Are you wondering what can damage a dishwasher? There are plenty of things that can do it. Some of these things as given by dishwasher repair professionals include:

Placing dirty dishes and plates in the dishwasher

The dishwasher is meant to clean the dishes, so you should put the dirty dishes here, right? While this is true, placing excessively dirty dishes here can clog the drain lines, pump assembly, and spray arms.

This provides a breeding ground for bacteria and prevents the dishes from getting cleaned properly.

To avoid this, make it a habit to scrape all the food off the plates and dishes before placing them in the dishwasher.

Some people say that you should rinse the dishes. No, you don’t have to. Scrape them off is enough as it leaves some residues on them that make the detergent work better.

Abusing the door

It’s fun to play with the dishwasher door at the end of a cycle and watch as the steam comes billowing out, but you shouldn’t as this weakens it.

You also should stop your kids and pets from playing with it.

You should only open the door when placing the plates inside and removing them. If you notice any issue with the door, get in touch with a professional and have it fixed as soon as possible.

Overloading the dishwasher

The other thing that will significantly damage your machine is overloading it. As much as you want to save some money by running a cycle with as many dishes as possible, overfilling the machine isn’t the way to go.

This is because it often leads to damage to the machine. The dishes also don’t clean as well as they should, and you might be forced to rinse them twice, which doesn’t save you time or money.

Overloading the machine also increases the chances of it leaking as the water inside the machine is diverted from the bottom of the tank and splashes out, under the door.

To avoid the dangers of overloading the machine, place just enough plates inside the dishwasher. Once full, close the door and run the cycle.

Using too much or wrong detergent

Did you know using too much detergent can damage your dishwasher? Using the wrong detergent builds up residue in the wash and rain pumps, clogging the appliance and creating a breeding ground for bacteria and other organisms.

To be on the safe side, be cautious about the detergent you use.

As a rule of thumb, use detergents specifically designed for your dishwasher. This means that handwashing dish detergent and other soaps shouldn’t find their way into your dishwasher.

When choosing the detergents, always go for powders instead of gels. This is because gels contain chlorine bleach known to dissolve gaskets and seals.

Gels don’t work well in hard water and clog the detergent dispenser, which can impede the appliance’s cleaning performance.

Even though you intend to clean the dishes, you shouldn’t use just any detergent—use a quality detergent that will give you excellent results. As a rule of thumb, avoid cheap, and no-name powders as chances are high they contain inferior cleansers that don’t clean the dishes as well as they should, and you are forced to run several cycles, which you can guess, leads to wastage of resources.

Other cheap cleaners contain sand, so they don’t offer any cleaning benefits.

To be safe, take time to research and find good quality cleaning products that will effectively clean your dishes and prevent the dishwasher from clogging up.

Hard water

Hard water causes the dishes to break and builds up mineral layers on the inside of the dishwasher and its pipes.

To prevent your dishwasher from getting damaged by hard water, soften the water using water filters, water softeners, water softening units, and conditioners.

Power surges

Rapid power fluctuations will also damage your dishwasher and other electrical items and appliances. To protect your appliances, get a surge protector.

Appliance repair Northern VA recommend that you go all the way out and invest in whole house surge protection that will protect your dishwasher and other appliances in the house.

The post What Can Damage A Dishwasher? first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

With the ever-increasing water and electricity prices, the last thing you want is to run the machine with nothing inside.

Can you run washing machine empty? Yes, you can do it to clean it and keep it in tip-top condition.

According to washer repair professionals, when you run the washing machine empty and let the water off the interior, you clean any debris that might be there, ensuring that all the clothes coming from it are clean.

What is the best way to run an empty washing machine?

The best way to run an empty machine is to run it on a hot cycle with nothing inside. The hot wash means that you should run the machine at a cycle of at least 40 degrees, but for the best outcome, set it to the hottest option that you are aiming for.

The hot cycle is more beneficial if you regularly wash your clothes using the cold cycle. When the machine goes for a long time without coming into contact with hot water, bacteria and detergents accumulate inside.

The accumulated grime might start affecting the clothes that you wash as they might start coming out with lingering smells.

You remove bacteria when you run the hot cycle, so your clothes always come out clean and smelling fresh.

Washing machine professionals also recommend running an empty cycle on your machine before you start using it for your clothes or bedding. This is to ensure that there is no dust, oils, or any other residues inside the machine or its pipes.

Don’t use any cleaning products when running the empty cycle. If you want, you can give the cycle some power by adding two cups of vinegar into the detergent drawer.

You can also pour half a cup of bicarbonate of soda into the machine’s drum before setting it to the hottest cycle and letting the cleaning happen.

Other washing machine best practices

Besides running an empty cycle to keep the washing machine in top shape, there are plenty of other things you need to do to maintain your machine. These things include:

Put the detergents in the right place

The detergent you use can make or break your machine, so you should be cautious about how you use it. If using a liquid detergent, measure it with a measuring cup or dosing ball and place the entire ball in a washing machine drum after your clothes.

If using a powder, measure it using a scoop and pour it into the correct compartment of the detergent drawer. It’s also wise to add the washing tablets to the detergent drawer or the washing machine drum before you put your clothes.

Just like the washing machine tablets, pop the capsules at the back of the drum before the clothes and run the cycle.

Remove the clothes at the right time.

Some homeowners leave clothes in their washing machines, sometimes even overnight. This is wrong as the moisture from the wet clothes can lead to a buildup of mold in the drum or even on the clothes.

To avoid this, always remove the clothes from the washer as soon as the rinse cycle is complete, then dry the clothes naturally outside.

Remove everything from the pockets.

Plenty of washing machines have been reported getting damaged by coins, nails, and other materials after they have hit the insides of the washing machine. As you can tell, this leads to expensive repairs, and you don’t get to use your machine for some time.

To avoid this, always double-check your pockets and remove any materials there. From the tissues to plastic toys, remove all of them. You don’t want a stray tissue leaving your entire load covered in white fluff, do you?

Hire a professional when issues come about

Your washing machine will develop problems such as blocked water pipe and others. While you can fix some of these issues by yourself, always avoid doing so as the chances are high that you will cause more problems than were there.

To be safe, always hire an appliance repair Alexandria professional to fix any problem, regardless of its magnitude.

The post Can You Run Washing Machine Empty? first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair

How you organize your fridge goes a long way toward keeping your fridge looking clean and determining how efficiently the appliance functions and lasts. Are you wondering how to organize your fridge? Here is how to go about it the right way as given by refrigerator repair professionals:

Sort the shelves

If you are like other homeowners, you are fond of squeezing food in any available space in your appliance. This is wrong, and it’s time to change.

You should properly organize the shelves, which comes in handy in helping reduce waste as you know where everything is. There is no right or wrong way to organize your shelves—work with what works for you. If you aren’t sure about where to start, here is a guide:

Top shelf: This is the first shelf you see when you open the fridge door and is one of the warmer shelves in your appliance. You should avoid keeping any fresh meat here. Instead, designate it for leftovers, takeout, and any other stuff that you need to eat soon.

Middle shelf: Temperatures are most consistent in the middle of the refrigerator, making it the perfect place to store foods that you need to keep cold but have a lower risk of spoiling. Some of the excellent foods to keep here are: deli meats, eggs, sour cream, and soft cheese.

Bottom shelf: This is the coldest place in the refrigerator, so you should store items that spoil easily here. The best candidates are fish and meat.

It’s tempting to keep milk on the top shelf for easy access, but you shouldn’t as milk spoils easily. The best place to store it is near the bottom and back of the refrigerator.

If you are fond of forgetting items that you have tucked into the back of the fridge, stack them on a rotating organizer so that you can easily grab them and check their expiration dates.

Keep the drawers organized.

Drawers help you keep your fridge organized and hold specific humidity levels that come in handy at keeping the various foods properly preserved.

There are two main types of drawers: high and low humidity drawers.

The vegetables store best in high humidity drawers, and most fridges will have a vegetable drawer, often at the bottom. If the drawer isn’t labeled, look for one without a vent or close the vent yourself.

Some of the items you should store here are spinach, green onion, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and leafy greens.

The low humidity drawer is often labeled “crisper” and has air vents, and is the best place to store the fruits that break down easily. Some of the best fruits to store here are: pears, oranges, strawberries, kiwi, grapes, and raspberries.

If your drawer doesn’t have a humidity control or air vent, keep the drawer a little cracked to create more airflow.

Make use of the door.

The door is the refrigerator’s warmest zone, and you should store items that don’t easily get spoilt. They include: mustard, sesame oil, ketchup, salad dressing, mayo, and hot sauce.

The door is also an excellent place to store wine, juice, and beer beverages.

Valuable tips when storing items in the fridge

To have a great time with the items, you store in the fridge, you need to consider several tips. These tips include:

Use clear containers: To stick to a system and keep everything in its place, you should use a few shallow clear containers. To avoid confusion, label the containers depending on the food you have stored inside and its expiration date.

Keep the fridge clean: You want to ensure that your fridge is clean. Besides dusting it daily, you should make it a habit to remove everything at the end of the week and give it a good scrub. If possible, remove the shelves and drawers and let them soak in hot soapy water.

You should then wipe the entire interior taking care not to use abrasive cleaning products that can harm the plastic.

Once you are done, appliance repair Springfield recommend you replace the shelves and drawers, then store a box of baking soda in them to help fight the fridge odors.

The post How To Organize A Fridge, The Right Way first appeared on HVAC Repair, appliance repair. The post appeared first on Express Appliance Repair