Your Eco Dishwasher & Green Dishwasher Information Guide
An Independent and Expert Eco Dishwasher Review with hints and tips to make your dishwasher a green dishwasher
If you have ever looked into the different types of dishwasher makes and models, you'd be amazed at the variety available.
Some dishwashers are quicker than others, while some are more water and energy efficient and so on. This guide is here to help you make an informed decision about the most suitable
dishwashers available and above all which are the most eco friendly.
Before comparing dishwashers lets quickly understand their relative benefits:
1. All modern dishwashers are more water and energy efficient to use than
hand washing: This is only the case if
you load your dishwasher properly and to its maximum number of place settings.
2. Dishwashers are quicker than hand washing: This is the case but again only if you are washing (as a rule of
thumb) the maximum place setting of a standard dishwasher.
3. Dishwashers use unnecessarily aggressive detergent: This is the case for common detergent, but you can now
buy eco friendly detergent which we have found to be relatively good on medium to light soling.
Ideally a dishwasher can offer you a range of temperature settings, options to add in more or less detergent depending upon how
dirty the load is, adjust the amount of water required, and lastly allow you to wash small or large loads. The question is can any dishwasher today offer these functions?
Over the next few weeks you will see reviews appearing on our website showing how each diswasher has performed. We will go on
to explain what water efficiency is and what energy efficiency really means, the different technology behind the different dishwashers
and how this benefits you, and the environment.
New - Top 10 tips to making your dishwasher more Eco-Friendly
and save money!:
Prevent your dishes drying out � Make sure you either
wash your dishes in your dishwasher as soon as you use them, or keep your
dishwasher door closed with your dirty dishes inside until you are ready to
wash them. As washing recently soiled dishes, and dishes which have not yet
dried out. requires less energy and chemical action.
Don't pre-wash your dishes before putting into the
dishwasher � Save on water, you don't need to do this. We've tested many
dishwashers with pre-washed and unwashed dishes and it makes no difference to
the quality of cleaning. Just make sure you scrape of large debris before
putting them into the machine.
Ensure you use Eco-friendly dishwasher powder or liquid
� These do not contain phosphates and other chemicals which are harmful to the
environment, (and potentially you! - we have chosen not to use them on this
basis!)
Don't use Finish and glass care liquids � You really
don't need them. It the majority of dishwasher detergents they add their own
finish products which help water drain of glassware quickly which resolves the
white spots you sometime see. Why add more chemicals to your mix? Keep them to
a minium or miss them out altogether!
Set your temperature cycle times to low � If you have
followed tip no 1, and prevented your dishes drying out then you will not need
such high temperatures required to saturate and peel off tough dried on
debris. This will save you a lot of energy if you do this regularly.
Fill up with Salt � Make sure if you live in a hard
water area that you fill up with salt in your dishwasher's hard water softner.
This means any detergent you use is maximised in the softer water, and your
dishwasher will last longer requiring less parts over its lifetime and thus
reduce its carbon foot print.
If you have a couple of really dirty pans and pans then
don't put them in your dishwasher - The chances are those pots and pans
really are too dirty to get cleaned by your dishwasher, and you'll end up
cleaning them by hand. So save on the water and energy and water as you can
put the rest of the load on a shorter lower temperature cycle.
Regularly clean out your dishwasher filters - This
helps your dishwasher run at maximum efficiency which means you don't end up
using more detergent to combat a less efficient machine.
Don't feel you have to use your dishwasher every day �
If you follow tip 1 and keep dirty items in your dishwasher then you will keep
your kitchen tidy as well as preventing them from drying out.
Use a dishwasher that suits you � We found many people
using full size machines when they only need a slimline or worktop dishwasher.
Make sure you have a dishwasher which meets your needs. After a few years of
inefficient use, you could afford to buy a new Dishwasher that is not only
more efficient, but the right size for you.
