For you to properly clean the dishes, you have to load them properly in the dishwasher. Here are tips on how to go about it as given by dishwasher repair professionals:
The top rack is designed for glasses, cups, saucers, and smaller items. Place the items at an angle with the dirtiest surface facing downward. To prevent the dishes from chipping or getting damaged, ensure similar items don’t touch.
Place lightweight and dishwasher-safe plastic items such as storage containers on the top rack. If including any household items you can clean in the dishwasher, keep them on the top rack. Place them away from high temperatures of the drying element in the bottom of the appliance.
Ensure the plastic items you place in the dishwasher rack aren’t too small to fit through gaps. This is because items that can fall through the gaps can block one of the washer arms or land on the dishwasher’s heating element and get burnt.
Does your appliance have a fold-down shelf with stemware holders? Secure the stems of wine glasses and champagne flutes in the holders for extra protection during washing.
Some dishwasher models have flexible spray nozzles on the upper rack where you can place tall glasses and water bottles.
Got long utensils such as ladles and spatulas? Lay them flat on the upper dishwasher rack. Ensure the utensils can slip through the rack and block the spray arms.
Loading the bottom rack
The bottom rack is the ideal spot for plates, pans, bakeware, instant pot inner pots, and casserole dishes. Place dinner and lunch plates between the tines on the bottom rack and angle the dirty sides towards the washer jets.
Watch you don’t stack the dishes on top of each other as this will cause nesting and prevent the dishes from getting clean evenly. You can avoid nesting by alternating larger and smaller plates.
Position large bowls between tines or along the side, back, or front of the bottom rack. Face the inside of each bowl towards the center of the dishwasher and angle them downwards.
If you have larger cookware items such as pans, pots, and baking dishes, place them along the sides or back of the lower rack. Angle them down to ensure better cleaning and drainage.
Place flat pans and platters on the side or back of the lower rack away from the dishwasher door. Avoid placing them in the front door as you can block detergents from reaching the dishes.
Loading the silverware
The key to ensuring the silverware get clean is to ensure the water reaches the entire surface area. Don’t place forks or spoons in one section unless you alternate the direction. Load the silverware into the silverware basket while taking care to avoid nesting when loading, as this can cause some of the utensils to clean inefficiently.
To protect your fingers and hands when loading, place knives with the handles facing up. For the spoons and forks, place them with the handles facing down.
If your silverware baskets have lids, take care as they might flip up if the handles don’t fit into the slots in the lids.
Once everything is in place, fill the detergent dispense to the necessary level based on how hard the water is in your area.
Tips for getting excellent results from your dishwasher
For clean dishes all the time, clean the dishwasher regularly.
Use the correct amount of dishwasher detergent. As mentioned above, this will depend on how hard the water is. If the water contains a lot of minerals, use more detergent for every load.
Ensure that the detergent is fresh and not clumping. Give the liquids a good shake before you use them. This will break any lumps in powdered formulas leaving you with easy to use detergent.
Watch what you place in the dishwasher. Some items, such as cast iron and ceramic-coated cookware, should never see the insides of the dishwasher. This is because they will get damaged, and you can’t restore them.
At least once a year, hire an appliance repair Springfield professional to inspect your appliance and ensure all the parts are functioning optimally. If they have a problem, the professional should fix it immediately before it gets worse.
