A hot dishwashing tip

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Originally published at: A hot dishwashing tip - Boing Boing

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Listen to your dad.

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I haven’t done so myself but i do know that one should check and clean the dishwasher filter, not just running a cleaning cycle in the dishwasher. Same for your washing machine’s filter.

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Yes, this is good maintenance for sure.
I know this is probably well known by now, but for those that have front loaders, always leave the door open whenever possible. Helps to keep it from getting musty/smelly inside.

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If you want to wash motorcycle parts, make sure a partner doesn’t discover.

ETA to correct autocorrect.

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100% i have a front loader and even put a small fan facing the washing machine to help it dry out. I’ve since moved the fan elsewhere but i do make sure to keep the door open, no weird smells so far.

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That made me curious, because I know that this would not work with my dishwasher. The video explains: that only applies If you are in North America. The rest of the world hooks up their dishwasher to cold water.

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Another tip: get yourself a mid 70’s Kitchenade. Those things are tanks. Sure they suck energy but reliable, reliable, reliable.

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I must admit I didn’t realise American dishwashers were so different from those here in Europe - not cold fill, macerators in the base and not having salt dispensers.

I wonder if our dishwashing detergents are different? Certainly getting hold of dishwasher powder is getting hard here in the UK. Pods and tablets everywhere.

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My dad requires a similar tutorial or evidence of an engineering degree or related coursework before he’ll allow anyone to load his dishwasher.

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Is he a Scandinavian Architect by chance?

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I learned this trick last weekend when my washing machine stopped washing. It’s a surprisingly easy fix.

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I was visiting my uncle in Wisconsin, and when we sat down to dinner, I noticed a film on the dishes. My uncle insisted they’re as clean as cold water can get them.

When it was time to leave, his dog stood between me and my car, fur bristling and he was growling menacingly. My uncle yelled at him “Coldwater! Let him go, he’s family.”

Thank you, I’ll be here all week. Tip the wait staff, they work harder than I do.

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When I moved to Europe from the US, the appliances were one of the most confusing things to me. I only have a cold water connection for my clothes washer and dishwasher? What the hell is a “condensator” in a clothes dryer?

I’ve long since figured it out and everything is good. It’s just one of those weird things that you never have any reason to think about until you do.

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I run my UK dishwasher overnight on super-cheap electricity, thanks to the timer function. One of my morning jobs is to unload the sparkly fresh dishes.

In related matters, isn’t this the best opening line to an article ever?

" I watched a 25-minute video on how to get more out of my dishwasher."

That is living the best life!

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Wait, even the driers are different in the US? Are theirs better? Is that why they always complain that we don’t use them enough here?

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You can use basic white vinegar instead of rinse-aid. It works just as well, is better for the environment, is less expensive, and keeps your machine running well.

The same for fabric softener: replace with white vinegar. And you should always run a vinegar cycle in your front loader once every few months to keep it clean and descaled.

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Many European dryers use a condenser which relies on cold water to remove water vapour from the dryer exhaust. My experience in the US was that vented dryers were most common. They are around here and are more energy efficient overall, but not many people seem to have them. Gas tumble dryers are big in the US and are available, but really rare - at least in the UK. Heat pump dryers are starting to appear on the market and I assume will take over the market entirely.

Also the real shock between the two sides of the Atlantic - we have fast electric kettles. That’s one thing I really missed when living in the US.

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Also a good idea for ungunking the washing machine.

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Make sure the citric acid is dissolved first. (maybe this was a problem for me because i didn’t run hot water through the sink first :thinking:)

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