Dishes clean? Call SoBellas Home Services – Dishwasher Repair
The dishwasher is an essential part of everyday life. They save you hours every week of scrubbing and drying dishes, a benefit everyone in the family should appreciate. Of course, we often barely spare a thought for our dishwashers until something goes wrong. If it does go wrong, call SoBellas Home Services dishwasher repair services in Las Cruces.
If you’ve been pulling out dishes that are not completely clean, there are a number of things that might be wrong, and many of them you can fix at home without calling for repair services. Let’s take a deeper look into the causes and solutions for dishes that aren’t getting clean.
Problem: Hard Water Residue on Dishes – Dishwasher Repair
If you are noticing a filmy white residue on your dishes or your dishes feel rough and chalky to the touch, the problem is most likely hard water. Hard water happens when there are extra harmless minerals like calcium and magnesium in your water. It is usually regional, based on the composition of the rocks and the filtration policies of municipal water in your area.
Often called water residue, this chalky substance is known as “scale” in the plumbing industry and builds up on everything in a house that runs hard water. That chalky film is what happens when otherwise clean water dries, say, on your dishes.
Technically, there’s nothing wrong with your dishwasher, but there are a few solutions available.
Solution: Rinse Aid and Vinegar
Start by supplying your dishwasher with rinse aid. If there is a reservoir, fill it and make sure it stays full enough to release some rinse aid with each load. Is there is not a reservoir, add a little rinse aid to the detergent of each dish load.
When you’re seeing too much chalky buildup inside the dishwasher, run it empty except for an upright cup of white vinegar in the top rack. Vinegar will break up hard water buildup very easily, and can also be used as a homemade rinse aid.
Problem: Drain Blocked by Debris – Dishwasher Repair
Dishes that seem to still have food on them, sometimes food they didn’t have on originally, can be caused by food debris blocking the dishwasher drain. If the food debris can’t escape the dishwasher, it can wind up knocked around in the water and ultimately still land and dry on a dish. This will result in your dishes having food still on them when the cycle is done, often leaving bits of food on dishes in a way you wouldn’t expect from how the dishes went in.
Solution: Clear Dishwasher Drain and Pre-Rinse Dishes
The first step to solving this problem is to clear the dishwasher drain. Be very thorough so as to remove everything that has both been blocking the drain and has been prevented from clearing because of the blockage. Wipe the inside of your dishwasher clean with a sponge to be certain all food leavings are gone.
The second step is to pre-rinse your dishes. This problem usually occurs when dishes go in with more food debris than the dishwasher can handle.
Problem: Sprayer Arms Not Spinning
If you’re not sure what the problem is but your dishes are not coming out clean enough, try poking your sprayer arm. If it does not spin, this could be the problem, as the sprayer arm motion is the primary cleaning force. The cause is either that the sprayer arm is broken or, more often, that it is blocked by an unseen fallen piece of silverware or small dish.
Solution: Remove Obstructions or Replace Arms
If the sprayer arm doesn’t spin, you have two options. The first is to find and remove any obstructions. Look closely, there might be a fork or fallen tupperware lid that could be blocking the sprayer arm. The second option is to replace a broken sprayer arm.
Problem: Sprayer Arms Not Spraying
If you suspect the sprayer arms of not spraying, the problem could be one of three things. First, the sprayer nozzles should be blocked by hard water. Second, the water feed may have been disconnected, though this is usually accompanied by leaks. Third, the sprayer arm could be broken.
Solution: Clean, Clear, and Check Sprayers
If the sprayer nozzles are blocked, you can tell because they will look crusty from hard water. Wipe them down with vinegar or remove them and soak them in vinegar to clear the nozzles. Some people will use a paper clip to clear them more directly. If the water feed is disconnected, this can be fixed by removing the sprayer arm and carefully adjusting the line. If the sprayer is broken, it will need to be replaced.
Problem: Dishwasher Not Starting or Running Properly
If your dishwasher is not starting or going through the cycles properly, this is most likely a problem with the electronics.
Solution: Call for Electrical Repairs
Electrical problems are more challenging and dangerous to fix on your own. For more information about how to fix electrical problems with your dishwasher or to schedule a professional dishwasher repair, contact us today!
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