Our regular readers will know that we don’t just provide the GTA’s top repairs, we also dispense practical advice on how to use your appliances. In the interest of saving time, energy, and money, these life hacks are simple additions to your routine or minor adjustments to your habits. They won’t take a lot of time or effort to incorporate, but they will have a lot of pay-off. Read a little further to see our favourite strategies for using the dishwasher.
Before we begin, we’d like to address the validity of our advice versus the information you can find elsewhere online. A quick Google search of dishwasher hacks will come up a lot of questionable tips that we don’t necessarily recommend. They’re surprising to say the least. Take, for example, the number of people who suggest cooking full meals with your dishwasher. Don’t believe us? You can find instructions on how to bake salmon, potatoes, and even lasagna while you wash your dishes, but we don’t suggest it. There’s a reason why you have an oven, stove, and microwave in your kitchen.
While a lot of the hacks you can find online come from dubious sources, we’re professionals who maintain and repair dishwashers every single day. We know these machines inside and out, and we have the license and insurance to prove it. We’ll never suggest your dishwasher moonlight as an oven, but we will offer some practical tips that can save you time.
Life Hack #1 – Vinegar is your friend
After several cycles, your dishwasher naturally starts to accumulate grease, grime, debris, and other material. If left unattended it can create a nasty odour within the cabinet, and it may escalate into an issue that affects how clean it gets your dishes. To remove this gunk, place two cups of vinegar in the top rack of your machine. Leave the rest of the washer empty while you run the appliance as usual without any detergents. As it moves through the cycle, the vinegar will mix with the water and remove any residue.
Life Hack #2 – Load like with like
Who hasn’t skirted out of unloading the dishwasher when it was their turn? There’s a reason, and it’s because it’s the worst job. But it doesn’t have to be. Most of us attempt to avoid this duty because of the way it’s been loaded. Pots, dishes, cutlery, and cups are placed haphazardly throughout the cabinet wherever there’s room. Removing them is akin to a rigged game of Jenga, as it requires a delicate hand and takes far longer than it should. Skip the agony of unloading by making sure items are organized by type as they’re loaded. (Hint: prevent forks and spoons from nesting into each other by alternating them facing up and down).
Life Hack #3 – Keep your old toothbrushes
Dentists suggest you should replace your toothbrush every 3 – 4 months, but before you throw your latest toothbrush in the garbage think about what it can do for your dishwasher! Its small head of bristles is the perfect size to get into the nooks and crannies of the machine’s filters, utensil rack, and other hard to reach areas. You’ll be able to remove stuck on debris that could potentially disrupt water flow.
These simple additions aren’t time consuming, so they’re easy to add to any routine. Introduce them into your household and get ready to see how they’ll make your life easier and more efficient. Once you do, you’ll find that your dishwasher is running a lot smoother. Should you start to notice anything disrupting its operation even while follow these tips (like a weird noise or a worrying leak), don’t hesitate to call us. We can inspect its internal machinations and return them back to normal. A quick call to our dishwasher repair experts is enough.
