The ultimate dishwasher hacks

A great tip to save you time is to make sure you organise your silverware before loading the dishwasher. Photo / Getty

Don't be fooled by its name, a dishwasher can do far more than just clean your dishes.
There are lots of sneaky hacks hidden on the Internet that will help to show you what else you can do with your dishwasher and how best to get it clean quickly.

From using vinegar and a toothbrush to give your dishwasher a really thorough clean to using it to cook food, there are lots of things you might be missing out on.

These dishwasher hacks have been put together using various different websites and blogs and will be sure to help you use your dishwasher to its full potential.

Coupon website Thekrazycouponlady put together some unexpected dishwasher hacks to clean everything.

She says to use a toothbrush to make sure that all of the small crevices are cleaned properly.

Another hack to help remove those tough stains like those found on casserole dishes is to add a little bit of extra dishwashing soap to them before placing it inside.

A great tip to save you time is to make sure you organise your silverware before loading the dishwasher.

You then won't need to try and sort them all out when it's finished and you want to get the job done quickly.

The website does, however, make one thing clear: make sure you don't let your spoons
"spoon".

Place some utensils up and others down for an even clean so that there isn't any way that they can go unwashed.

Thekrazycouponlady shares a really top tip when she says that you should run hot water in your sink before starting the dishwasher.

She writes: "When you run hot water in the sink before starting a cycle, you're ensuring dishes will be hit with hot water first instead of cold.

"This is especially important during the wintertime."

You can also sanitise your sponges and scrubbers by placing them in the top rack of your dishwasher.

This is good to do because otherwise you will be trying to clean things with dirty utensils.
Another top tip says to make sure you always unload the bottom rack first.

This ensures any pooled water caught in cups and bowels don't spill down onto the dried dishes below.

Finish also shares a very unusual dishwasher hack that you might not have thought of before: It says that you can in fact cook salmon fillet easily in your dishwasher.

They explain: "The reason is down to steam - your dishwasher won't likely exceed temperatures of 70C, so in fact it won't overcook (although you will have to run it on your highest setting).

"Rather, it cooks slowly to a melting texture, not dry or toughened out."
Their tip is to ensure the fillet is wrapped tightly in foil - and make sure you don't use detergent this time.

Thekitchn put together 10 tips to help the dishwasher run better and it included cleaning the dishwasher trap.

They say: "Down in no-man's land, under the lower sprayer, there's usually a piece that is removable.

"Under it you'll usually find bits of food that didn't make it out the drain or even pet hair (eww) if you have a fur-ball of any kind running around your home.

"Sometimes the tray comes out fully so it can be rinsed in the sink; sometimes a towel is needed to remove the gunk buildup."

They also said not to confuse scraping with washing.

Don't bother washing your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher but do make sure you scrape the food off the plates before you load them.

It will help to reduce particles stuck onto dishes.

Another place with hacks for your dishwasher comes from Glamour.

They say that you can even use your dishwasher as a way to keep your food warm.

All you need to do is simply select 'Heat/Dry cycle, no water'.