chemicals that keep food particles removed from the dishes in suspension so that they don't get redeposited on your dishes. If you put only clean dishes in the dishwasher, the detergent will find no dirt particles and wind up as a film on your already clean dishes.

2. Hot water gets dishes clean.

Typically, dishwashers will heat incoming water to 150 degrees or more depending on the cycle selected. However, the incoming water needs to be 120 degrees for this to happen. Even if your water heater provides water at 120 degrees, if your dishwasher is located too far from the water heater, the hot water may not be hot enough by the time it gets to the dishwasher. My water heater is at one corner of my house, and my dishwasher is clear over at the other corner, as far as it can be from the water heater. We need to run the hot water at the sink near the dishwasher for a few minutes before we start our dishwasher.

3. Dishwasher detergents, rinse aids, and more.

Most popular detergents will do a decent job of cleaning dishes. Some folks use the pods and others use powder. It's a very good idea if you use a rinse agent also. It will really help in the rinse cycle. Finally, if you have really hard water, you may need to use a conditioner. We use and recommend a product called LemiShine. LemiShine is great to use by itself as a dishwasher cleaner to remove hard water buildup. But, we have really hard water and use it regularly as a detergent additive in order to remove spots and films from our dishes and glassware.

Of course, sometimes you just need a new dishwasher. If you have really hard water, you might consider a dishwasher which has a built-in water softener. Miele is famous for having dishwashers with a water softener, but KitchenAid, Bosch, and Maytag also have some dishwashers with a built-in water softener. You should call or visit the professionals today at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center for the best prices and availability of dishwashers and other major appliances or decorative plumbing fixtures.