Tips

A modern dishwasher uses approximately 25% of the water that would be used to wash the same dishes by hand.

To kill most of the bacteria on a dirty dish, water must reach a scalding 140° Fahrenheit. That temperature is easily reached in a dishwasher, but in a sink, it’s nearly impossible. Hot-water heaters are typically set at 120 degrees to prevent burns, and most people can’t stand to keep their hands in a stream of water that hot for more than a few minutes.

Saves time, this is the primary aspect for many dishwasher buyers.

A dishwasher is necessary in a household that have many dirty dishes during the day.

So not only does the dishwasher save you time by doing all of the work for you, but dishwashing actually does it with less water and energy. That’s more of an excuse to never wash another dish by hand again!

MYTH #1
Dishwashers Fill Up with Water (Like a Traditional Washing Machines)

Anyone who opens their dishwasher door in mid-wash will see a surprisingly small amount of water – less than a bowl-full in the base of the machine. This is because a dishwasher actually cleans and reuses small amounts of water to be ultra-efficient.

MYTH #2
A Dishwasher Doesn’t Clean Pots, Pans And Cookware Properly

Heavily soiled items like pots, pans and cookware should be washed in an intensive cycle with higher temperatures. Together with Fortune 5-in-1 tabs, even the toughest stains like grease and baked-on food will be removed.

Fortune 5-in-1 tabs contain powerful stain-soaking enzymes. The enzymes are active early in the cleaning cycle when the lower temperature (< 122°F) creates the right conditions to break down baked on stains. This means you don’t need to pre-wash those tough-to-clean dishes like lasagna or oatmeal.

MYTH #3
A Dishwasher Uses A Lot Of Energy And Water

A recent study showed that washing dishes by hand uses more energy than using a dishwasher. The electricity in a dishwasher is used to heat up the water, which is pumped and recycled around the machine. The less water used, the less electricity is needed to heat up the water.

Compared to washing dishes by hand, dishwashers use much less water. A modern dishwasher needs about seven times less water than washing by hand. Dishwashers also heat up the water in a very efficient way by using a continuous-flow heater, which results in less heat loss than heating water in a tank and transporting it to the sink. In addition, the appliance is insulated to avoid heat losses from the interior space.

MYTH #4
Your Delicate Glasses Get Damaged In The Dishwasher

Glassware is generally suitable for the dishwasher. However, depending on the type of glass and the conditions in the machine, in a few instances the glass may become cloudy. A fundamental distinction can be made between two different clouding effects on glass:

1) Lime deposits: These are caused by hard water buildup, and can easily be removed by rubbing with vinegar. To prevent lime deposits in the future, please ensure that your water softener unit is set correctly, and that you are using a quality detergent such as Fortune Active Detergent and a rinse aid such as Fortune Rinse Aid.

2) Glass corrosion: Glass corrosion is a form of damage to the glass, which cannot be reversed. It is caused by the washing-away of the surface of the glass. Poor glass quality, extreme soft water in the dishwasher, as well as high temperatures and long program cycles are critical factors in the occurrence of glass corrosion. The following tips should help you to prevent corrosion to your glasses:

• When buying glasses, pay attention to whether they are dishwasher safe.
• Ensure that your water softener unit is set correctly.
• Only clean your glasses at low wash temperatures, e.g. in glass/gentle/delicate / quick programs
• Once the wash program is completed (after drying), open the dishwasher door briefly and allow the steam to be released. This is not necessary if your machine is equipped with a drier fan. Only remove glasses once the machine has cooled down.
• Ensure that the rinse agent setting is adequate.

Recommended dish washing guidelines for items come from the manufacturer. If in doubt, check if it is labeled “dishwasher-safe”.

Dishware & Porcelain

• Most everyday dishware is dishwasher-safe.
• Antique, hand-painted, or metal decorated china should be washed by hand.

Glassware

• Wash lead crystal by hand unless labeled “dishwasher-safe”.

Cutlery & Silverware

• Rinse off acidic foods like salad dressing or ketchup and mustard as direct and prolonged contact can tarnish your cutlery.
• Wash items containing wood by hand.
• Generally, it’s not a problem to clean silverware in the dishwasher, except in combination with food containing sulfur (e.g. egg, mayonnaise, mustard etc.) in order to prevent the formation of silver sulfide during the cleaning program. Direct contact with other metal parts should be avoided (i.e. sterling must be separated from stainless cutlery).

Plastics

• Only use dishwasher-safe plastics in a dishwasher.

Cookware

• Stainless steel pans are excellent for automatic dish washing but aluminum parts may discolor.
• Cast iron items and pots and pans with wooden handles should be washed by hand.

Wooden Items

• Items made of wood or containing wood (e.g. cutting boards, cutlery with wooden grips) are not suitable for cleaning in dishwashers. The wood can swell and crack.
• In addition, some wooden items are glued on and the conditions inside the dishwasher can cause the glue to dissolve.

How you load your dishwasher can affect how clean your dishes get. Follow these guidelines below to get the most out of your dishwasher:

Dishes

• Load and sort dishes according to manufacturer instructions, allowing water to circulate and reach all items.
• Place larger items on the bottom rack, with cups, glasses and less-soiled items on the top rack.
• Avoid over-filling to prevent your tableware from being scratched or chipped.
• For safety reasons, sharp knives should always point down.
• Dishwasher loading depends on the type of cutlery basket you have in your machine. If it only has small openings, utensils should be faced up. If your basket has large sections, place some up and some down to avoid nesting.
• Dishwasher loading includes positioning utensils with soiled parts facing up.
• Ensure long-handled utensils don’t obstruct the sprayer arms.

Cleaning Products

• When you open the door to your dishwasher, on the inside of the door you will find a dispensing compartment. This is where you put your Fortune detergent before each wash. Then, close the door. The detergent chamber opens automatically during the main wash to release the detergent.
• Beside the dispenser compartment there is the opening for the rinse aid, which must be opened to fill the reservoir. Before the first wash, fill this completely with rinse aid. Depending on the machine type, you will find that either the rinse agent LED on the control panel at the front of the machine will go out, or the visual inspection window next to the rinse aid fill opening will show when you need to add rinse aid. The rinse aid helps to deliver streak-free drying. Your dishwasher dispenses the rinse aid automatically during the rinse cycle. Depending on the rinse aid settings different amounts of rinse aid are dosed. Adjust the rinse aid setting according to your preferences of the drying result.
• You should refill the rinse aid regularly (roughly every 4 weeks), and certainly if the rinse agent indicator referred to earlier is showing that it needs refilling. Fortune Rinse Aid is suitable for all makes of machine and delivers optimal results.