Habit after every dishwasher cycle making it mouldy and ruining the machine

Closing the dishwasher door after unpacking clean dishes seems like a logical thing to do, but an appliance expert has warned it’s doing more harm than good. 

Choice dishwasher guru Denis Gallagher has warned this habit can lead to mould, odours and deteriorate parts of the machine because it’s unable to “dry out”.

“Having the door tightly shut all the time means the rubber seals will always be compressed, which could affect their shape and thus their ability to seal the unit,” he said.

That doesn’t mean we have to have the door fully open, it only needs to be “slightly ajar” and mainly after a cycle to let any remaining moisture evaporate.

Closing the dishwasher door after a cycle isn’t the only mistake that can wreak havoc with the door seals, not using it regularly also has an impact.

“The seals can dry out and harden, so they won’t work properly when you do use your dishwasher again, and you could even end up with an infestation of cockroaches or other insects,” Gallagher said.

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Can you leave dirty dishes overnight? A microbiologist weighs in

A common misconception that dishwashers use too much water leads people to preference washing by hand over using the appliance. However, dishwashers are a lot more water-efficient so it’s worth using them over filling the sink and putting in all that effort to hand wash.

“You’ve paid all that money for a dishwasher – why do the washing yourself when you have an appliance designed for precisely that job?” 

Another dishwasher mistake causing huge problems is not cleaning the dishwasher filter – a part which some people aren’t even aware is in the machine. 

Yes, filters can be quite gross and grimy, but if you clean them regularly they won’t get quite so bad, and your dishes will be cleaner and the dishwasher won’t stink any more. While you’re at it, take out the spray arms and remove any debris stuck in them.

“Cleaning your dishwasher filter is up there with going to the dentist and doing your tax return: no-one wants to do it, but it’s part of life. And like dentists and taxes, if you keep on top of it, things will run more smoothly. A clean filter means clean dishes and a happy dishwasher,” Gallagher said.

“Do your future self a favour and stay on top of filter cleaning so you never have to find out just how disgusting a blockage can be.”

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Rinsing before packing dishwasher debate finally settled

Some dishwasher users are tempted to pre-rinse dirty dishes to avoid ending up with a gross filter that they have to clean, but this is just wasting water and doesn’t make anything cleaner.

Dishwashers actually need dishes to have some grime on them because they have sensors that detect how dirty they are so they know how hard to work.

“A pre-rinsed plate can ‘trick’ your dishwasher into thinking it’s cleaner than it really is, and the dishwasher will respond by dialling down the power – so your plates could come out dirtier, not cleaner,” Sean Lim, Choice expert tester, said.

“The best approach is just to scrape off any solids into the bin (preferably a compost or green waste bin), and just let your dishwasher get on with doing what it’s designed for: cleaning your dishes.”