Tag

Dishwasher

Browsing

For many of us, the dishwasher runs almost every day. But what is really allowed in the machine and what is not?

The dishwasher is a device that is used almost every day in the home. Annoying rinsing by hand is usually no longer necessary. However, there are a number of things that should not be entrusted to the dishwasher. These include hand-painted or printed glasses. These could flake off or become cloudy during the rinse cycle. In addition, particularly thin glasses can easily break. The same applies to porcelain. The crockery often has small imprints or hand paintings and may also have a gold rim that could be destroyed by frequent washing in the dishwasher.

Even cutlery may not go in the dishwasher. This includes, for example, cutlery with wood and plastic handles. Because the hot water ensures that the glue with which the handles are attached can dissolve. Even with silver cutlery

But you should not only be careful with glasses, cutlery and crockery, there are other things that definitely do not belong in the dishwasher.

With almost all pots and pans, it makes sense to wash them by hand. This is due to the non-stick coatings, which are made of aluminum, for example. The coatings are very sensitive and can be attacked and damaged by harsh dishwasher detergents. If the coating of the pan finally comes off, toxic substances can be released when frying and cooking with the pans, which can enter the body via the food. But that’s not all. The pans can also be scratched if they collide with cutlery or other dishes.

It is best to clean them with dish soap and warm water. Clay pots or terracotta vessels also do not belong in the dishwasher. They can scratch quickly and become dull over time.

And what else?

Wooden boards get cracks and warp due to the heat of the water. You should also have quality kitchen knives

What about insulated mugs and thermoses? The dishwasher is not a good recommendation for these things either. The vacuum seal is damaged by the salts in the dishwasher tabs and the large amount of water. This can damage the ISO effect and the drinks are no longer kept warm.

Bottom line: if you take good care of them when you wash them, all your items will have a longer lifespan. Of course, washing up by hand can be a little annoying, but it’s worth it! So that your hands are not attacked too much, there are skin-sensitive and environmentally friendly detergents*. This way you protect your hands and you will also have sharp knives and intact glasses in the future.

Annoying and unsightly: Your cutlery comes out of the dishwasher dull and rusty. Even the stainless steel knife seems to be rusting. The aluminum foil trick can help.

This is how the aluminum foil trick works

You can use the aluminum foil trick to prevent rust film. You take a piece of aluminum foil, crumple it into a ball and put it in the cutlery basket of the dishwasher. Then you do the dishes as usual. After washing, your cutlery will shine like new.

Why this works: The rust film settles on the aluminum foil, which oxidizes more easily than stainless steel. It attracts the rust film, so to speak, and your cutlery is spared.

Of course, aluminum foil can’t work wonders for older, scratched cutlery on which the rust has already really set in. But you will certainly see a certain shine effect. You can also use rust magnets as an alternative to aluminum foil

Alternatively: What to do against rust film?

You can do this to prevent rust film: If you want to avoid rust film, you must not put anything in the dishwasher that can rust. Unfortunately, this is only partially possible. Even the smallest parts, such as rivets on the handle of a stainless steel pan, are enough to cause rust.

Incidentally, the dishwasher itself can also rust on crockery baskets or if the covers are damaged. It is therefore best not to leave your dishes damp in the dishwasher for long. Moisture accelerates the setting of the rust film. If you can, always unload the machine immediately after rinsing. Or at least leave the door of the machine open so the dishes dry and the steam can escape.

If you use your dishwasher every day, it can happen that glasses remain dull and milky. You can counteract this phenomenon with a few tips.

Why glasses become milky

Nobody likes to see cloudy or “blind” glasses after rinsing. It is not possible to give a general answer to the cause of this. According to the Industry Association for Personal Care and Detergents, there are three different causes that could be behind it. A first option is regeneration salt: This consists of pure sodium chloride and ensures that the water is softened. It is also called “ion exchanger”. If this container is not closed properly, a layer of salt can form on the glasses.

Limescale deposits can also occur. These occur when the water hardness is not set correctly or there is no more regeneration salt in the dishwasher. The lime layer is not water-soluble; so you have to treat the glass with mild acids.

A third possible cause of cloudy glasses is glass corrosion. Once this has taken place, you can no longer undo it; this is because the fine glass structure was broken by water with a low degree of hardness and a high temperature. You can often see small cracks in the glass.

This is how you get matt glasses shiny

If it is the regeneration salt, the problem can be solved quickly and easily. You have to close the salt container correctly for the next wash cycle so that no salt residue can be deposited on the glasses. If there is already a layer on the glasses, you can simply wash it off by hand or start a new rinse cycle, this time with the container closed.

If there is a layer of limescale on the glasses, you cannot wash it off with water; however, acid treatment can help. For example, you can use dishwasher tabs with a water softening function, rinse aid or an aqueous citric acid solution. If the water is already very hard, for example at more than 21° dH, you usually need additional regeneration salt.

To protect the glasses, it makes sense to use dishwasher products with zinc salt; These include, for example, dishwashing detergents with integrated glass protection. To prevent glass corrosion, you should pay attention to high-quality glasses when buying them and set the water temperature as low as possible. So that the high temperature does not attack the glass for an unnecessarily long time, you should

The dishwasher is generally intended for washing pots, plates and the like. But all kinds of other things can also be cleaned very well in the dishwasher.

Which 5 things can you still wash in the dishwasher?

Your dishwasher can do much more than make glasses shine.

These items also get clean again in the dishwasher:
Caps and Baseball Caps: Caps are making a big fashion comeback this year. They are also particularly practical if you don’t feel like doing your hair in the morning. However, unsightly sweat marks quickly form. The caps cannot be cleaned in the washing machine because the visor will snap off. A wash cycle in the dishwasher is therefore suitable. Just leave the dishes out and your headgear is nice and clean again.
Rubber boots, bathing shoes, flip-flops: Even shoes made of plastic or rubber can be ideally cleaned in the dishwasher. Flip-flops or bathing shoes can be washed in the upper compartment, while rubber boots fit perfectly in the lower compartment. Again, you should leave out the dishes.
Hairbrushes and combs: Over time, a lot collects in hairbrushes and combs. Tallow, hair dandruff or dust: Regular cleaning is a must. If you don’t feel like doing it by hand, you can simply put the brush and comb in the dishwasher. However, the objects should be made of rubber or plastic.
Toys: Even the toys of children or pets get really clean again in the dishwasher. However, the toy should be made of plastic and even then it is important to pay attention to the temperature setting.
Shower head: Is the shower head calcified or dirty? No problem: off in the dishwasher. Without chemicals and scrubbing, it gets nice and clean again. Incidentally, this also works with attachments for taps.

When the detergent has run out, simply use a dishwasher tab – is that possible? Here you can find out what happens if you resort to this emergency solution and what it looks like in the opposite case.

Dishwasher tabs: That’s what’s in them

Dishwasher tabs contain some useful ingredients that make the tabs interesting for cleaning other areas of the household. They contain, for example, soda to remove dirt and bleach to prevent discoloration.

If you opt for dishwasher tabs from the discounter, you should opt for the cheap version under 3 euros. These tabs contain a particularly large number of ingredients that you can also use to clean other areas of the household. But be careful: you should always wear rubber gloves.

To remove dirt and limescale residue from your washing machine, you can simply put a tab in the empty machine and run a wash at 60 degrees. Caution: You should never put detergent in the dishwasher the other way around. The detergent foams too much and there is a risk of a flood in your kitchen.

Dishwasher tabs for washing clothes: is that possible?

Due to the bleach they contain, dishwasher tabs are also suitable for removing stains and gray haze from clothing. All you have to do is put the laundry in the machine with two tabs and then start washing. Afterwards, however, you should wash your clothes one more time with ordinary detergent, as the bleach is not ideal for the skin.

If you accidentally discolored your clothes, you can use the tabs to remove discoloration. Simply place 3 or 4 tabs in hot water and soak laundry in the mixture overnight. The next day you should wash your laundry again with detergent.

Dishwasher tabs should therefore only be used for white or light-colored laundry that has become unsightly. The tabs can make light-colored clothing shine again.

Household tip: Here you can use dishwasher tabs for cleaning

As already mentioned, dishwasher tabs contain some ingredients that are perfect for cleaning around the house. Here you can use the tabs:
Toilet: You can easily remove urine scale from your toilet using the tabs by dissolving the tab in a bowl of warm water and then leaving the solution in the toilet overnight.
Drain: Instead of pipe cleaner, you can simply mix about 3 liters of boiling water with a tab and slowly pour the solution down the drain.
Tiles: Mix a tab with warm water to form a thick paste and work this into the grout of the tiles. Be sure to use colorless tabs.
Burnt pots and pans: Simply put the tab and water in the pot or pan and heat up. After a few hours, you should be able to easily remove the burnt residue.
Oven and microwave: Again, you can simply mix the tab with water and then use the solution to wipe off. Then you should wipe with clear water.

Now descale the washing machine and dishwasher with natural home remedies. With our instructions, you can descale your washing machine and dishwasher properly and prevent damage. Consequently, you should remove limescale deposits regularly.

Calcified household appliances no longer work properly, they consume more electricity and break down more quickly. You should therefore descale your washing machine and dishwasher regularly. This saves hassle, time, and money. Remove limescale deposits with vinegar, lemon, and co.

Hard water leads to limescale deposits

Hard water can attack electronic devices. Especially after a long period of time, limescale deposits on all components that come into contact with tap water: hoses, heating elements, spray arms. The hotter a component gets, the faster it calcifies. The heating elements in washing machines and dishwashers are therefore particularly affected. How strong depends on the temperature and the degree of hardness of your tap water.

How often do you descale the machines?

If you have hard water, you should descale your devices two to three times a year. But if your water is soft, it is sufficient to remove limescale deposits from the washing machine and dishwasher once a year. This usually does not require any special cleaners or decalcifiers, simple and natural household remedies can often remove limescale effectively. Please also note our tips for cleaning the bathroom and removing limescale.

Prevention of limescale deposits

A dash of vinegar with each wash protects against limescale deposits and makes your laundry fresh and soft. In addition, you can occasionally add a packet of baking soda or baking soda to the normal wash or rinse cycle. The following applies to the dishwasher: Even if you use dishwasher tabs that already contain water softeners, you should always use coarse special salt.

Instructions for descaling the washing machine

It doesn’t take much to descale your washing machine. You can follow our simple step-by-step instructions for this. You should also clean your washing machine regularly.

Home remedies to remove limescale

If you want to do without too many chemicals in the household, you can use environmentally friendly and inexpensive household remedies. Because it can be used to remove limescale from your devices just as easily. You can also use natural home remedies to descale your kettle. Or clean and descale your sink with simple household items. The following home remedies are good for removing limescale deposits:

1) Descale with citric acid

The use of citric acid can effectively dissolve limescale deposits on household appliances. You can buy lemon juice concentrated cheaply in small yellow plastic lemons at any grocery store. Then, to descale the washing machine, dissolve the contents of a plastic lemon in 0.5 liters of water and pour the mixture into the drum as described above. To descale the dishwasher, fill the undiluted concentrate into the powder compartment up to the edge.

2) Vinegar against limescale

Using vinegar can also descale your washing machine. But it also has disadvantages. Because most manufacturers of washing and rinsing appliances point out that vinegar could attack the seals and plastic hoses of the appliances. Nevertheless, many swear by the inexpensive limescale remover. To descale, pour 0.5 liters of household vinegar directly into the machine, as described above, and start a washing or rinsing program that is as hot as possible. When using vinegar essence, a quarter of a liter is enough.

3) Use the home remedy baking soda

Although using the household remedy baking soda alone does not dissolve limescale, it does make the water softer. This way you can avoid limescale deposits. In combination with vinegar, baking soda becomes a sparkling clean. Soda strengthens the lime-dissolving effect of the acetic acid and also frees the machine from soap and grease residues. Consequently, a good household remedy for washing machines and dishwashers.

4) Commercial descalers

You can also descale your devices with special cleaners. Because the specialist trade offers a variety of descalers that can remove limescale deposits from your device quickly, efficiently, and thoroughly. You should definitely observe the respective instructions for use. You can also find many types of descalers on the Internet, such as descaling coffee machines.

In order for the dishwasher to be able to do its job properly in the household, a few procedures must be observed. If the machine is used frequently, it also requires regular care to prevent malfunctions or failures.

Washing dishes in the household is often very annoying, but there is a dishwasher that does its job reliably. Such a device is a real work-saver, especially for families with several children. Since the dishwasher is used often, errors or problems can occur during use. Most of the time, these are small things that you can fix yourself without hiring an expensive repair service.

The built-in heater is defective

If you notice that the dishwasher only works in the cold mode for the respective washing processes, something is wrong. Either the heater is defective or the built-in thermostat. In order to repair this, the necessary spare parts are required. Before doing this yourself, the mains plug should be pulled out of the device and the device should be disconnected from the existing water connection. The components to be replaced must fit the respective device exactly. Exact information can often be found in the user manual.

Water is no longer pumped out

If the water is no longer pumped out properly after the rinsing process, this makes a bad impression at first. But in most cases, this problem can be fixed quite easily. To do this, the existing sieve should first be checked at the outlet in the machine. This can be taken out easily. If it is clogged, cleaning must be done. Another cause can be a kinked drain hose. This should then be straightened again so that the water can drain properly. If this was not the cause either, there may be a defect in the drain pump. This must then be replaced with a new component.

The dishwasher cannot be opened

A very common source of error is that the machine door can no longer be opened. There can be several possible reasons for this. It is possible for the child safety lock to be switched on automatically. A defect in the door lock can also be present here. To deactivate the child lock, the programming must be changed accordingly. It can also help to switch the device off and on again. If, on the other hand, there is a defect in the door lock, it must be repaired accordingly.

Flashing error message

If a flashing error message suddenly lights up on the device, this is often not a very big problem, in most cases, it is necessary to fill in a new rinse aid or appropriate special salt. The error messages can vary depending on the manufacturer. The operating instructions provide a very good overview, where the exact meaning of the symbols is explained and what needs to be done afterward.

Clean rinsing is no longer possible

If the dishwasher is no longer able to wash the dishes absolutely clean, thorough cleaning of the sieve and the spray arm is usually necessary. If there is a blockage, the functionality is significantly reduced and a clean flushing process cannot take place. In addition, there can be an unpleasant smell in the dishwasher. The sieve only needs to be removed from the bottom and cleaned by hand. The spray arm can usually be easily removed and the dirt can be carefully removed. However, if limescale deposits or a fairly gray tinge have formed on the dishes, this can indicate a lack of salt. There is usually a defect in the ion exchanger.

No more water is drawn in

If the dishwasher is no longer able to draw in water, it does not always have to be a fault in the device. It is also possible that there is a defect in the faucet. To do this, the water tap should first be turned off and the hose removed from the machine.

There is usually a strainer at the top of the hose which could be clogged. If this is not the case, the faucet should still be checked again by placing a bucket under it. If only a few drops of water come out after activation, it is advisable to call an installer for help. He can check the line carefully and insert a new faucet if necessary.

Detergent is too old

A big mistake is often made when buying dish soap in very large bottles. Buying in advance is not a good idea, because the longer the dishwashing detergent is stored, the more the enzymes it contains break down. These are absolutely important so that the dishes can be washed thoroughly.

After just a few months, the cleaning performance decreases significantly and the dishes are no longer really clean. If, on the other hand, the dishes come out of the dishwasher very cloudy, this is usually due to the degree of hardness and lime content of the water. Here it depends on the right dosage of the detergent used. It can also be useful here to descale the dishwasher. Natural home remedies will help you with this.

Dishwashers are indispensable helpers in most households, which unfortunately often cause avoidable high repair costs. It’s often the little things that lead to big problems. Save money with our dishwasher cleaning and maintenance tips.

If you clean and care for your dishwasher regularly, it can work perfectly for many years and save you from having to wash the dishes by hand. And with the right care, you can avoid a clogged sieve and a calcified dishwasher.

Proper dishwasher cleaning and care

The dishwasher no longer drains the water! Who does not know that? The dishwasher is filled with dirty dishes and there are more dishes from yesterday’s party in the living room. The machine starts its work and suddenly an alarm sounds from the dishwasher. Then you realize that the machine is not pumping out the water. In most cases, this is not due to the fact that the pump is defective, but to a cause, that is easy to eliminate. Also, read our tips for the perfect dishwasher.

1) Avoid clogged screen

You should remove and clean the strainer regularly. Pay attention to whether there are any deposits behind the sieve. Then clean everything thoroughly and turn the machine back on. If the error persists, there could be a foreign object in the pump. In addition, note other common mistakes when using the dishwasher.

2) Remove objects from the pump

It can happen that small objects settle in the sieve. As a result, they block and the water is not pumped out. This error can be corrected with a few simple steps.

3) Clean the dishwasher with a wet vacuum cleaner

If the water is not pumped out, a hard object must have jammed the impeller of the pump. If this object cannot be removed as in the previous video, a wet vacuum cleaner can be helpful. It is best to proceed according to the following scheme:

  • Suck the machine empty from the inside.
  • Take out the crockery baskets with crockery.
  • Detach the wastewater hose from the drain.
  • Fill the machine with clean water.
  • Suck this out through the drain hose.
  • Using a funnel, pour water through the drain hose.
  • Drain water from inside.
  • Repeat the process several times so that the part that has jammed the pump can loosen.

After that, you have to plug the machine back in and switch on a normal washing program. When everything is back to normal, insert the dish racks and wash. Otherwise only the customer service helps. And if you’re struggling with bad smells in the dishwasher, check out our dishwasher smelly odor tricks.

4) Dishwasher no longer rinses – causes and remedies

If the dishwasher no longer washes clean, it is usually due to very trivial reasons that are easy to turn off. So check the following options:

  • Obstruction of the rinse arm. This can be prevented from moving by a piece of crockery (usually cutlery): You should therefore check before each wash whether the wash arms can move freely.
  • Rinse arm is clogged: Then use a needle to clean the holes in the rinse arm. To do this, take the arm out of the machine and clean it thoroughly with a brush. You can usually remove the rinsing arm from the machine in just a few simple steps, without any tools.
  • If the filter is clogged or dirty: remove the filter and clean it properly. It is important that you remove any dirt from the sieve so that the machine works properly again.
  • Greasy deposits in the dishwasher: Remove with a cloth or run the machine without dishes with a special detergent.

5) Descale the dishwasher regularly

For proper dishwasher care, you should descale the dishwasher regularly. And that several times a year, especially when the water is very hard. You can use various natural home remedies for this, such as citric acid or vinegar. This ensures that your machine works for a long time and that you do not have to pay expensive repair costs.