How to keep your dishwasher at peak performance

From everyday family meals to special soirées, many of us rely on our dishwashers to get us through all sorts of after-dinner clean-ups. If you use yours daily, you might have noticed less impressive results over time – but the good news is that many common dishwasher problems can be solved with a bit of regular maintenance.

While you can always rely on Finish Ultimate Plus to keep your dishes squeaky clean, Finish also recommends taking these additional steps to ensure your dishwasher is always performing at its best.

Use rinse aid

Struggling to get rid of the hard-water stains on your glasses, or spots and streaks on your pans? Simply fill the rinse aid chamber in your dishwasher with Finish Rinse & Shine Aid and watch them come out sparkling. The formula speeds up drying and prevents water spots, leaving your glasses, dishes, cutlery and pans with a brilliant shine.

Rinse aid is automatically released in the rinse cycle every time your dishwasher runs, so all you need to do is keep the chamber topped up. Try and do this monthly if you can, or simply look out for the red light on your dishwasher that will blink at you when the rinse aid is low.

Clean the filter

The filter is designed to protect your dishwasher’s pump from getting clogged or damaged by food waste, while also preventing the food from being recirculated with your dishes, so it’s important to check it regularly. If you notice any nasty odours, food inside your dishwasher or slow-draining water, this could be a sign that it’s time to clean your filter.

Start by emptying your dishwasher, removing the bottom rack and locating the filter, which should look like a short cylindrical tube. Twist to unlock it and gently remove it from the machine, then run it under water to clean it and remove any visible debris. You can also use dish soap and an old, soft sponge to remove any stubborn limescale and food, but take care to ensure you don’t break the mesh. Then just reinstall the filter, and you’re done!

Try a dishwasher cleaner

If your dishes aren’t coming out as clean as you’d like, it might be because there’s grease or limescale built up in the hidden parts of your dishwasher, which can sometimes also cause bad odours. Fortunately, Finish Dishwasher Cleaner has been specifically formulated to deep clean the bits you can’t see. Just place it in the bottom rack and run your dishwasher on a hot cycle to leave your machine hygienically clean and smelling fresh. And you only need to use it once every three months to notice a difference.

To keep your dishwasher working as effectively as possible, you can also prevent limescale build-up by topping up your salt tank with Finish Dishwasher Salt. The salt helps to soften the water, ensuring a better cleaning performance from your detergent and reducing white residue marks on your glasses and dishes.