The first reliable (hand powered) dishwasher was invented in 1887 by Josephine Cochrane with the help of George Butters and was unveiled at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Cochrane was quite wealthy and never washed dishes herself; she reportedly invented the dishwasher because her servants were chipping her fine china.
In our endeavour to be a full service company, we are once again carrying out dishwasher repairs so if you are having any troubles with your machine stopping, not starting at all, dishes not cleaning or making weird sounds, contact us
The dishwasher has become one of the most common household appliances found in between 75-85% of all households. Compared with handwashing, they save time, water and energy. As much as 230 hours a year can be saved by using a dishwasher – imagine what else could you be doing.
Dishwasher Repairs
Our workshop has a purpose built dishwasher testing and repair station for repairs that cannot be carried out in the home. This may be for practical reasons such as space restrictions, testing required or due to the extent of the repair. It also maybe more economical for you to bring the dishwasher to us. If this is an option you would like to take up, please call the office on (08) 9367 1198 to organise a time. The manufacturer’s handbook will include installation/de-installation instructions.
We are well equipped & experienced in the majority of brands and models. Turn-around times will depend on the fault and availability of parts but as with all the repairs carried out by Thornbury Electrics, we will do our best to get your appliance back up and running in the shortest time possible. An estimate will be provided once testing is completed.
A few tips for getting the most from your dishwasher
Most of this is common sense but just incase your not getting the results your hoped for or are just about to push start after loading your first wash, here are a few suggestions:
Give your machine a birthday…..every couple of months. Run an empty machine through on the hottest wash. There are supermarket products available or alternatively white vinegar or citric acid can be added to remove built up grease and grime. Citric acid is available in the baking section of most supermarkets or from bulk food stores (eg: Loose Produce, Como). Citric acid is non toxic & a natural chelator, breaking down calcium, rust and lime deposits and removes the stains so your dishwasher looks and performs its best. Add to the power dispenser.
Vinegar is a great disinfectant. It also acts as a deodorizer and cuts grease. Place a bowl on the bottom rack and fill with vinegar or wait until the machine fills with hot water then add a cup of vinegar to the water.
Don’t overload. We all want to get that last bowl or cup in, but if the water cant circulate throughout the machine, it cant clean effectively
Clean the filter. NOBODY likes removing the slimy gunk & food that catch in the filter at the bottom of the machine. The good news is, the more often you do it, the less gunk there is. Remove the filters and rinse with warm water, use a soft bristle toothbrush to gently rub off any remaining debris. Aim for once a week.
Remove as much food as possible from the dishes. Some machines have an initial pre rinse & you don’t want to waste water by rinsing so scraping food off is enough.
If there is a lot of plastic items in the wash, the drying of all dishes will be effected. Plastics don’t retain enough heat from a hot-water rinse for condensation drying to work. Also many new machines are designed to be as energy efficient as possible with some manufacturers having removed the heating element that comes on at the end of the cycle. Depending on your machine it may be necessary to prop the door open once the cycle has finished.
Make sure the cycle and powder being used are compatible. Some detergent types require a hotter setting like the pots and pans or intensive wash. If using liquid detergent, a cooler setting may be required. Likewise if the dishes are particularly greasy, a light wash may not give the results youre after.
Use rinse aid. It isn’t just a sales pitch to get you to buy another product. It really helps with drying your dishes streak and spot free by speeding evaporation and hence drying.
Regularly clean rubber seals. Seals will deteriorate from left over detergent residue and develop odors from food particles. To clean the door seals wipe them off with a baking soda & water, or vinegar & water solution.
For more helpful tips https://www.choice.com.au/home-and-living/kitchen/dishwashers/articles/dishwasher-troubleshooting http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/queen-of-green/faqs/cleaning/does-vinegar-kill-germs/