What Are the Heat Settings on a Dishwasher For?
Having a dishwasher in your apartment is a great time-saver. If you've ever had to hand-wash dishes, you know just how much time and counter-space it can take. The dishwasher makes it possible to clean your dishes daily with minimal effort. You can start it before bed or before you leave for work and empty it hours later with sparkling clean dishes to put away.
Your dishwasher is especially helpful if you can use the settings to your greatest advantage. One of the most unclear options is heat. What heat setting should you use for dishwashers? What do the heat settings even mean? As apartment pros, we are here with the answers. Here's how to use your dishwasher heat settings to achieve efficiently clean dishes.
The Heat Settings on a Dishwasher
There are two types of heat settings on a dishwasher: Wash and dry. Every dishwasher model is a little different, so the labels may vary. Whether you have buttons or a dial (or both), you can usually set the heat of your dishwasher wash cycle and may be able to choose a heated dry cycle as well.
- Dishwasher cycle heat settings: The primary dishwasher heat setting relates to the water. Hot water can tackle tougher messes and sanitize dishes more completely. Cooler water is safer for delicate glassware and fine china. The normal setting is safe for most dishes.
- Dishwasher heated dry: Heated dry can help accelerate the drying process inside a closed dishwasher.
High Heat Washing: Tough Wash or Sanitization
Setting your dishwasher to high heat results in hotter water used during the wash cycle. This is ideal for mess and sanitization.
Tough Cleaning
High heat washing can dissolve food residue on dishes more effectively. The setting is useful for tough cooking pans and unrinsed dishes when you're in a hurry. You don't always have time to pre-rinse your dishes. If you prefer to load your plates and bowls directly into the dishwasher after a meal instead of soaking, rinsing, and pre-scrubbing, then the high-heat setting might be ideal.
Sanitization
If you need dishes to be extra sanitized, high-heat washing is also effective. The increased heat will inherently kill more germs, especially when paired with pre-rinsing.
Energy Use
High-heat washing typically involves heating water to high temperatures inside the dishwasher. This option does use more electricity than the standard mode.
Medium/Normal Heat Washing: Most Dishes
Medium or Normal heat is suitable for most dishes, most of the time. If you pre-rinse dishes, soak pans, and load the dishwasher with care, you can stick with normal heat without changing the settings up or down except on special occasions.
Normal heat paired with dishwasher detergent will get your dishes clean and ready to put back in the cabinet without extra consideration. However, be sure to do a spot-check to make sure all food residue has been washed away. Especially while you're still getting to know your dishwasher's capabilities.
Low Heat Washing: Delicate Glass and Dishware
The low heat setting on a dishwasher is for delicate wash requirements. Light, fragile, or painted dishes that could be damaged at high heat can be safely washed at low heat. This setting is ideal for glassware, fine china, and kitchen items you are putting through the dishwasher for the first time.
Wash with Caution
If an item is delicate enough for low-heat washing, check the manufacturer's washing instructions. It might be hand-wash only, and you may need to take special care steps, such as cleaning the painted dishware.
Energy Efficiency
Low heat washing, as you might guess, requires less electricity and is therefore more energy-efficient. However, due to the light washing protocols, low-heat washing is not advised on everyday dishes.
Water Heater Sharing
Low-heat washing has a lighter draw on the hot water heater. This can make it possible to perform other hot water tasks during a low-heat dishwasher cycle, such as loads of laundry or taking a hot shower.
Heat Drying
Many dishwashers also offer a heated drying cycle that you can switch on or off. Heated drying involves electric heating elements at the bottom of the dishwasher. The heat helps to dry dishes while inside the closed dishwasher to minimize the risk of water spots and make dishes easier to put away right after the cycle is done.
Heat Warning
Using heat dry will melt any plastic items that have fallen to the bottom of the dishwasher. Not all dishes are safe to heat-dry, and plastic should be kept on the upper rack during a heat-dry cycle.
Energy Use
Heat dry does take extra electricity to run the electric heating element, so it is not the most energy-efficient option. However, it can save time drying dishes as they come out of the dishwasher.
Pop the Door
An alternative to heat dry is to pop open the dishwasher door when the wash cycle is done. This promotes natural air drying instead.
Apartment with a Dishwasher in Valley Park, MO
Having an apartment with a dishwasher can be a great tool for your day-to-day life. If you're looking for a Valley Park apartment with all the amenities, you've found us at Forest Woods Apartments. Each apartment is equipped with a modern dishwasher that can save you hours every week, keeping your dishes clean without the need to hand-wash. Contact us today to book a tour of our spacious floorplans, well-appointed kitchens, and community amenities.