I’m a dishwasher expert and there’s a popular hack that’s ruining your machine – you need to stop doing it immediately
CLEANING hacks are everywhere and while most offer handy hints on how to get your home sparkling it seems others could do more harm than good.
A recent TikTok video that has amassed over 2.3 million views recommends leaving a tea towel in your dishwasher door after the completed cycle to help dry your dishes and absorb the steam.
However, fans of this hack should use it with caution according to experts.
Matt Ayres, Appliance Expert at RDO warns that the rubber seal on the inside of the door is the number one place where mould and bacteria collect and leaving a tea towel on top of each wash could worsen this.
So, be sure to give it a thorough clean every few weeks.
A toothbrush and some soapy water are all you need to get the worst of the grime, but mixing some white vinegar into the water can help increase the sanitising power.
Be sure to dry it off thoroughly with a paper towel once you’re done, otherwise, the germs will just start collecting over again.
While using a tea towel can absorb some moisture in the dishwasher, resulting in dryer dishes, it’s not going to work on all items in the dishwasher.
A tea towel can absorb some moisture, but it’s simply not capable of soaking up pooled water from inches away.
Instead, following these simple steps can help reduce the moisture build-up in the dishwasher.
Make sure you leave space between your dishes when loading to allow for air circulation and make a habit of opening the machine at the end of its cycle to release the steam.
These practices alone should cut down on the number of dishes you need to dry by hand. If that doesn’t help, try choosing a different cycle or using a rinse aid.
Rinse aid is not designed to rinse dishes, but to help promote drying and water drainage after the final rinse cycle.