Will Kool-Aid save my dishwasher ???
Will Kool-Aid help my dishwasher ?
THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS YES!!!!
Available in every grocery store and very popular kids drink, Kool-Aid can also be used as a simple way to keep your dishwasher and making it run as good as new. Kool-Aid is full of citric acid naturally found in lemons, oranges, limes, and other citrus fruits, because of Kool-Aid’s high concentration of the citric acid it is perfect for a dishwasher cleaner.
IT IS JUST THAT SIMPLE .
Running your dishwasher with Kool-Aid once a month will help to get rid of CALCIUM and OTHER MINERAL BUILDUPS. If you live in an area where the water is consider hard you probably already have noticed scale and calcium covering interior surfaces of your dishwasher . This is causing poor performance and eventually will lead to catastrophic failure. If you are already noticing “cloudy " dishes despite using good quality, fresh detergent and your dishwasher is covered by powdery looking film . It is a time to take care of the problem.
ONCE IN A MONTH TREATMENT WILL HELP!!!
There are many commercially available products that states excellent results fighting calcium buildups, but if you prefer more natural and environmentally friendly approach here is couple examples :
WHITE VINEGAR - contains anywhere from 5% to 20% acetic acid( 5$ to 7$ per gallon ) . You can just put a small glass bowl (1-2cups) in an upright position on the upper rack of the dishwasher. Fill it up and run it on the normal cycle.
Kool-aid - contains citric acid ( unfortunately i was not able to find any info about acid concentration in the mix ) CONTAINS DYE so older dishwashers with plastic tubs can get discolored .
You can just fill the dishwasher detergent dispenser with it and run it on normal cycle .
Citric acid - available in some stores and online this is the CHEAPEST way to go. You can get pure 100% citric acid online for 4$ per pound. Like Kool-Aid fill the dispenser with approximately one table spoon of the citric acid and run it on a normal cycle.
Once a month treatment which was mentioned above with the "cleaner" of your choice should be sufficient to keep your dishwasher healthy for many years.
SOME OTHER DISHWASHER TIPS:
- DO NOT WASH YOUR DISHES BEFORE - just rinse leftover food using dedicated brush or a sponge. DO NOT use the same sponge you using with regular dish soap. You can accidentally transfer soap residue in to the dishwasher and it will cause poor performance or in the worst case scenario the dishwasher will flood your kitchen .
- Every 6 months clean the air gap on the top of the sink .
- One of the best ways to keep your dishwasher in very good shape is by using good quality dishwasher detergent. Most manufacturers have been using phosphates free formulas ( because environmental concerns ) that is why it is very important to use good quality brand name dishwasher detergent. Dishwasher detergents are very hygroscopic substances ( will absorb moisture from air ) that is why it is important to keep the box closed or using small zip lock bags to keep detergent fresh and potent for many weeks.
- Always make sure that the sprayers arms spin freely and all water spraying holes are free of any debris. You can use a tooth pick or small thin wire to clean the holes.