Saskatoon Plumbing Tips: 4 Great Ways to Show Your Dishwasher Some TLC

by | Jan 25, 2017 | Plumbing

4 Plumbing Tips:

Doing something that saves both time and money can be extremely rewarding, and thankfully, most home appliances help you achieve that. Take your dishwasher, for example. Aside from cleaning dishes faster than if you did it by hand, the appliance also uses less water and less heat energy than the latter method.

Like all appliances though, your dishwasher’s performance will start to deteriorate over time. You may find your dishes aren’t as clean as they used to be, or you may notice a foul smell coming from your dishwasher. A few maintenance plumbing steps can help you avoid these problems. Saskatoon plumbing professionals share with you the most important ones to keep in mind.

Show Your Dishwasher Some TLC

1/ Check the gasket

Dishwashers have a rubber gasket around the door that forms a seal to prevent water from escaping. Over time, the gasket can deteriorate, potentially leading to water leaking into your cabinets and onto your floor. If this happens, contact your dishwasher’s distributor and have the gasket replaced. You may also call your local Saskatoon plumber for the necessary repairs.

2/ Scrub the screen

When you open your dishwasher, you’ll likely find a screen at the bottom. This screen is there to catch silverware and food scraps and prevent them from getting pulled into the dishwasher drain. You need to clean your dishwasher screen regularly to ensure proper drainage and avoid foul odors.

3/ Clean the spray arm nozzles

Each dishwasher system is built differently, but most have at least two spray nozzles attached to removable rotating arms. Check your owner’s manual as to how often you should remove these arms, and follow your manufacturer’s instructions on how to clean them. Often, soaking the nozzles in soapy lukewarm water for a few minutes and scrubbing them with a soft-bristled brush will suffice.

4/ Remove mold and mildew

The environment inside your dishwasher can be conducive to mold and mildew growth. Treat the problem by pouring two to three cups of vinegar (white or apple cider will do) into an empty dishwasher and running it on the heaviest setting for three to five minutes.

If none of these plumbing tips solve your dishwasher issue, you may want to bring in the expertise of a Saskatoon plumbing company such as Perfection Plumbing & Drain Cleaning Ltd. The professional plumbers from these companies may be able to identify and solve the underlying causes of your dishwasher issues that are not immediately obvious.

Sources:

Dishwasher Maintenance, DishwashingExpert.com

Maintenance tips for your dishwasher, RepairClinic.com