You're dishwasher doesn't suck...you've just been using it all wrong 🤫

Do you feel like your dishwasher is terrible, it's on the fritz, it's maybe seen it's last days, or maybe it's not cleaning as effectively as you think it could be? Perhaps you have some water that continues to pool at the bottom of your dishwasher. I'm going to address those problems here at the end of this video, so stay tuned. And sometimes it's not the dishwasher at all, it's oftentimes how you and I are using the dishwasher. In fact, do you have any idea what this symbol means, or this symbol, or how about this symbol? Don't worry. It's not as complicated as, let's say, a laundry symbols guide. I mean, that thing is like a book. But just three simple symbols I'm going to share with you that you're going to want to know. So here are seven common dishwashing mistakes that you want to make sure that you avoid. Mistake number one, very similar to the washing machine. We overload that dishwasher. Have you ever had that argument with your spouse, like, hey, I know we can fit one more plate in there. There's room for a cup up there. Or, hey, you didn't load that dishwasher properly because we can fit so much more inside of that dishwasher. I mean, there's a little gap of space in there. We better fit something in there. Here's the deal. It's not always beneficial to overload your dishwasher, much like it's not beneficial to overload your washing machine. You catch my drift? And the beauty of having a dishwasher rather than always hand washing your dishes is that it's more energy efficient, it's more time saving, kind of like a shower versus a bath. Taking a bath is more costly, uses more water, takes more time. You get the point. So, it's okay to have some breathing room within your dishwasher and the next time your spouse is like, hey, we can cram that dishwasher with a heck of a lot more stuff, you tell them no. Andrea Jean said, my dishwasher needs some breathing room. We can get that cup and that plate on the next cycle. Problem number two, blocking the spray arms. Maybe you have not loaded your dishwasher properly, something's hanging down so that the spray arms cannot spin effectively and efficiently. Perhaps there's just like gunk and debris trapped inside of those spray arms. You want to make sure that baby is flowing freely, the water's flowing freely. So, check the blade arms to make sure that nothing is trapped inside, you know, sometimes food particles can get trapped in there, maybe some mineral deposit buildup. Make sure it's rotating and spinning properly. Mistake number three, not scraping those dishes before you put them in the dishwasher. You're just like, I'm going to put my entire dinner in the dishwasher. You know what I'm eating? I'm going to have a bowl of macaroni and cheese. No! You want to make sure that you are scraping your dishes before you put it in the dishwasher. That's part of the reason why there's a filter on the dishwasher to trap anything from going down below and clogging things up and having more costly repairs. Now, you don't need to clean your dishes entirely before putting them in the dishwasher. That kind of would defeat the purpose other than it will help sanitize them. But if there's a little bit of substance on your dishes, it's going to help that dishwasher detergent cling better to the plates and do what it needs to do. So make sure that you are rinsing your dishes, there's no excess food on them before you put them in the dishwasher. This is going to save you a lot of headache and heartache, especially when it comes to your dishwasher filter. Plastics! Plastics in the dishwasher. Let's talk about it. But before we do, I want to thank the sponsor of today's video, Live It Up. I've been taking Live It Up greens for quite some time now because as you know, I'm a busy mom with four kids, running business, working full time, like trying to keep my house clean. So I need to be able to fuel myself with the right stuff and keep my energy levels high. I was finding that I wasn't eating enough fruits and vegetables during the day and so this was my go-to source and I love it. And what's amazing about this is that the prep is quick, it tastes great and there are noticeable results. That is so refreshing just with some ice cold water. I also like it with some nice creamy cashew milk or I will often throw it into smoothies. If you choose the subscription option for Live It Up, you get up to 33% off for life plus free shipping. So if you're looking to feel better, more energized, do something good for yourself, fuel your body, then make sure that you click the link in that description box below to get 15% off your first order. In just one little scoop, you get 20 super foods, probiotics and digestive enzymes. And this baby packs a punch. This right here is the flavor Wildberry. So for me personally, I try to avoid putting plastic in the dishwasher and if you are going to put plastic in there, you want to make sure one, it's dishwasher safe as noted by the symbols guide or maybe it will just say dishwasher safe on the product that you're putting in the dishwasher. Also, you need to make sure that you're putting that plastic on the top rack. If you're putting that plastic on the bottom rack, it's more likely to be exposed to higher heats causing it to melt, causing it to break down, you know when you get those little white spots in plastic containers. Yeah, that's the plastic breaking down and you don't want to be eating off that. In fact, I got rid of all my plastic storage containers. I'm not going to call them Tupperware because that's not technically all Tupperware. But I got rid of all my plastic storage containers and now I just opt for glass. And in fact, my glass containers do have plastic storage tops and we just hand wash those. Also, avoid using the sanitized cycle on your dishwasher if you are going to be washing plastics within that cycle. Too hot, hot, hot. Woo, not good for the plastics. Moving on to our next mistake and that's avoiding the filter. Let me know in the comments box below when is the last time you looked at your dishwasher filter. Now, I am guilty of this. If I do not clean that filter at least once a month, it is built up with residue from those dishes. And remember, I am rinsing those dishes before I put them into the dishwasher. But even so, that filter is able to trap a lot of gunk, debris, grime from those dishes. It's disgusting, but it lets me know that the dishwasher is doing exactly what it needs to do. In most dishwashers, all you have to do is twist out the filter. I like to use just a little Dawn Power Wash and a good cleaning brush to get in there, get all the grime that has built up, rinse it off with some nice warm water and then pop it back into your dishwasher. And if you've never cleaned your dishwasher filter before, it's okay. I was in your shoes at one point in my life as well. I was like, oh word, I didn't know that thing could actually be removed. I might as well check my dishwasher filter. And when I did do it for that first time, I was like, oh, good thing my friends aren't coming over and checking my filter. They'd be like, dang girl, nasty. The next common problem, using the wrong type or the amount of detergent. Did you know if you're not using the dishwasher packets, there is a fill line in the dishwasher detergent spot. I know many of us, and I've been guilty of this. I'm like, more is better. I'm going to fill that compartment entirely and then I might as well just squirt a little extra in the bottom of the dishwasher as well. Things will be extra clean. However, when you're using too much detergent, much like your washing machine, it can cause problems and clogs and your dishes at the end of the day are not going to get as clean as if you would have used the proper amount of dishwasher detergent. That's why I like the pods. I don't have to think about it because I do get very excited about cleaning products. I like to overdo it at times. But the pods help me maintain some self-control. And the last problem and mistake that we often make is that we are not loading the dishwasher properly. And when I say properly, at the end of the day, you just need to make sure water is hitting all of those dishes, that that arm is able to rotate. This is the reason why you often don't want to overload your dishwasher because things are too close, water can't get in there, things aren't getting as clean as they could be. Again, much like your washing machine, if things are too crammed in that washing machine when the drum is spinning, like nothing's really moving. It's just like going like this. Whereas if there's space in your washing machine, more things can get agitated. Now, things are not being agitated within your dishwasher, but that water is able to move around more freely when there's a little more space. Now, how do you use your dishwasher the right way? Before we get into that, if we're not friends on Instagram, make sure you're following me at andreagenecleaning, especially those Instagram stories because, my friend, I post every single day, daily deals, giveaways, sneak peeks, literally everything that happens here on YouTube already happened on Instagram, wink, wink. Not all of it, but some of it. Also, if you're not following here on the YouTube community tab, I post almost every single day here as well, those same deals and discounts, so you can easily click those links and be the first to know when something goes on sale, such as some of my favorite cleaning brushes, Instagram stories, or here on the YouTube community tab. Now, everyone's gonna tell you that there is a proper way to load your dishwasher. I just have a couple of things, or maybe three things, that you should do when it comes to loading your dishwasher. One, plastics on top, like we talked about already. Number two, make sure the water is able to get in and around all of your dishes, both on the bottom rack and on that top rack. And number three, if you do not have a separator for all of your cutlery, you know, your forks, your knives, and your spoons, you wanna make sure that all of your silverware is arranged in a way that spoons are not overlapping one another. You know what I mean by that? Like, you know the spoons are spooning each other? Not a good thing, because then the detergent can't get in between those spoons to clean and sanitize them in the hot water, which is the benefit of the dishwasher. So, I don't think there's an exact science to loading that dishwasher, but just follow these easy steps, and your dishes will be squeaky clean. Trust me, I've watched other videos on YouTube about how to properly load that dishwasher, and at the end of the day, I don't think it makes a difference. I mean, if I put my plate this way as opposed to this way, and I put it in the back of the dishwasher as opposed to the front of the dishwasher, like, just get the dishwasher loaded. Next, make sure that you're using some sort of rinse aid. This truly makes a difference when it comes to those water spots, particularly on your glass. Now again, do not overload it when it comes to the rinse aid. Most dishwashers do have scale, a level, something on there to measure out the amount of rinse aid that you need. Now, many people recommend that you use vinegar as your rinse aid. However, I'm not a huge fan of vinegar. One, it just smells funky. Two, it's acidic, so it can break down parts with inside of your dishwasher. So, I like to buy products that are specifically designed for the things that they're supposed to clean, such as rinse aid. Make sure that you are choosing the right dishwasher cycle, normal, eco, and heavy. In fact, I never use the heavy cycle on my dishwasher. We wash all of our pots and pans by hand. I've just had better experience with them not getting ruined because, you know, you put the pots and pans on the bottom, and sometimes the heat is just way too hot, and it can warp things. They don't last as long, and I love the pots and the pans, so I just hand wash them. It's way easier. Plus, pots and pans take up a ton of space inside of your dishwasher. I rather leave room for, like, three more plates as opposed to one pan. And the eco cycle, I also do not use that because it causes your dishwasher to run for longer. And in my opinion, dishwashers already run quite a long time, so normal is where it's at for me. So, what's up with the eco cycle, and why does it run for longer? Well, typically on the eco cycle, it uses less water, and it uses it at a lower temperature. So, in order to compensate for those two things, it washes longer. Before you run your dishwasher, make sure that when you turn on your faucet, kitchen sink, your faucet, that it is pouring out hot water or warm water. Because when you turn on your dishwasher, it's going to pull from your sink. And if the sink is coming out cold water, well, guess what's moving into your dishwasher right away? Cold water. And the last thing that I want you to do is ensure that you are descaling your dishwasher probably at least one time per month. Yes, I know. We have to clean the things that clean the things. Now, again, I do not use vinegar to descale my dishwasher because the smell, it's quite acidic. I like to use things specifically designed for cleaning your dishwasher. So, I'm going to link my favorites in the description box below, and I'll also pin it in that comment section. And according to some professionals, vinegar can actually dry out the parts of your dishwasher, causing your dishwasher not to run as long and as strong, and it could potentially lead to costly repairs. This is the same reason that I don't use vinegar in my washing machine. There's a lot of rubber parts in that washing machine, especially the front-loading ones. Let's talk about clogs in your dishwasher. Typically, there are three reasons that there are clogs inside your dishwasher or you have water pooling down below there. Now, if you do not have this problem, you may encounter this problem, and now you will know how to solve for it. Problem number one, you have a block in your filter. Remember when we talked about cleaning out that filter and maybe you've never checked down there before? Well, check there. You may have too much food built up. Maybe a Lego got trapped down there or a piece of a plastic fork of some sort, and it's causing things not to run as effectively. Issue number two, since your dishwasher is attached to your garbage disposal, perhaps your garbage disposal has some sort of clog or blockage in it as well. So make sure that you're cleaning out your garbage disposal on a regular basis. And again, I like to use products specifically designed for cleaning out my garbage disposal. Use a good brush. Now, if you're finding that cleaning your filter and your garbage disposal is not helping with the water situation and blockage at the bottom of your dishwasher, this is the next step. You could pull out your dishwasher to find the pump, unscrew the backings, turn the power off, and check to see if something is lodged in there. And I would say nine times out of ten, that is the problem with your dishwasher and why there is a pool of water on the inside. Something is being blocked in the inside that you and I cannot see, so we have to pull that dishwasher out. At this point, at this stage in the game, this is where I call in a professional. Like, I don't want to mess anything up. Now, you certainly can do this yourself, but no, mm-mm. When it comes to like electrical things and pulling cords and wires out and pulling entire appliances out, like mm-mm. Nope, not for me. Not for me. So here are a few quick products and must-haves when it comes to dishwasher and we'll add in there garbage disposal cleaning. These are things that I have on hand always in my cleaning closet. Dishwasher cleaning tablets so that you can clean your dishwasher on a regular basis, easy to access, and it makes your dishwasher smell delicious. We use a magnetic clean and dirty sign on our dishwasher. That way it can designate whether these dishes are clean or dirty. And since we rinse our dishes before we put them in the dishwasher, sometimes we're not entirely sure if the dishwasher has been ran or not. Let me know if you've experienced that in the comments box below. Some good brushes for cleaning out your dishwasher filter. I love these curb brushes. They work fantastic for getting in all those nooks and crannies. You can also use this curb brush to clean underneath the lip of your garbage disposal. You'd be surprised about how much food accumulates underneath there. Like nastiness going on. And I actually try to avoid using my garbage disposal at all costs because I hate them. I like this life-proof ceramic coating that I've used in previous videos. I use it inside and on the outside of my dishwasher and it helps repel water. I don't know about you with four little kids, like fingerprints, grease marks, sticky things. So if I can reduce my cleaning time, I am all about it. I love this Magic Stainless Steel Cleaner because it doesn't have such a pungent smell that many stainless steel cleaners have. I do not like using stainless steel cleaning wipes because it gets over your hands. I just, and then it's kind of too moist, just too much moisture. It's hard to control the moisture when you're using the wipes. And then it's just, it's not my thing. So this Magic Stainless Steel Cleaner has been my new BFF. I also use this to clean the inside of my stainless steel sink. Also, well, my stove top, my microwave, basically anything with stainless steel. I like to use some rubbing alcohol to clean the inside of my dishwasher. One, it's going to help kill any of that odor-causing bacteria. Two, it dries quickly. Three, I know it's cleaning and sterilizing and just doing all the things that it needs to. And five, six, four, whatever number one, it's cheap. Some good cleaning gloves when it comes to cleaning your dishwasher. I think this is a must. I don't want anything getting stuck inside my nails or touching some weird stuff that's up in that filter. And some Dawn Power Wash for cleaning that filter. I like it. It works. It's an excellent degreaser. You just spray it, scrub it, rinse it, and you're good to go. Now, how about those dishwasher symbols? You have to let me know in that comments box below if you got them right. Symbol number one, for those of you that said dishwasher safe, give yourself a high five. Symbol number two, for those of you that said hand wash only, give yourself, well, what should you give yourself? Treat yourself to some coffee. And symbol number three, for those of you that said dishwasher safe, top rack only, champion, winner, winner, chicken dinner. It's like a fun little dishwasher jeopardy, if you will. A couple bonus tips here for you. I do like to run my dishwasher at night. One, to help save more energy, save money, help the environment. But two, that way when I wake up the next morning and my kids are getting ready for school, I can easily take those dishes out and then we come home for the evening. The dishwasher is already ready to be filled up after dinner. And there are several things that you can wash in your dishwasher. Let's see if you know all of them. One, shoes. Yes, you can wash shoes inside of your dishwasher. Two, hats. Baseball hats. Again, top rack only. In my experience, I don't want anything in the bottom. It gets too hot. It's just not a good situation. Three, toothbrushes. This is probably one of my favorite ways to clean toothbrushes, especially my kids. They get buildup of toothpaste in there and just kind of nastiness all around. It's kind of like cleaning your forks and your knives and your spoons. And last thing that I've often washed in my dishwasher are my vents. So if you've not cleaned your air vents in quite some time, you can load those babies up in your dishwasher if you got, I don't know, animal hair stuck to them. No, just kidding. You don't want to do that because you're going to clog your dishwasher filter. But there's just stuff on those vents that need to be cleaned. Yep, they can go in there too. Let me know in the comments box below something new that you learned today. Make sure you're following me on Instagram, Androgyne Cleaning, and here on that YouTube community tab. And don't forget to click that link in the description box below to get 15% off your first order of Live It Up Super Greens. And we have got to keep the fun going. So click this video on screen now. Thumbs up, subscribe, and I will see you, my friend, in the next one.