Dishwasher tips and questions

squeaky

Yes, I know, water usage... but I worked it out that if I hand washed and rinsed every day I'd use almost as much water as a weekly D/W run would - and I plan the usage of my pots and pans to allow this just as much as I plan the recipes I cook in them. There's the electricity too - but since the D/W uses water hotter than I could put my hand in and detergent that would take my skin off it cleans, rinses and dries more efficiently than I could - so I'm happy to pay the extra for cleanlyness and hygene.

Tip One:
Those large spoons that we all hang up by the hole in the handle - I used to lie them from front to back along the tray. Crossways I found, works better. Drop the hook over one of the prongs that hold the plates up and lay it cross ways with the bowl of the spoon facing down. They won't twist or move and fill up with water that way.

Tip Two:
Never mind all these fancy vinegar recipes when it comes to topping up storage jars and sugar bins and pots it's almost impossible to avoid spilling a little bit of it that then needs cleaning up. So open the D/W door and pull the top tray out. Set your filling pots and bags and things on the tray and get to work... and you can be as sloppy as you like. (no you can't that's not good MoneySaving). But any spills sit on the D/W door. Just close it up when you're done and of course the next time you use the dishwasher all your spills are gone.

moggins

That second tip is brilliant, thanks squeaky.

I couldn't live without my dishwasher either but I am trying to cut down using it since I found out how much electricity it uses.

squeaky

moggins wrote:

That second tip is brilliant, thanks squeaky.

I couldn't live without my dishwasher either but I am trying to cut down using it since I found out how much electricity it uses.

You're welcome

As I said - I'm prepared to pay the price for the hygene standard.

Tip three:
But I do take to load the machine to the gills (in a way that still allows thing to clean properly - no sense in doing things twice)...

Tip four:
..and if there is a bit of spare space somewhere that doesn't really matter if the item gets thoroughly cleaned or not... that's where I put tins and things that would otherwise need rinsing under the tap before hitting the recycling bin.

Ticklemouse

Don't scare me - how much do they cost to run?

I always pack mine to the gunnels and have started only using 1/2 tablet, but as I hate washing dishes, I won't be giving mine up in a hurry.

Chris25

I always put in my washing-up brush and the plug from the sink too.
I don't often have the space (I also make sure it's absolutely full) but when I do I put the sink cutlery drainer in also.

MATH

I've recently started to hand wash the kidz school lunch boxes, flasks and tuck pots cos they created a full DW load on their own and are really easy to swill out yourself. I now only do one load in the DW at night on econ 7.


I don't know if this is an urban myth or not but someone once told me that you can cook a whole salmon in the DW by wrapping it in foil and placing in the top rack for the longest, hottest cycle. Hav'nt tried it tho;) Wonder if it also works for fishfingers:D

MATH

My DW take about 1.5kw to complete a full 65c cycle, which costs me about 4p on econ 7. If I were to wash up everything by hand I would run out of hot water (also heated on cheap rate) and would need to have the immersion heater 'top-up' for an hour in the afternoon using 3kw (using full day rate) costing me about 17p.

squeaky

The wire tray in the grill, the oven grills, and the pan stands on the oven top all go in the dish washer - much easier to clean.

Not all at once - but each will lay flat in the bottom tray of mine and then I just fill with pots and pans as normal.

juno

My daddy puts glass vases in the dishwasher, and they come up really clean. We hate him doing it though

Lucie_2

MATH wrote:

I don't know if this is an urban myth or not but someone once told me that you can cook a whole salmon in the DW by wrapping it in foil and placing in the top rack for the longest, hottest cycle. Hav'nt tried it tho;) Wonder if it also works for fishfingers:D

I've heard that too, but never been brave enough to try it.

I have a Smeg triple A rated dishwasher & it really is quite efficient. It was about £100 more than the equally trendy looking C rated one I was considering at the time & now I'm really glad I bought the Smeg.

I put all my hob rings, grill pan & glass from the inside of the oven door in the dishy - they come up a treat.

Galtizz

squeaky wrote:

Tip One:
Those large spoons that we all hang up by the hole in the handle - .... Drop the hook over one of the prongs that hold the plates up and lay it cross ways with the bowl of the spoon facing down.

Thanks for the tip but I can't help thinking my dishwasher would look a bit daft with a big spoon hanging cross ways on his prong :eek: