Have you been using your dishwasher all wrong?
Last week, Holly suggested that we shouldn't just put bowls and plates in the dishwasher… we should put our shoes in there too! But does Holly’s hack really work? From cleaning your toys and hairbrushes, to scrubbing your potatoes, our Clean Of Queen Lynsey Crombie is here today to show you the incredible things you didn’t know your dishwasher could do. And she’ll be showing you the CORRECT way to load it, to save you big money on your bills.
What items should we not be putting in the dishwasher?
There are a selection of kitchen items which people might commonly place in the dishwasher but we should avoid, and hand wash instead.
Wooden utensils and cutting boards: the hot water and heat for drying is too harsh. The material may warp and lose its shape.
Garlic press and cheese grater: it is very difficult for the washing machine to get the food out of the little holes. Also with a garlic press, the debris can trap water if the food is not removed and create rust.
Insulated travel coffee mugs: check the label, some newer models are now dishwasher safe. But for others, it can destroy the insulation in the mug.
Sharp kitchen knives: the abrasive action makes knives go blunt faster. Also water can get in the handles and build up rust. Some knives are safe, but if they have handles or are expensive, it is not worth the risk.
Certain pots and pans: non stick pans have fragile finishes so need to be hand washed to protect the non stick coating. Pots and pans made from certain metal materials, such as cast iron or steel, are susceptible to rusting in the dishwasher
What items can we put in the dishwasher, which we might not expect to?
Shoes: wellies, flip flops: you might not be able to wash trainers, but other footwear will come out fresh after a stint in the dishwasher. Put them in on their own, scraping off any excess mud, lay flat upside down on the top shelf. After they have been washed, balance them upside down and wait for the insides to dry, this will take around 24 hours.
Baseball caps: lay flat on the top shelf, this ensures they keep their shape, a washing machine will damage the cap.
Children's toys: toys made with thick plastic are typically dishwasher safe. + plastic dinosaurs, lego bricks, bath toys. Never place toys with electronic components in the dishwasher.
Glass vases: follow the dishwasher handbook rules for glassware - don't put antique glass, fine, clear glass or anything with etched, hand-painted or gold leaf detail in the machine.
Hairbrushes: remove the hair from your brushes and put it through a normal cycle. The brushes must be plastic.
Toothbrushes and holders
How can we save money on running the dishwasher?
There are certain steps you can take to run your dishwasher more efficiently.
Firstly, make sure you run it when it is full and use an eco-cycle if you have one. Every modern dishwasher has a special energy-efficiency setting that uses less power to heat the water by heating the water more slowly over a longer cycle.
Don't rinse the dishes, scrap off what you can and then skip the pre rinse cycle. Most dishwashers today are powerful enough to get all the gunk off, so a lot of pre-rinsing by hand is often just a waste of water and time.
Ditch the rinse aid and instead use white vinegar. It is a lot cheaper and does the same job.
Stick to good quality tablets, they are much more effective and will save you having to do any additional washing of dishes.
Tea towel hack: to avoid doing the full drying cycle, simply grab a tea towel and at the end of the cleaning cycle, place the towel within the door of the dishwasher and close it. All you have to do is wait five minutes, and the dishes will be dry and ready to be put away.
Dishwashers over time can get grubby, should we be taking steps to keep them clean?
Empty the filter every few days and run a clean cycle regularly. Filters on a dishwasher are often forgotten about and can get mucky quite quickly which will affect the efficiency of washes.
There are products designed to help clean the dishwasher, but using white vinegar and bicarb also works as a natural cleaner.
Wipe down all your seals and around the door with a solution of 50% white vinegar, 20% neat lemon juice and 30% water. Lynsey says: "I put the solution in a spray bottle as it can be used for other household cleaning jobs. I use lemon juice as this leaves a fresh clean smell and lemons are also great for breaking down dirt and grim.”
Everyone has an opinion on stacking, so what is the correct way?
By making sure that your items are stacked correctly, you will ensure your dishes clean properly the first time, saving you money re-running cycles.
Glasses and cups should be in the top tray. Lynsey says: “mugs and glasses should alternate too, glass, mug, glass, mug. So that the glasses don't rub against each other and have that cloudy effect."
Lynsey says: "For the best cleaning results, knives should be pointing upwards. But that is then a safety issue if you have young kids. Either work but to be safe I would recommend knives facing down.”
Tin foil: scrunching up foil and putting it by your cutlery will help shine them up.