These tips are designed to give you some helpful solutions to common problems that may save you a call for dishwasher repair or service.

Tip #1: Water Temperature:

One of the most common mistakes folks make when using their dishwashers, is to not provide water that is hot enough, especially for the first load. Dishwashers generally take their water from the hot water tap or the piping under the cabinet that feeds it. The problem is that it sometimes takes from 30 to 60 seconds for hot water in the tank to arrive at the tap or dishwasher.  When you start your wash cycle, that 30 to 60 seconds is all the time that the machine needs to fill up for the first load. That means that the water it is using is well below the recommended operating temperature. In short, your first load is done with cold to lukewarm water, which we all know isn’t going to give you the best results.

So here’s the tip… Always run the hot water in your kitchen sink until the water is at it’s highest temperature. Once you’ve done that, start your dishwasher. You’ll be delighted with the results.

Tip #2: Milky Film on glassware or crystal:

This is by far one of the most common complaints folks have with their dishwashers. Often the machine is blamed for being defective or inefficient in some manner, when the fix is quite inexpensive and easy to do by anyone. In short, your dishwasher needs to wash itself.

Here’s the tip…

Buy a box of a good dishwasher cleaner. We recommend “Glysten” as we’ve found it give superior results in most cases. We do add however, to disregard the instructions on the box and use the following method.

1. Put a small plastic container on the top shelf of the dishwasher in such a way that it won’t be tossed around by the water jets.
2. Put one packet of Glysten into the container
3. Do not add any soap or dishes
4. Run the dishwasher through a full cycle
5. Enjoy clean, sparkling and clear glassware.
6. Send a sympathy card to your lonely dishwasher repair man.

Tip #3: Pre-Rinse your dishes:

Always, I repeat always rinse your dishes before you load them into the dishwasher. Your dishwasher isn’t a garbage disposal unit. Possibly the most common service call I get, is to completely unclog and clean a perfectly good dishwasher. Dishwasher were never designed to properly handle food scraps and other debris, no matter what the manufacturer claims. In fact, some of the more reputable manufacturers may even specify that their warranty is void if the user allows the unit to be clogged up with food scraps.

Properly rinsing your dishes soon after use, will ensure they are completely clean when the cycle if completed, and most importantly, your dishwasher will run trouble free for many years.