Dishwashers.

Let me begin by telling you that I have had nothing but dishwasher drama over the past year. I can hardly drink out of a glass anymore because I can't stand the way it looks coming out of the dishwasher. In Utah I followed the maintenance guy around my house one day picking his brain about various things. I learned a lot that day, including how to take apart a dishwasher, clean the filter, and put it all back together. I try to do it once each month and you wouldn't believe what a difference it makes. Well moving to Vegas has really ruined my routine. Upon move-in I took apart the filter and noticed that it, along with the entire inside of my dishwasher, was caked with layer-upon-layer of white crusty junk. I ran some clorox through, vinegar, and several anti-bacterial loads. 6 weeks, and 2 maintenance men later...and this is what I learned. That white junk you see in your dishwasher, or on your dishes is NOT hard water or calcium build up. It is from liquid dishwasher detergent. That's right people, I've been battling years of someone-elses liquid detergent mistakes (not that I am guiltless, it's the only kind I've used since I got married). Apparently no matter how hot the water is, liquid soap CANNOT be dissolved, it just sticks to the appliance and dishes. No joke! I wish I had a before picture because you would just die...it took me 6 loads of using straight Lemi-Shine to get rid of the junk, and now my dishwasher looks nearly new and is washing better than I could have ever imagined!
So here are some hints from my maintenance man friends:
1. Always run tap water until hot before starting dishwasher, otherwise the first few fill-ups will be cold, and cold water does not work well to dissolve detergent.
2. Never use any brand of liquid detergent in your dishwasher. Cascade is the best powder to use because it dissolves most effectively. And make sure you only fill it halfway full of powder or ou'll be using too much. #1 mistake people make is adding too much detergent. Do not buy generics.
3. Lemi-Shine can be purchased at Walmart or Target, and it's the only product that will clean the junk out of a dishwasher. Use it straight with no dishes in for deep cleaning occasionally or if you have a problem like mine. Otherwise, pour a small amount on top of Cascade for each load to keep dishes and appliance clean. Never fill the outside cup with anything, only the cup that has a lid on it.
4. Always wash with hot water, added heat, or heated dry if possible.
5. Always use Jet-Dry!
6. Do not scrub dishes before loading, rinse large pieces of food only. Detergent is made to attract itself to proteins in food. If proteins aren't found, detergent doesn't dissolve the way it's meant to.

See...aren't you all just overjoyed at this information. I told Maintenance guy #2 he should hold a seminar. He laughed and said "you have no idea how much money I could save you if you knew what I do about appliances". Before he left I tried to get him to tell me everything he knew about washers & dryers, but he wasn't into it. Oh well.
Love you all! Hope this info helps...
Lacey
P.S. I took some pictures of the dishwasher now, and my new product line, but I couldn't get them to upload...hope you're not visual learners!