Dishwasher tips

If your family uses the dishwasher like most of us, it is very likely that
plates don’t get scraped as well as you might like most of the time. This
extra ‘stuff’ from the dishes can pose a few problems inside your dishwasher
that can affect results. While there is no need to wash and completely
pre-clean the dishes before loading (that’s why you have a dishwasher!),
large food particles can get stuck in the wash arm holes and decrease
water flow. Inspect these holes carefully and clean out with a
toothpick or pin. Finally, run a full cycle loading only a cup of plain
white vinegar sitting on the lower rack to remove mineral deposits.
Some other smart dishwasher ideas:
• Instead of pre-rinsing dishes, just scrape thoroughly. This can save
up to 20-gallons of water.
• Run only full loads. Why waste energy on a partial load when the
energy used is the same – full or almost empty?
• Air-drying dishes uses less energy than a heated-dry option and little
difference in quality outcome.