5 Tips to Improve Your Dishwasher

First, I just want to tell you that the way my plates are lined up in rainbow order is purely a coincidence. I am not that weird.

A few months ago we replaced a really old dishwasher with a new modern one, and while I was mostly satisfied with it (It’s so quiet!), it sometimes seemed to be lacking in its ability to fully clean the dishes. I’d have to rewash or rinse them by hand, defeating the whole purpose in having a dishwasher.

I was almost to the point of having to accept that they don’t make things like they used to, and I was going to be spending even more time at the kitchen sink. I don’t mind washing dishes by hand actually, but there are a lot of them.

Fortunately I found the solution to my dishwasher dilemma, and it was an easy one to fix.

 Make your dishwasher more effective with these quick tips:

1. Check the sprayer arm. When I opened the dishwasher door during a wash cycle, I learned that some of my utensils are too tall, and they blocked the sprayer arm from rotating. Problem solved! Also look at the holes on the sprayer arm to make sure they are not clogged. Use a toothpick if you need to dislodge anything.

2. Check the drain. Look inside the bottom of the dishwasher and remove any food or objects from the filter. Run the garbage disposal to clear it out before turning on the dishwasher since they share the same drain.

3. Don’t overuse detergent. It’s a mistake to assume you should always fill up the detergent cup. Check the manual and your detergent. On mine, filling it to the first line (about a third) is enough. Too much detergent can leave residue and etch your glasses.

4. Check your water temperature. If it takes a long time for the hot water to reach your kitchen sink, that means the dishwasher isn’t getting enough hot water at the beginning either, and that makes it harder to wash away the food particles and grease. If you need to, turn on the dishwasher after you’ve used hot water at the kitchen sink.

5. Clean the inside of your dishwasher. Grease, detergent residue, and calcium deposits build up inside your dishwasher. You can use vinegar to wash them away. On a regular basis (every few months or so), run a wash cycle while your dishwasher is empty. Don’t use detergent, but turn on the dishwasher and let it run for a few minutes until water starts to fill up the bottom. Then add one or two cups of white vinegar to the water and let it finish the cycle.

Sometimes using a dishwasher is an experiment in finding the right combination for hard or soft water, the detergent, and a rinse aid.

Ditch the Negative Self Talk

For a long time I’ve listened to a refrain in my head that goes:

“I’m failing. Failing. Why can’t I do better?”

Those words persist, but I would never say those words to someone else.

That’s what I’m unloading this week, and I’m willing to share about it so that someone else won’t feel so alone.

Clear Your Kitchen Counter (It’s a Work Space, Not a Storage Space)

My kitchen is in progress right now, but a few months ago when we bought our house it looked like this:

Untouched from 1970. Very dark with lots of harvest gold.

During our first week of home ownership we pulled down the upper cabinets that divided the food prep area from the eat-in area. My heart raced as I anxiously watched those heavy oak cabinets be pried off the ceiling and come crashing down. It was for the best, as it opened up the space.

We considered removing the lower cabinets and counter that divide the room as well, but I’m glad we didn’t. We noticed during that first week how often we piled our tools on the counter, and it was so useful. It is the main landing spot in the house.

The kitchen counter is our dumping ground for everything that we bring into the house: groceries, bags, and school papers. It’s the place where we temporarily set glasses, tools, and toys as we come in from other rooms. It’s where I wrap gifts, pack lunches, and serve up meals for family and guests.

The kitchen is the center for work and activity in the house, and having a clear counter to serve as a work surface is essential.

We often treat the kitchen counter as a storage space, but it’s supposed to be a work space. Storage can get in the way. We can put our stuff on the counter, but that doesn’t mean it should stay there. It needs to move out of the way for the next activity to happen.

Let’s work on clearing off the kitchen counter today.

I always have a dish drying rack next to the sink, but otherwise I try to keep the counters as clear as I can. When I set something down temporarily, it’s obvious and out of place. This gives me incentive to put things where they should go.

Clear the Clutter from Your Handbag

That’s a lot of receipts.

I think it’s time to clean out the clutter from my handbag. (It’s been a while.)

I also found a LEGO in there and the letter “Y” key that’s been missing from the keyboard.

(Two minutes later = much better.)

Bonus assignment: Use a tray for the things you need to stay organized as you walk out the door, so you’ll always know where to find your keys.