The dishwasher is a great example of modern convenience. If you’re used to having one in your home, then you’d probably feel lost if it suddenly stopped working. A clogged dishwasher is a common problem if you don’t take the proper steps for cleaning and maintaining it. To help you avoid this problem, here are a few tips for preventing your dishwasher from clogging.

Rinse your plates

We know, your dishwasher is there to do the hard work for you. But that doesn’t mean you’re completely off the hook. Loading up plates still caked in leftover food will cause that food to clog up your dishwasher’s filter. Before you put plates or anything else in your dishwasher, make sure to scrape large chunks of food into the bin and rinse them off in the sink.

Clean your filter

Even if you rinse properly, particles are likely to build up in your dishwasher’s filter over time. You should check your filter regularly and clean it to prevent it from becoming clogged. You can find the filter underneath the bottom dish rack. Simply wash it with hot water and dish soap to remove any trapped particles.

Run hot cycles

Cool cycles are great for conserving energy, but they can cause fats and grease leftover on your dishes to solidify, potentially blocking your filter or pipes, or building up inside the dishwasher. You should run hot cycles once a week or so in order to break down these deposits.

Use filtered water

Regular water that comes through our pipes contains a variety of minerals, especially if you have hard water in your home. These minerals can also build up inside your dishwasher, which can be another cause of clogs. To avoid this, you can install a filtration system that will filter the minerals and other sediments out of your water supply before using it to wash your dishes.

Wash it with vinegar

If you don’t want to invest in a filtration system, then another solution is to periodically run your dishwasher with white vinegar. Empty your dishwasher, place around a quart of distilled white vinegar inside it, and run a cycle. This will help to break down any mineral deposits that have built up.

If you’re having problems with your dishwasher or are in need of routine maintenance, then you can call DS Brandon Plumbing for services in Forsyth, Davie, Davidson, and Guilford Counties.