I thought my wife would be proud of me. 

I cleared the dinner table and placed the dirty dishes in the dishwasher (without being asked).

My goal was to have the dishes done and clean by the time she came in the kitchen later that night. The goal was partially complete. The dishes were rinsed off and in the dishwasher, and she was pleased. 

But the next morning when she went to take the dishware out of the dishwasher several plates and utensils were still dirty.

What happened?

It appears I did not load the dishwasher properly. She schooled me. 

I also did some of my own research as well. When in doubt, turn to Bob Villa, I always say (okay, this was the first time I said this, but when I saw a blog post on bobvilla.com I thought he'd be a trusted source). 

Bob Villa, the home improvement guy, would know. 

There is a right way and a wrong way to load a dishwasher. You can fill the machine to the brim with cups and plates and knives and spoons and not sacrifice cleaning effectiveness. 

McCombs Supply, a trusted source for replacement appliance parts, lists 5 tips for leading a dishwasher. 

Scrape And Rinse

Yes, you do need to clean plates, pans and bowls BEFORE you put them in the dishwasher. Scrape food residue into the trash. With older machines, rinse dishes under a faucet. 

But don't take off all the food. As I learned from Bob Villa, dishwasher detergent works best with some grim to stick to. 

Is your detergent dispenser working propertly? McCombs carries replacement detergent dispensers like the ERUDWD2 for Frigidaire. It sells for $29.24. 

Or the Bosch dishwasher detergent dispenser (part no. 490467), which sells for $46.26.  

Safety Matters

To use a dishwasher correctly, you must know which items are safe to put in the machine. 

It is best to hand wash cast iron, wood, bronze, pewter and leaded crystal. Be  cautious with silver and hand wash it. 

Glassware, Mugs And Cooking Utensils

 Placement matters. 

Long utensils, like spoons or spatulas, on the top rack may fall through and block the spray arm. So it is best to put long utensils perpendicular to the wire supports of the rack. Laying the items parallel is when items may fall.   

McCombs sells silverware utensil baskets, like genuine GE silverware basket, part no. WD28X26T, that sells for $11.06

Put bowls over the long utensils. These items will not block the spray of water. 

How is top rack? Any pealing? McCombs Supply has Rack Paint to repair those rusty tines. Dries to the same rubbery like surface as the original. Air dries overnight. 

A 1/2 bottle, which costs $4.95, goes a long way. Color may vary slightly from bottle to bottle. 

Bottles come in blue, white and gray (DWR1BLUE DWR1WHITE and DWR1GRAY). 

Finally, place mugs and glasses along the left and right sides of the upper rack.

If your glasses are coming out spotty, try Glisten-4 Dishwasher Hard Water Cleaner (8 2-ounce packs). Glisten-4 cleans, freshen and maintains automatic dishwashers. 

Glisten-4, which sells for $24.00, removes cloudy film and spots from dishes and glassware. 

Regular monthly use of Glisten is recommended for best results. 

Glisten works to remove built-up soap scum, food stains and discoloration due to iron and other water impurities. 

Cookie Sheets And Bake Pans

Postition cookie sheets and baking pans along the perimeter of the lower tier.
Safely stored on the sides of the machine, the pans and sheets are less likely to impede the sprays that come from the bottom of the appliance. 

Speaking of baking, McCombs has coupler coupling for Kitchenaid Blender for $2.98.

It fits many 5-speed blender models, including the 4SKB*series. 

Plates, Bowls And Flatware

Load plates, bowls and dishwasher-safe pots and pans in the lower rack. To help them get clean, stagger larger and smaller pots and pans. 

Bowls may be placed side by side, but tilt each one so the dirty portion faces down. 

Need Parts?

McCombs has a large inventory of dishwasher parts, including the dishwasher door gasket seal and dishwasher lower rack rollers. Another common issue the breaks on a dishwasher is the drain pump. We have pumps and other parts.  

Here is a link to the inventory of McCombs Supply dishwasher parts, and if you have any questions, please call McCombs Supply at (717) 299-3866. 

About Us

McCombs Supply Company, Inc.

In business since 1953,McCombs Supply Co., Inc. is a third-generation family-owned business that specializes in low prices and fast, reliable shipping.
Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, McCombs Supply Co., Inc. offers replacement repair parts for dishwashers, dryers, microwaves, range-ovens, refrigerators, washing machines, HVAC, commercial refrigeration, commercial cooking, pellet stove parts and more. Some of our manufacturers we distribute for include – Backer-Chromolox, Broan-Nutone, Exact Replacement Parts (ERP), EZ Flo, Fasco, Mastercool, ICM, JW Harris, Packard, Robertshaw, Sealed Unit Parts Company (SUPCO), White Rodgers, Englander, Breckwell, Harman, Lennox, Napoleon, St. Croix and Quadra-Fire.

We supply contractors, service technicians, housing developments, hospitals, retirement communities, institutions, and do-it-yourselfers.

Today, we have nearly one million SKUs in our system. We are constantly upgrading our cutting-edge technology to serve our customers better.

Copyright 2018