Dishwashers are among the most useful household appliances. With a dishwasher in your home, you can save time hand washing your dishes after every meal.
You can place all the dishes you use throughout the day in the dishwashing machine and run them only once during the day. But are you wondering: “Should I leave the dishwasher door open when not in use?”
If you own a dishwasher, you must know how to take care of it; it is not a big deal. I will provide you with everything.
Let’s start and discover whether you need to leave the dishwasher door open when it is not used.
Should I Leave the Dishwasher Door Open When Not in Use?
After washing the dishes in the dishwasher, you should leave the door open so that it airs out.
Keeping the dishwasher door closed creates a warm, moist environment that is ideal for mold and other bacteria to grow in.
Leave the dishwasher door open after each cycle
Despite dishwashers’ usefulness, they are still the least-owned home appliance among Americans, according to the Residential Energy Consumption Survey by the US Energy Information Administration.
This is surprising as dishwashing machines waste less water than hand-washing dishes and are more convenient overall.
If you are among those who own a dishwashing machine, you should know how to properly take care of it so that it lasts longer and avoid damaging the machine.
This is because the inside of a dishwasher is constantly submerged in warm water, which, if not dried out, makes it the perfect environment for mold and bacteria to grow in.
Also, the moist environment can lead to your dishwashing machine developing an unpleasant odor that can cling to your dishes.
One way to avoid this issue is by leaving the dishwasher’s door open when not in use. By leaving the door open, you allow the remaining moisture of the dishwashing cycle to get out and the machine completely dry.
Read more: Can Dishwasher And Washing Machine Use Same Waste Pipe?
Why Is It Useful to Leave the Dishwasher Door Open?
Evaporation of the remaining heat and moisture
The dishwasher door should be left open to let any residual heat and moisture escape. Heat and moisture can be hazardous factors that have the power to wreak havoc on the indoor climate.
So, leaving the door open protects machine components and guarantees that dishes placed in it are spotless and dry.
Prevention of bacteria growth
Bacteria thrive and increase in damp environments. Massive bacterial development will lead to serious health concerns for you and the people in your household.
The number of bacteria in the dishwasher may drop to a few weak colonies if the door is left open. Moreover, bacteria cannot endure dry conditions for very long, so they will disappear.
Prevention of mold
Mold is something you want to keep out of the dishwasher as much as possible. If moisture remains in your dishwasher, mold, and mildew can grow, as this is the perfect environment for them.
Once they have grown, molds produce spores to aid in their reproduction. These spores are harmful allergens that significantly negatively impact those with asthma and hypersensitivity in the home.
How to Clean Your Dishwasher
If you last used your dishwasher a while ago, you will need to clean it before washing any dishes.
If you want to remove any bacteria, mold, or mildew growths inside the machine, you must first use solvent as part of your cleaning process. Strong detergents work fairly well when it comes to getting rid of any such growths.
In order for the cleaning to be thorough, you can use bleach solutions or white vinegar. However, since the dishwasher’s inside is composed of stainless steel, it is not advised to use a bleach solution to clean it.
So, it is better to use vinegar to clean the inside components of the dishwasher.
You can use a toothbrush to clean out any grime collected in small fittings and corners. Also, use a sponge or a cloth to clean the remaining moisture.
Also read: How To Remove Mildew From Rubber Seals On Washing Machines
Conclusion
Should I leave the dishwasher door open when not in use? Well, as I said, the answer is yes. It would be best to leave open the dishwasher door to let the remaining heat and moisture completely evaporate.
However, letting the moisture gather inside the dishwasher can lead to mold and bacteria growing in the machine.
