How to Use Your Dishwasher Properly – Some Awesome Dishwasher Tips

Modern dishwashers need less energy to run. Save money using a dishwasher as it also consumes about seven times less water than washing your dishes by hand. It makes your life at least a little bit happier too as there won’t be any more daily evening fight over who is washing and who's drying!

Do you pre-rinse your dishes?

Stubborn stains such as starch stains from breakfast, rice and pasta as well as proteins such as meat and eggs are not easy to remove with your normal dishwasher cycle. What you can do is scraping or wiping all food particles from dirty dishes before loading in the dishwasher. In fact, Food Hygiene Regulations also require scraping of plates before they’re washed by dishwashing machines.

You need not to rinse the dishes before loading them in the dishwasher unless they are very heavily soiled with baked or dried on food. In such case of heavily soiled cookware with baked-on grime, you can use Pre-Rinse Spray units of recognised companies which consume very less water and are very effective using only cold water. If you don’t have Pre-Rinse Spray units, avoid pre-rinsing your dishes, just scrape off any large food scraps before putting the plates in the dishwasher.    

Draining the dishwasher

Drain the dishwasher at least once daily and any time it’s left idle for more than a few hours. Drain the machine soon after a wash cycle so it’ll be still hot to drain all dirty wash water and oils etc. in the water. If at any time you see that the dishwasher overflows onto the floor, check the drain system for any blockage. Select Home Cleaning can recommend expert plumbers who’ll rectify the blocked drain of your dishwasher without overcharging.

Clean your dishwasher at least once in a month

The grease, soap scum and food debris that build up in dishwashers encourage the growth of germs and affect the efficiency of the machine. So, it’s necessary to clean a dishwasher from time to time or at least once in a month. If you have any doubts about cleaning the dishwasher, consult a reputed home cleaning company in New Zealand.

What’s the proper way to load your dishwasher?

Avoid making common dishwasher loading mistakes and get maximum sterilisation. Remember, there is a right and wrong way to load a dishwasher. Stick to the basic rules. Load the bottom rack with large soiled dishes so they get good water flow and effective cleaning. The bottom rack is also specifically designed to hold the dishes in a way that allows more number of plates to fit in and also ensure hot water easily passes through them.

Place the cups, glasses, and bowls at an angle so water can run off the bottoms and dry properly.  This way they also don’t take up too much room.Load Tupperware and all other plastic items on the top rack if your dishwasher has an exposed heating element.

How hot should be the water to get optimal cleaning?

For the dishwashers to perform their best and get you really clean dishes, you need to keep the hot water at 120 degrees F, the ideal temperature to dissolve food stains.

Dishwasher detergent

It’s advisable to use tablets, or small pre-measured gel packs called pods, which are known to clean the dishes best, without leaving behind water spots, film, or discoloration as it happens with powder detergents. New Zealand Hygiene Regulations require the use of liquid detergents and automatic injectors in dishwashers.

Note that all dishwashing machine detergents are hazardous and so they are to be stored safely out of the reach of young children.

Easy Tips to Keep Your Home Sparkling Clean & Germ Free

Kitchen Cabinet Goo & Gunk Remover

A lot of grime and grease get collected on your kitchen cabinets as time goes by. Here’s a magic solution to make your kitchen cabinets shine like new. Take one part vegetable oil and two parts baking soda and mix together using a spoon. This will form a thick paste and apply it onto the dirty spots, especially near the handles. Scrub the area with a toothbrush to get the gunk out of the cabinets!

Always remember to wipe out the cabinets as soon as spills and drips occur. This will reduce the formation of thick layers of dirt.

Dishwasher Cleaner

Make sure that the dishwasher is empty, then pour one cup of distilled white vinegar into the dishwasher and run a heavy clean cycle. Now sprinkle one cup baking soda in the bottom of the dishwasher and let it stay on overnight.

Next day morning, run an empty cycle to remove leftover food, grease, and soap scum. During cold season pour ¼ cup of bleach to the normal dish cycle to prevent bacterial infection.

A damp sponge sprinkled with baking soda can be used to wipe around the edges of the dishwasher. Do this on a weekly basis to clean all food particles and stain on the machine.

DIY Shower Head Cleaning

The idea is to soak your shower head using vinegar for about 15 to 30 minutes. Take a plastic bag (which will just fit over your showerhead) and fill it partway with equal parts of distilled white vinegar and water. Now wrap the polythene bag around the showerhead so that it is dipped fully in the vinegar. Ensure to tie a piece of string tightly around the plastic bag and the shower pipe so that it won’t fall off.

Take the bag off after 30 minutes and scrub the shower head with a toothbrush. Turn the water on and again clean with the old toothbrush.

How to Clean Shower Door Tracks

White vinegar can remove all traces of mould and mildew on tile grout. When handling vinegar, it’s advisable to wear cleaning gloves to prevent your skin absorbing the vinegar.

Spray the white vinegar on paper towels and lay them along the shower door tracks. After 30 minutes, you can remove the paper towels. Now use an old tooth brush to clean the loose grime.

Make a weekly and monthly cleaning schedule for your shower door and the door tracks respectively. And avoid soap scum build up by giving the shower door a quick wipe down after every shower.

Homemade Drain Cleaner

A mixture of baking soda and vinegar can perfectly clean the drains. First, pour two cups of boiling water down the drain after removing all water from the sink or tub. Now pour one cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a mix of one cup of white vinegar and one cup of hot water right on top and plug the drain immediately.

DIY Mattress Cleaner

Mix half cup baking soda with 12 to 15 drops of essential oils. Now spray it over the bed and rub the mixture into the bed. Leave it for one hour for the mixture to work on the dirt, residue and stains. Lastly, clean the mattress with a vacuum cleaner to remove all traces of baking soda and dirt. Now enjoy a good night’s sleep.

It’s also recommended to flip the mattress every six months to extend its life and prevent sagging.

Homemade Carpet Cleaner

Add one tablespoon of dish soap (that doesn’t contain bleach) to four litres of hot water. Then add one and a half tablespoons of distilled white vinegar and a quarter cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Your carpet cleaner is ready. To get a lovely fragrance on your carpets, you may add five to six drops of lemon essential oil to the carpet cleaning mixture.

This carpet cleaner will also work well for cleaning your mattresses.

Always keep in mind that these DIY techniques and easy tips are for assisting you with normal house cleaning chores. However, for removing stubborn stains and ensuring perfect cleaning, you should consult a licensed home cleaning company to work around your schedule for weekly/fortnightly home cleaning or one-off house cleaning.

Some DIY User Guidelines for Your Kitchen and Home Appliances

Timely care on home appliances can save you costly maintenance issues later on. Let us look into simple care and DIY procedures that you’ll have to observe on a regular basis regarding all your home appliances, including fridge, washing machine, microwave, dishwasher etc.

Fridge and Freezers

Occasionally clean the door seals to remove dirt and mildew- this will ensure proper air sealing. Brittle or damaged seals will cause leaking of cool air. The result is more energy consumption and higher power bill! 

Check door seals for dirt & damage, and replace them if there are cracks, warps and damaged sections.  This will save power and enhance cooling performance. You can check the condition of a seal by closing the fridge door on a small piece of paper. If there is firm grip on the paper, the seal is working fine; otherwise it’s time to replace it.

How to Use Fridge and Freezer Cost-Effectively

If you are going away for vacation or other long breaks, don’t forget to switch off your fridge. Also remember to empty the fridge and thoroughly clean the fridge and freezer. Let its doors remain open to avoid moisture build up. If you have a second fridge for cool drinks, turn it off when not needed.

Ensure that the children are not spoiling your fridge. Its doors should not be opened frequently and kept opened for longer periods. This is to avoid leaking out of cool air otherwise your fridge will work for longer duration and consume more power.

Keep the fridge in a well ventilated space away from heat or direct sunlight. Don’t overfill your refrigerator; allow sufficient space for easy flow of cold air.

Microwaves, Oven/Stoves

Microwave should be cleaned after every use. There should not be any traces of food particles inside the oven. Salty spills can enter cracks and cause rusting, which will cost you dearly as repair may not be economical. Keep the door seal area clean and check the oven for damage as this can cause microwave leakage.

Check oven/stoves: Always refer manufacturer’s instructions when cleaning your oven and hob. Check the hinges and door seals of oven/stoves for dirt and grease build up.

Dishwashers

Use the manufacturer’s instructions to clean out the dishwasher filter and the seals on a regular basis. Run a damp cloth over the seals to clean the dirt.

Try to use the dishwasher when it’s full in order to save electricity and water.

Take out the dishwasher filter assembly and wash the internal filter under a running tap with the help of a plastic brush to remove the dirt. And for the bigger trap filter, just rinse it under hot water.

Dehumidifiers & Heaters

If you are using dehumidifier, ensure that its filter is cleaned from time to time. First dry out the filter and then use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to clean it.

When using room heaters follow safety instructions given in the care and maintenance manual. Keep heaters away from curtains or furniture to avoid fire incidents.   

Washing Machines

Ensure that you’re using the recommended detergent in correct quantity for the type of clothes you are using. Electrical problems may occur if excess foam is generated due to overuse of detergent.

Have a periodical check on the water fill hoses of the washing machine- there can be wear, damage, corroded fittings and leaks. If you find these signs on the hoses, immediately replace them to avoid further damage. 

Clothe Dryers

Check that there is no lint build-up as it may cause fire. Also keep it a point to clear the lint filter after each load so things will improve and it’ll take less time to dry the clothes.

Make sure that all the home appliances are well secured against toppling over in case of an earthquake. If you inspect them regularly and read the user manuals while attempting any repair or adjustment, you’ll not only prolong their life period, but improve their energy-efficient quality also. These maintenance practice notes are issued by the customer care team at Select HomeCleaning — your first choice in dependable & affordable award winning home cleaning services in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington & Christchurch.