A beginner’s guide to dishwasher cycles and settings

Understanding the various dishwasher cycles and settings is essential for maximizing the efficiency of this kitchen appliance. This beginner’s guide will help you navigate through the options.

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Common dishwasher cycles explained

According to Which? dishwashers use significantly less water than washing by hand. Modern dishwashers come equipped with a variety of cycles tailored to different cleaning needs, so let’s look at some common cycles and their purposes:

Normal wash

Ideal for everyday dishwashing, this cycle efficiently removes moderate food soil and stains.

Heavy wash

For heavily soiled dishes and pots, the heavy wash cycle provides a longer and more intense cleaning process, ensuring the thorough removal of tough stains.

Auto wash

This intelligent cycle automatically adjusts the wash time and water temperature based on the soil level of your dishes, providing an efficient and customised cleaning process.

Dishwasher settings for optimal performance

In addition to cycles, dishwashers offer various settings to enhance performance and efficiency:

Delay start

This setting allows you to schedule when your dishwasher starts, providing flexibility to run cycles during off-peak hours.

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Sanitise

For enhanced hygiene, the sanitise setting raises the water temperature during the final rinse, effectively killing bacteria.

Rinse aid

Using a rinse aid helps to prevent water spots on your dishes and improve the drying performance.

Dishwashers can be semi-integrated or fully-integrated, which is where the dishwasher is completely concealed behind cabinetry. If you are looking for a new dishwasher, visit a local store to see what is on offer; for example, if you are looking for a fully integrated dishwasher Erith, visit a store such as www.wellingtonshomeelectrical.co.uk/dishwashers/fullsize-dishwashers/fully-integrated.html to view the available models and discuss your requirements.

Familiarising yourself with these options allows you to tailor your dishwasher use to the needs of your dishes, ensuring consistently clean and sanitised results.