What Can’t Go in Your Dishwasher?

Dishwasher Repair in Pennsylvania

Automatic dishwashers are wonderful gadgets that save time in the kitchen, but they may damage certain goods that are costly to fix or replace. They could even affect your dishwasher, causing you to require dishwasher repair in Pennsylvania. Read on to discover the items you should not put in your dishwasher to keep it in optimal working condition. 

1. Knives

Both the steel and the handle on your knives can be severely damaged by your dishwasher’s high temperature and dampness. This is especially true if your blade is carbon steel (which is more prone to rust) or if it has a wood handle, which will dull it. The dishwasher’s water jets can also force the knife to collide with whatever else is in the dishwasher with it, damaging the edge. Hollow handled knives are also not sturdy enough to withstand the heat of a dishwasher – they’ll likely melt or distort by the end of the cycle.

2. Cast Iron

You should never put cast iron in the dishwasher. Dishwashing these items progressively removes their coating, causing the pans to become extremely dry and dull. The most effective cleansers are plain water and nonabrasive sponges. If you take care of your cast iron cookware, it can endure for decades.

3. Fine China

Hand washing is always the safest option for cleaning fine china. Hand wash ancient, antique, or very precious china to avoid scratches and damage to exquisite details. Parts of the filigreed detailing may be removed by the dishwasher’s heat. 

4. Pressure Cooker Lids

While the top of your Instant Pot is technically dishwasher safe, it’s not the best cleaning option. The lid of a pressure cooker has many small components that can be damaged. For example, there are values that can become clogged with food particles, as well as seals that can be broken by dishwashing chemicals. 

5. Aluminum Cookware

If not properly sealed, aluminum cookware will tarnish when placed in the dishwasher. The metal can oxidize when it comes into contact with water and air, resulting in a black film that rubs off on other materials.

7. Copper Mugs and cookware

Copper is a timeless yet fashionable choice for kitchenware, and copper mugs are ideal for serving Moscow Mules all year. Even if you’re tempted to toss them in the dishwasher after a huge holiday gathering, make sure to hand-wash any copper or precious metal items to preserve their luster. This will also help you avoid corrosion or tarnishing.

8. Wooden Utensils and Cutting Boards

The dishwasher’s hot water and heated dry can warp or break wooden cooking utensils and cutting boards, rendering them useless. Furthermore, the heat dries up natural wood cutting boards, resulting in a faded appearance.

Contact Appliance Doctor Today

If you ever need your dishwasher repaired, contact Appliance Doctor to get the best dishwasher repair in Pennsylvania. Our appliance professionals are trained and certified to work on numerous appliances to keep your home or business running. Reach out today for an estimate. 

How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Home Appliances

Make Your Appliances Last Longer

Your home’s appliances are a huge investment, and you want to make sure that they continue to work properly for years to come. Take a look at these top tips from Appliance Doctor to make your appliances last longer, save money on your energy bills, and get the most out of your home. 

Regular Cleaning Sessions

It may seem like a no-brainer, but cleaning your appliances regularly is one of the best ways to extend their lifespan. Many people aren’t sure how to clean their machines, or they don’t clean them often enough, leading to breakdowns and other malfunctions. While you may dust off the top of your appliances every so often, they should be deep cleaned according to the following guidelines: 

Of course, you can also use your best judgment: if your washing machine is noticeably dusty, there’s no need to wait to clean it. These deep cleans only take a few minutes out of your day, but they’ll add years to the life expectancy of your appliances.

Quick Tests

Is one of your appliances on the fritz? A simple test might resolve the problem. Try turning it off and back on again, or unplug the device and plug it back in. conducting regular tests will also allow you to catch any bugs or defects early on and avoid major problems or breakdowns. If you’re not sure how to test a certain machine, feel free to reach out to one of our experienced repair technicians for some expert advice. 

Check Appliance Levels

Your appliances should be entirely level with the floor of your home, rather than sitting on a slant. Not only will this place less pressure on the components of your machines, it will also reduce the risk of leakages. You should also be sure to keep at least a quarter of an inch of space between your appliances, especially your washer and dryer. This airflow allows the vents on your appliances to work properly and lowers their chances of overheating. 

Routine Maintenance

You take your car to the auto body shop for routine maintenance – why should your appliances be any different? Unmaintained appliances tend to burn more energy and work harder to complete their jobs, which can have a serious impact on your monthly utility bills. To keep your home’s appliances in top working condition and save money, it’s best to schedule regular maintenance sessions with Appliance Doctor. Your repair technician can also provide helpful tips and tricks on how to care for your appliances and ensure that they run smoothly.

Expert Appliance Repair from Appliance Doctor

Make your home’s appliances last for years to come with regular maintenance and repairs from our expert team of repair technicians at Appliance Doctor. For more information about our repair services or to request an estimate for your project, contact us or send us a message on our website. 

What is the Best Way to Load Silverware in the Dishwasher?

There are many ways to load silverware in the dishwasher, but not all of them are created equal. Some methods work better than others, and can help you get your dishes clean faster and more efficiently. In this blog post, we will discuss the best way to load silverware in the dishwasher, so that you can get your dishes clean quickly and easily using the help of a local appliance repair company!

There are two main goals when it comes to loading your silverware in the dishwasher. The first goal is to give the water a way to flow through your silverware easily, which will help ensure that all surfaces of each piece get cleaned. The second goal is placing each item close enough together so that they touch and stack on top of each other. This will make them stack on top of each other more easily, which makes it easier for the water to flow through the silverware. Here are some of our favorite ways to load your silverware in the dishwasher!

C-Shape – The C-shape is our first recommended way to load silverware in the dishwasher. The C-shape is created by placing one end of the silverware in the closed part of the C. This way, each utensil overlaps with each other piece next to it, allowing for easy water flow.

Parallel – The second recommended method for loading silverware is called “parallel.” Parallel means that you arrange each piece of silverware so it overlaps with one other piece, but does not overlap another same-sized piece. This keeps each tine placed next to the correct utensil.

Forks – The third method for loading silverware is “fork first.” When you load forks this way, you place two tines of the fork down in the silverware bin, with the handle sticking up. Then you repeat this same process for each additional fork.

Spoons – “Spoon first” is recommended when loading spoons into the dishwasher. You load one spoon in at a time, then space them about an inch apart from each other. This allows for enough space for the water to flow through each spoon.

Knives – Knives can be loaded two different ways in a dishwasher when you consider hiring a local appliance repair company. You can load them “handle first” by sticking the knife down into the silverware bin, with the blade facing up. The other option is to load them “blade first,” by placing your knives blade-first down in the silverware bin. Either way works, so it just depends on what you prefer.

Silverware Basket – When loading your silverware into a basket, try to place your forks in first, followed by knives and spoons. This allows for easier placement when stacking the silverware in the dishwasher. Try to keep each piece in the same direction, and consider placing knives with the blade facing down for optimal water flow.

Conclusion

You can contact us, your local appliance repair company, with any questions you might have about loading your silverware in the dishwasher, and they will be more than happy to help you out!

5 Signs You May Need a New Dishwasher

5 Signs You May Need a New Dishwasher

Dishwashers are one of those appliances that homeowners rely on the most. In the busy routine and hustle of daily life, dishwashers take off the load of doing dishes and makes our lives so much easier. But, as with other appliances in the house, dishwashers can malfunction too.

Sometimes a quick repair is all it takes to get this piece of machinery working again. You can hire an appliance repair company in Bucks County to have your dishwasher looked at. At other times, you need to replace your trusty old dishwasher with a new one.

You can get tempted to keep using a dishwasher even though it’s way past its retiring age in an effort to avoid investing in another. But, for all you know, a faulty dishwasher might be causing more unnecessary expenses for you. So, look out for these 5 signs which mean that it’s time to get a new dishwasher and bid farewell to the old one.

1.         The Dishes Don’t Come Out Hot

If you are removing your dishes from the dishwasher in a timely manner and they are not coming out hot, your dishwasher’s heating coil may be faulty. The hot and sudsy water is the key factor in getting clean, germ-free dishes. But, if your dishwasher is unable to do that then it may need a new heating coil. Rather than spending so much on a repair, it is smart to replace the dishwasher.

2.         The Dishwasher is Catching Rust

If you notice a few specks of rust on the outside of the dishwasher, it may not need to be replaced immediately. But, once you start noticing that it is catching rust on the inside, you would want to replace it as soon as possible. Rust is a sign of water leakage or another significant issue with the dishwasher and it can get onto your dishes too.

3.         The Door Doesn’t Latch Properly or At All

If the latch of your dishwasher doesn’t close properly or at all, it can be fixed or replaced by the help of an appliance repair expert in Bucks County like Appliance Doctor. But, in more serious cases it could be due to the fact that the machine has warped as a result of water leakage. In this case, you will have to replace the dishwasher.

4.         The Dishwasher Won’t Drain Properly

You should never see water standing in the dishwasher after a cycle is complete. A small amount may be fine but if you see a lot, it is a sign that the dishwasher’s drain has clogged. Check your dishwasher drain to see if any food or debris has gotten stuck. You can get it out yourself or get a plumber to do so. But, if the drain itself has cracked or crumbled, you will have to replace the dishwasher.

5.         The Dishwasher Makes Unusual Noises

If your dishwasher as started to make unusual noises while running, it may be due to a fault in the motor or something getting stuck in the mechanism. Such issues may be fixed after a repair by an appliance repair company in Bucks County. However, if it’s due to something more serious, like the motor breaking down, you will need to replace the dishwasher.

If you are having issues with your home appliances or want a machine fixed by an appliance repair expert in Bucks County, contact Appliance Doctor.

5 Signs You May Need a New Dishwasher

Appliance Doctor, Incorporated is a Pennsylvania Corporation offering expert repair services to the Delaware Valley’s residents and businesses. We started in 1964 as a one-man business servicing only washers and dryers. Today, we service more than 110 different brands of refrigeration and appliance equipment across 49 different product types. Our technicians are expected to know so much information! In the 1960’s, our service area was limited to Philadelphia. Today, our service area includes all towns in Philadelphia, Bucks County, Montgomery County, Delaware County, and Chester County.

Keep Your Dishwasher Alive and Well

 

Keep Your Dishwasher Alive and Well in Philadelphia

The days of washing all of your dishes by hand are over, and practically nobody wants to go back. Therefore, if your dishwasher stops running or starts to decrease in performance, it can be a pain to deal with. There are some ways that you can prolong the life of your washer as well as keep it running in top condition. Here are some things to try before calling for appliance repair in Philadelphia.

Remove Excess Food

The first tip to keep your washer running nicely is to scrape the food off of your dishes before loading them in the wash. Leaving food particles on dishes causes multiple problems for your washer, including:

  • Particles may end up in the washer, being spit back up onto the dishes.
  • The dish washer may start to run poorly.
  • If the problem gets severe enough, you may require costly appliance repair in Philadelphia to fix it.

A bit of prevention is better in the long run, even if it takes a little extra time to clean your dishes.

Run Hot Water

One tip that can help your washer run more efficiently is to run your water in the sink before starting the load. You can keep the water running until it is hot. This will ensure that your load starts out hot.

Don’t Overload

Many people have a bad habit of overloading the dishwasher. There are a few reasons for this; the dishes can be cleaned in fewer loads and it saves some water usage. However, overloading can also lead to your dishes not getting as clean as they should be because they are too close together. If this happens, you will have to re-run the load anyway, reducing the effectiveness you hoped to achieve. It could also break the shelves from excess weight, requiring appliance repair in Philadelphia to come fix it. When all else fails, Appliance Doctor is here to help.

Keep Your Dishwasher Alive and Well in Philadelphia

Appliance Doctor, Incorporated is a Pennsylvania Corporation offering expert repair services to the Delaware Valley’s residents and businesses. We started in 1964 as a one-man business servicing only washers and dryers. Today, we service more than 110 different brands of refrigeration and appliance equipment across 49 different product types. Our technicians are expected to know so much information! In the 1960’s, our service area was limited to Philadelphia. Today, our service area includes all towns in Philadelphia, Bucks County, Montgomery County, Delaware County, and Chester County.