Nothing brings all kitchen activities to a grinding halt quite like a malfunctioning dishwasher. Before you know it, the dishes have piled up, you are limited with what you can make for dinner, and you’re frantically searching for possible culprits.
Before you start panicking, try to see if you can solve your dishwasher woes first. Sometimes you can fix common issues yourself by testing and observing the inner nooks and crannies of your appliance. Here are the three things you should look for when figuring out why your dishwasher is acting up.
Let’s start with the first possible cause.
Potential Cause #1
Hard water deposits could be clogging the holes the water sprays out of. As a result, this could stop water from reaching the top rack. These hard water deposits, also known as minerals, can form when your water has come into contact with rocks and soils before it was treated. They’re mostly made up of calcium and magnesium and don’t pose as a health risk.
Having a high level of hard water deposits can affect different appliances in your home, like your dishwasher. These minerals are quite common, but some people prefer to have a water softener installed in their home to filter out these minerals.
Potential Cause #2
Another reason why you’re not seeing your dishes being cleaned well could be due to the water temperature. With low water temperature, your dishwasher won’t be able to clean dishes and glasses properly. Let’s face it, no one likes to see leftover bits and debris on their dishware from their last meal.
The suggested water temperature to wash your dishes properly is 120°F (49°C) at a minimum. However, make sure the water temperature doesn’t exceed 150°F (66°C) as this increases the risk of damaging your dishes and silverware.
One way to potentially get warm water in your machine is to run the hot water in your sink for a short while before you use your dishwasher. This ensures that the water that fills the machine is hot when you use it.
Potential Cause #3
The water spray bar or bars may be clogged up from hard water deposits or gunk. Since these spray bars rotate as part of their function, they may become damaged by cutlery or dishware that are put in the dishwasher. Considering that, you should check to see if the spray bars are still working properly.
Test this out by spinning the bars and watch closely to see if they spin freely. If there seems to be resistance, there could be other issues with your dishwasher. In this case, it might be wise to ask for advice or service from professionals. Get in touch with folks at appliance stores Kitchener to find out if anyone could help you solve the problems you’re experiencing.
Anytime your dishwasher stops cleaning the top rack properly, it’s worthwhile to check for these three things first.
Hopefully, this article gave you some insight as to what can be causing the issue of your top rack of dishes not getting cleaned. Sometimes you can solve your dishwasher’s problems yourself by getting your hands a little dirty. But if your dishwasher has been acting up for a while now, perhaps it’s time for a replacement.