How to keep your dishes the cleanest they can be!

Major service on your dishwasher is best left to the professionals, but sometimes a little bit of preventative care can go a long way to saving you from ever having to make a service call. Take a little time to check your dishwasher and do some basic maintenance, and you might find that you save yourself some costly repairs in the long run. Here are a few tips to consider when doing your maintenance:

• Clean out the trap. Major food particles from dishes put into the dishwasher fall to the bottom to be collected in the trap. Typically, the trap is removable and must be cleaned out occasionally to remove both dried soap and food pieces. A clean trap will make sure your dishes come out clean and smelling fresh. Keep rotten food out of the trap.

• Sprayer arms. For the best cleaning performance and best functionality of the dishwasher’s sprayer arms, you’ll want to clean the small, water-spraying holes on them occasionally. By soaking the arms in a solution of vinegar and water, then cleaning out the holes with a pipe cleaner, you’ll ensure the cleanest dishes and the best running system. This is one of the leading causes of dishes that don’t come out clean. If the spray holes on the rotating sprayer arm are jammed, you won’t get much cleaning done.

• Minor leakage. If there’s a little bit of leakage around the outside of your dishwasher, it’s possible that the door gasket is worn out. In most cases, a replacement is an easy process, but be sure you know the exact model of your dishwasher before you go looking for the new gasket. You may also find that you don’t need a new gasket, and you can address the issue just by adjusting the door.

• Rust. If you detect some rusty looking spots on your dishes or in the dishwasher, it could be that the coating has come off some of the metal prongs in the racks. Inexpensive repair kits include things like vinyl paint or rubber tips to at least cover up any rusted spots on the prongs. No one wants to see rusty dishes, so keep an eye out for worn-out prongs.

• A full cleaning. Sometimes dishwasher maintenance calls for a thorough cleaning. This sounds like it could be a big chore, but one of the most simple things you can do. Every couple of weeks, simply put a mug with about half full of white vinegar in the dishwasher and run the dishwasher’s normal cycle with hot water. The vinegar will loosen up any nasty gunk that’s stuck to the inside of the dishwasher and help it wash down the drain.

• Hard water buildup. Hard water can make your dishwasher struggle, and buildup can become significant over time. To break up hard water deposits, all you’ve got to do is run your dishwasher once in a while with Tang, the inexpensive orange breakfast drink. The Tang will do a great job of cleaning out the buildup from hard water.

Bieg Plumbing has served the St. Louis area for 60 years, and we’re ready to help with whatever plumbing problems you might be facing. Contact our experts today for an appointment.