Why isn’t my dishwasher cleaning properly?

Since our goal with our blog posts is to save you time and money on appliance service, we thought we’d answer a common question we get regarding dishwashers: “Why isn’t my dishwasher cleaning properly?”

There could be several reasons why your dishwasher isn't cleaning effectively, but we’re going to focus on the top three reasons we see for this that you can prevent ahead of time or address on your own:

Dirty/Clogged Filter

If your dishwasher is leaving behind food residue or leaving your dishes with a gritty texture, it could be a dirty or clogged filter. Continuous use can clog dishwasher filters over time, but a simple clean can restore your dishwasher's cleaning efficiency. Appliance manufacturers usually design dishwasher filters to be maintained/cleaned by the end user (you!). Therefore, most dishwasher filters are easily removable without any tools and even have instructions stamped right on them including alignment arrows for proper orientation. If you have a wet-vac, that is a great way to vacuum them out. Otherwise, you can use a sponge (not metal or steel wool) to clean your filter and then pop it back into place.

Improper/Sub-optimal Detergent

In short, the detergent you use is critical to the performance of your dishwasher. We always recommend dishwasher tabs over liquid detergent for a couple of reasons. First, you always get the right amount in a pre-measured tab. Secondly, if you use the kind with THREE colors, you will achieve the optimal chemical reaction to ensure clean dishes. It’s SUPER important to never use regular dish soap, as that will often cause leaking due to over-sudsing. Please see our past blog post “Choosing Dishwasher Soap” for more information about dishwasher soap.

Improper Loading

Proper loading of your dishwasher is a critical step in achieving clean dishes. For example, if you place a cookie sheet or large platter at the front of your bottom rack, you will likely block the soap dispenser or prevent the soap from reaching your dishes. In general, bowls and small (pre-rinsed/scrubbed) pots should go in the top rack, so they don’t block the flow of the water shooting up from the bottom of the dishwasher. Overlapping or incorrectly placed dishes might obstruct water flow, resulting in inadequate cleaning. And, finally, remember that dishwashers can’t actually scrub burnt on/caked on food, so be sure to break up and remove any caked on debris before loading it into the dishwasher. Correctly loading your dishwasher could be the simple adjustment needed for better cleaning results.

In summary, regular cleaning of your filter, choosing the right soap and some minor adjustments in the way your family loads the dishwasher can save you time and money! Having said all of that, we are always here to help you when you need us. So, call 252-772-1264 if you’ve tried the above solutions and aren’t seeing the results you expect.

Cheers to the New Year,

The Seeleys