These days, it is impossible to imagine a modern kitchen without it – the dishwasher. After dinner, you put all your dishes in it, press the button and less than an hour later, your plates, cutlery and cups are completely clean. Yet you won’t notice that you have the thing until it stops working, because then everything has to be done by hand as usual. To prevent this from happening, I have listed six tips here on how to extend the life of a dishwasher.
The average lifespan
De levensduur is natuurlijk afhankelijk van welk merk en model vaatwasser je koopt. Je hebt merken met een goede reputatie die het slecht doen en merken met een slechte reputatie die het interestingly enough, they can hold out for a very long time. Some do it longer than others. Kwalitatieve apparaten kunnen het soms wel twintig jaar of langer volhouden. Toch is het met andere vaatwassers minder goed gesteld – soms zelfs maar drie jaar voordat er iets kapotgaat. De gemiddelde levensduur is ongeveer tien jaar.
Set your dishwasher on regularly
In all these years of using my dishwasher, one thing I have understood very well is that the beast needs to be used regularly. Not only does this ensure that food residues don’t stick, crust and even start to rot, but it also ensures that the machine’s mechanism continues to perform well. The little motor and pump will have less tendency to rust, for example, if there is regular movement in the mechanism.
Check the filter regularly
To keep a dishwasher functioning, regularly checking the filters in the appliance is something that needs attention. For example, you don’t want food residues to build up in those filters and will interfere with the machine’s drainage. Moreover, these residues can rot and become mouldy, which is not hygienic. I recommend cleaning the filter about once every two to three months. More often won’t hurt either.
Use the right cleaning products
Every new dishwasher comes with a manual. I am not someone who likes to leaf through such things, but it is still good to browse through it. Look especially at the cleaning products it recommends to use. It is these dishwasher cubes, salt and rinse aid that not only make your dishwasher clean dishes best, but also make it last the longest.
Use the self-cleaning programme
On most modern dishwashers these days, there is a self-cleaning programme. At the touch of a button and the introduction of the right cleaning products, you will ensure that all bacteria, food residues and any mould are removed from the appliance. I still recommend doing this once every two months with an empty dishwasher.
Keep the rubber edge clean
What I have also seen is that keeping the rubber edge of the door clean is crucial. Nobody wants leaks and steam and water escaping from the dishwasher with all the consequences for your new kitchen. When cleaning that edge, use as soft a cloth as possible. Afterwards, check that the door closes properly.
Don’t do it too hot
If you run too many hot washes too often, over time there could be such a thing as certain components burning or melting. Especially if many components are plastic, this is a possibility. For example, I can tell you that I often run the eco programme for this reason. This is not only good for the dishwasher itself, but also for the environment.