Aight, I'll try not to infodump too hard. I love dishwashers.
A dishwasher is a machine that takes a big sip of water and soap and gargles it around for 15-30 minutes. It does that over and over again until it's contents are clean. Then it blows at it with hot air for a while to pre-dry it. It has a pump in the bottom, and Propeller-Jets that use mechanics and love to spin really fast so they can shoot water at your dishes. The dishwasher is a gentle, sweet and loyal soul, if treated a little bit right.
I recommend you ask yourself: how long would I like one coffee cup to hang out in the sing before it's washed? That's the amount of days between dishwasher loads. I personally have a maximum time of 3 days between loads (unless she's empty, of course). Many people think it's a waste of water to start a half-full load, but a) she gargles with ~14 Liters, less if she's smart enough to recognize what's inside and b) you can also put most plastic things in there. I like to throw the bins I use to store things around the house in there.
When arranging dishes, trust the layout of the dish baskets and remember: she's gonna gargle and spit water. If her jets can access that dirty surface of the dish, you'll be good.
You should remove big chunks of food to save yourself the nastiness. But putting the plates under running water before putting them in the dishwasher is absolutely unnecessary and a waste of water. If your dishes don't get fully cleaned regularly, maintain your dishwasher. Only oven dishes and bitchy forks are allowed to stay a little bit dirty sometimes.
At first, look at the bottom of everything you want to throw in there. Is it dishwasher safe? Some cups aren't because the paint isn't sealed in. Wooden things aren't because the heat+water damages their cell structure, making them puff up and grey out over time.
For pans and pots, I recommend you read their instructions when you buy them, or their bottom now. Most of them have an icon do indicate if they are dishwasher safe.
Buy dishwasher powder, not those pods. You can go cheap, you can go eco, but you don't have to go expensive. I usually put about a teaspoon and a half of the powder into the detergent compartment for a full load. The less full the load, the less powder I put in. If there is a particularly nasty oven dish, I may throw some powder into the dishwasher body. That is because the first gargle usually is just hot water, so adding the powder will make it hot, slightly soapy water.
The powder will last you MONTHS and there are some nice smelling ones. The pods smell nice, but they also drain your money and are not that effective.
There also is that other juice, we call it "Klarspüler" in German. Its job is to prevent limestone buildup, so the nasty white streaks and drops left on glassware. Take the cheapest juice you can find and fill it in your dishwasher according to the instructions in the manual. Most dishwashers have a lil LED to remind you, too.
Your dishwasher has a few areas that get a little dirty. If you have a basket for the cutlery, you can expect small chunks of food to gather there. Just rinse and you're good.
At the bottom of your dishwasher, there is a bug filter. Its job is to stop the food chunks from clogging up your drain pipe. Check on it weekly. It usually is removable, and has an even finder filter below. Check that every 2-4 weeks, it will contain food chunks and maybe even gathered fat and hair. Just clean them like you'd clean a dirty plate, with dish soap and hot water.
There is dishwasher cleaning detergent. I highly recommend you always have some on hand. After cleaning the inside of th dishwasher, use the dishwasher cleaner as written on the instructions. Clean the rubber around the door, too, that gets NASTY. And the handle you use to open her. Truly look at her and try to see the nasty places- but you're a medical professional, I don't have to tell you how to see secret dirt.
Special salt. Get th special salt. Read your manual to see how to set up the salt, what kind to use and refer to the table for water hardness. This will give your dishwasher a long and happy life.
If your dishes don't leave the dishwasher clean, she needs a spa day. Clean her as instructed above. Refer to the manual to see if you can remove the propellers, and if you can, clean them. They have small nuts, corn and sesame seeds stuck in there more than you would think!
Keeping the filters clean will keep the drain pipe clean. Rubbing the cleaner on the rubber will keep it alive and happy, but refer to the manual to ensure that's true.
In general, your manual will contain basic maintenance instructions. I highly recommend you read them at least once. And again if the dishwasher acts up.
The dishwasher is NOT a magic cabinet that makes dirt disappear. It is an automatic sink with very similar hygiene needs to your mouth. She is a gentle, sturdy friend that requires very little care. But if you give her none, you just have a wet mold box.
Modern dishwashers are more fickle, but you seem like the type to buy quality. Read your manual. Be kind to her. Test her dirt limits sometimes, she may surprise you.
And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! I tried to be brief, but I just love talking about these lovely, misunderstood creatures too much.
Enjoy your new friend! :)
Im taking notes! Thank you for the dishwasher lore ❤️
