Cleaning The Dishwasher

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Automatic Dishwasher Cleaning

Automatic dishwashers are the greatest luxury ever devised by man - for man! How gleeful that guy must have been when he untied his apron and draped it over the dishwasher!

With today's fast-paced lifestyles and homes where most adults work (either away from home or in home offices), automatic dishwashers are a necessity. Not only that, they are highly efficient at providing tender, loving care to fragile drink and dinner ware, and get your dishes much cleaner than hand washing.

Cleaning up after entertaining guests or simple family meals is quicker and easier. Just scrape leftovers from the plates and glasses, give a quick rinse under the tap, then put them in the dishwasher. If it's not convenient to wash them now, you can wash them later. You can even set a timer and have the automatic dishwasher come on during the middle of the night, or during the day when nobody is home!

Automatic dishwashers have a lot of benefits that appeal to consumers besides preventing wrinkled fingers and the old "dishwasher diarrhea" - a common ailment of teenagers. 

• Dirty dishes can be kept out of sight, out of the sink and in the dishwasher making the kitchen look neater and cleaner.
• Automatic dishwashers clean and sanitize dishes far more efficiently than washing by hand. Statistics report that average bacteria count for machine-washed dishes is less than 1 per plate versus bacteria on dishes washed by hand which average a whopping 390 count per plate!
• Automatic dishwashers save time and use less water than hand washing.
• Unless the dishwasher is loaded improperly, dish breakage almost never occurs.

If you have purchased a new automatic dishwasher, take time to read the owners' manual. There will be specific instructions on proper loading and care of the appliance. It is important for you to understand the mechanics involved, how to utilize the dishwasher to your best advantage, and how to fully enjoy the special features. Most new dishwashers come with a sample package of the recommended dishwasher detergent. If yours doesn't, refer to the owners' manual to see if they make a recommendation. If you are still unsure, try looking on the manufacturers' web site. If you are an engineer and you still have questions, ask your mother! Just kiddin'! Mrs. Clean does not recommend gel dishwasher detergents. See cleaning with dishwashing detergent.

Automatic Dishwashers

The job description of the automatic dishwasher is to agitate hot water while dissolving a cleaning detergent and causing it to continuously flush the contents of the tub, removing food particles from the dishes, then expelling the contaminated detergent solution. It refills with clean hot water, repeats flushing and rinsing the dishes, expels the rinse water, then begins and completes a drying cycle.

It is still deficient in unloading and loading itself! That is one feature I'd love to see!

Washing Systems

Automatic dishwasher possess ingeniously designed irrigation or washing systems. Some have a single spray source at the bottom of the unit while others may have many spray heads, with some on "towers". Water is distributed through towers, into the revolving spray arms. The most efficient washing systems have the most spray arms and water ports (holes where water sprays from). Those with fewer water ports and spray arms required creative loading in order to clean the dishes most efficiently.

The Importance of Water

Even common water becomes an uncommon ingredient in dish washing and has a specific job. It needs to be able to dissolve the detergent and then become the "carrier" to wet and clean the dirty dishes. Then clean, fresh, hot water must flush remaining soil and detergent from the surface of the dishes, drink ware, tableware, and cookware, making them fresh and clean and palatable to the user. The power of the dishwasher itself in forcing the water through the spray arms and water ports produces the actual scrubbing action that ultimately provides the essential cleaning and sanitizing.

Contrary to popular belief, dishwashers do their job with a minimal amount of water. It does not fill up to the brim. If it did, you'd have a flood every time you popped open the door during it's cleaning cycle. It simply fill and expels water several times during a cycle to efficiently wash and clean your dishes. An ordinary cycles uses between 6-10 gallons of water.

Water Temperature

Water temperature is very important in dissolving dishwasher detergent, in cleaning food from dishes and in the sanitizing process. You should always use the hottest water available - ideally at 130°F or 54.4°C. Hot water is important in washing away grease and other oily food. It is also necessary in avoiding spotting and filming after the dishes are dry.

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Water Hardness

"Hard water" is hard on automatic dishwashers and other appliances - such as clothes washers. If you have hard water, it's difficult to get a good suds from your soap or detergent. Hard water causes spots and film on your dishes, crystal and glass ware. Hardness of water is measured by the amount of calcium and magnesium it contains. If you get your water from a water district, chances are the water is filtered and treated and probably is not considered "hard". Natural well water may need to have a filter or water purification system added to make it suitable for your household appliances - including the automatic ice maker in your refrigerator. Well water is subject to weather conditions; it's characters are altered according to more or less rain in your locale.

Dishwashing Detergent

You must use detergents that are especially made for automatic dishwashers because the detergent must be formulated to produce little or no suds or foam. Too much foam keeps the water from being able to spray the dishes with enough velocity to dislodge stubborn, dried on food and grease. It's difficult for the pump to expel the foam and causes the motor and pump to work harder than necessary. A good dishwashing detergent:

• Actually makes the water wetter by reducing surface tension (surface tension is what allows water bugs to stay on top of the water!)
• Encourages minerals in hard water to bind together, allowing the cleaning agents to do their job..
• Melts and emulsifies grease and oily foods.
• Possesses de-foaming properties that minimize foams from certain foods - such as eggs and milk..
• Makes water wetter allowing it to sheet off surfaces which helps  prevent water spots.
• Provides a protective barrier that keeps china patterns and metals from suffering detrimental effects from direct contact with water and heat.