How a dishwasher works
A dishwasher is, of course, a perfect household helper because they get your dirty dishes clean much better and faster than if you were to wash them by hand yourself. Do you want to know how a dishwasher works? Then read this article.
How a dishwasher works
Most dishwashers perform the following steps to get your dishes clean:
Preparing
Before the dishwashing process begins, a layer of water is pumped onto the bottom of the dishwasher. This is heated by the heating element which is also on the bottom.
Rinse the dishes
Your dirty dishes are then thoroughly rinsed first. For the rinsing process, the dishwasher has heated clean water and this is now sprayed along your plates, cutlery and glasses at high pressure. During this process, the worst dirt is rinsed away.
Washing the dishes
The water spreads over your dishes through the spray arms. The dishwasher builds up pressure, causing the spray arms to rotate and the water is sprayed out of the small holes. Your dishwasher will add the detergent itself during this process. The detergent block is released from the door of your dishwasher and mixes with the hot water and helps rinse the dishes. The spray arms continue to spin and add clean water until all the suds are rinsed away.
Drying the dishes
You slide your dirty dishes into the dishwasher and you take them out clean. It’s not always completely dry either. Most dishwashers blow warm air through your dishes after the rinse cycle, which pretty much dries them. Large items such as pans often need to be dried with a tea towel.
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The different parts of a dishwasher
To answer the question, “How does a dishwasher work?”, it is also helpful to know the different parts of the appliance.
The heating element
The heating element of a dishwasher consists of pieces of metal that convert electricity into heat. This heat is used to heat the water to the temperature of the dishwashing program you have chosen.
The pump
To make sure that the heated water is squirted through the dishwasher and to drain the dirty water again, a dishwasher also has a pump. The motor is also the part that pumps the water through the spray arms.
Spray arms
The spray arms look like a kind of propeller and you can find them at the top of your dishwasher. The water is pumped through the spray arms at such a high pressure that they start to spin around and spray all the water over your dishes.
Making sure your dishwasher keeps working
To make sure your dishwasher always works properly, it’s important to keep the spray arms clean. If dirt remains on these, it will be flushed through your dirty dishes at high pressure, leaving it on your dishes. While loading and unloading the dishwasher, also make sure your dishes are not too dirty. Too much food residue can cause the pump to clog.
A dishwasher works much less well when the pump is blocked and the water starts to smell. Also, don’t put things in your dishwasher that are particularly sensitive to heat, like plastic containers. Especially in the lower rack, they can melt and block the mechanisms behind them.
