Appliance Rescue Tipline: Help! Something Melted in my Dishwasher!

As an appliance repair company in Dallas, we’ve heard this phrase before! And we don’t blame you.

We know you put all the plastic items perfectly organized on the top rack, but somehow during the cycle, that pesky plastic utensil slipped through the cracks and landed on your heating element in the bottom of your dishwasher.

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So now, you’re left with the pungent smell of burning plastic and no clue how to get it off without dishwasher damage. Follow these easy steps from Appliance Rescue to remove melted items from your dishwasher:

Step 1: Disconnect the Dishwasher

Locate the power cord (normally under the sink beside the dishwasher) and disconnect the unit from all power sources.

Step 2: Finish Unloading Dishes/Cool Dishwasher

Take all dishes out of the dishwasher for easier assess to the burning issue at the bottom of your dishwasher. While unloading, the dishwasher will cool. Do not attempt to remove the melted item before the dishwasher is completely cooled off.

Step 3: Remove Melted Item

The best way to do this is to grab some ice from the freezer, put it in a Ziploc bag, and place the ice on the melted object. The ice will help the plastic harden, which helps make it easier to remove. Gently pry the plastic item away from the heating coil, carefully avoiding any damage to the coil or pulling hard enough to disrupt the brackets holding it in place.

Step 4: Remove Plastic Residue

Grab some acetone-based nail polish remover and put some on a clean cloth. Apply the cloth of nail polish remover to the melted plastic residue for at least 5 minutes, then begin scrubbing until all plastic is removed.

Step 5: Clean the Heating Element

Put a little dish soap and warm water on a sponge and gently clean the heating element to remove any remaining plastic or nail polish remover. Rinse and repeat until you are satisfied.

If you are still concerned about ruining the heating element, you can always call the experts at Appliance Rescue Service in Dallas, Texas! Our team will take care of your appliance repairs in no time, with fast, courteous service that doesn’t cost a fortune.

4 Tips to Get your Garbage Disposal Ready for the Holidays!

As a company who focuses on appliance repairs, we know how easy it is to overlook the hidden appliance in your kitchen: the garbage disposal.

The holiday season is the biggest food prep season of them all, and with it comes a lot of garbage disposal usage. Get your disposal ready for the holidays with these simple tips from Appliance Rescue Service in Dallas, Texas:

1.   Scour the Disposal for Any Caked on Grime:

Sometimes after extended use, grime and debris can get stuck to the insides of the disposal, rendering it less effective. Try dropping 3-4 ice cubes in your disposal and running it. The shards of ice will have an abrasive effect on the inside of your disposal, removing debris you would otherwise miss.

2.   Be Mindful of What DOESN’T Go in a Disposal:

There are certain food waste items that just don’t belong in the disposal, and if washed down, could cause Dallas garage disposal repair. Keep oil, grease, potato skins, coffee grounds, bones, fruit pits, and any non-food items/trash out of your disposal.

3.   Clean and Deodorize:

After using your disposal, sometimes you might smell some unpleasant odors coming up from the drain. Consider putting fruit peels – such as orange or lemon peels – in the drain and running the disposal. This will naturally deodorize the space. You can also pour vinegar and baking soda into the disposal, run it, and then wash down with cold water.

4.   Use the Disposal Regularly:

While over use can cause issues, so can under use! Use your garbage disposal on a regular basis leading up to the holidays to avoid rust or corrosion to parts, which can lead to garbage disposal replacement.

Should you run into any unwanted garbage disposal issues during the holidays, be sure to call the experts at Appliance Rescue Service! Our team will have you up and running again in no time, so that you can focus on all the things that are important during this busy season – not appliance repairs.

Tips & Tricks: Dishwasher Not Draining

Here’s an appliance issue that just about everyone can relate to: your dishwasher is not draining properly.

It’s a common appliance headache and one that our technicians at Appliance Rescue Service fix on a routine basis. When your dishwasher isn’t draining, it is important to get the situation under control asap as to avoid hand washing piles of dishes or having unwanted smells in the kitchen. Before calling the experts at Appliance Rescue, try these tips and tricks to see if they fix the issue:

1.   Clean the Drain Basket

When something isn’t draining – whether it’s a sink, shower, or dishwasher – one would assume there is a clog somewhere and there is no better place to start than with the drain basket. Look near the base of the spray arms or off to the side of the dishwasher, locate the drain basket, and clean it out. While a little gross, removing the sludge and food debris from the drain basket may be the key to your issue.

2.   Run an Empty Load

Sometimes all it takes is an empty run cycle to push any clogs through and solve the problem. You will quickly know after the wash cycle whether or not this worked to solve your dishwasher drain issue.

3.   Inspect the Garbage Disposal Hose

Many dishwashers are tied to the garbage disposal, so when a clog happens in the garbage disposal, the problem manifests itself in the dishwasher. To check this issue, disconnect the garbage disposal, and then disconnect the disposal hose. Use a long object to push any debris out of the hose (a screwdriver works well), reconnect, and then run another empty dishwasher cycle to see if the issue is fixed.

4.   Look for a Drain Hose Kink

Check your owner’s manual to see where the drain hose is located, but most commonly, it’s located below the door hinges on the front of the dishwasher.  Remove the panel cover and you should see the hose right there. Look for any kinks or visual issues.

Still having dishwasher drain issues? We hope these tips helped to solve the issue, but if not, it might signify a more serious problem with your unit. Call Appliance Rescue Service in Dallas, Texas today to get the problem solved quickly and professionally. 

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5 Tips to Extend the Life of Your Appliances

It’s easy to forget what workhorses our major appliances are. Dishwashers, disposals, washing machines, ovens, microwaves, and even refrigerators are the unsung heroes that keep our homes running smoothly.

Don’t let these valuable home assets deteriorate before their time! Follow these simple appliance maintenance tips from Appliance Rescue Service to extend the life of your home appliances:

1.    Dishwashers – Pre-Rinse all Dishes

Many dishwashers these days claim a pre-rinse is unnecessary for crystal clean dishes, but it’s still a good idea for the health of your dishwasher. Over time, food debris can stop up the spray arms and could cause the pump to fail prematurely.

2.   Washing Machine – Don’t Overload the Clothes

It’s easy to want to cram as much clothes into the washing machine as possible, but don’t! This could lead to washing machine repair. Overloading requires the washing machine to work harder than it’s intended, stressing the motor, tub bearings, and other essential washing machine parts.

3.   Refrigerator – Keep it Clean

A clean refrigerator is an efficient refrigerator. This includes cleaning the inside of the refrigerator on a routine basis, not overstocking the refrigerator, and cleaning the ever-important condenser coils twice a year.

4.   Oven – Remove Food Debris Often

Don’t let spills or grease build up on the inside of your oven. Get in there with a little elbow grease and keep the inside spic and span.

5.   Dyer – Clean the Dryer Vent After Each Load

Get in the habit of cleaning the dryer vent after every load. If you don’t, your dryer has to work harder to get clothes dry, causing it to give out more quickly.

If you ever run into an issue where you need appliance repair in Dallas, call the experts at Appliance Rescue Service! Expertise.com recently recognized us as one of the best appliance repairmen in Dallas!

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7 Things You Never Knew You Could Put in the Dishwasher

Sure, a dishwasher is traditionally used for washing dishes. But what if we told you it’s a great place to wash plenty of other household items too?! High heat, water, and suds do all the work to get your items sparking clean. Appliance Rescue Service in Dallas, Texas presents 7 things you never thought to put in the dishwasher:

·      Grill Grates:

You’ve scrubbed and scrubbed, and they just won’t get clean. Try putting them in the dishwasher on an overnight cycle (or any longer cycle) and high heat and see the grease melt away.

·      Shin guards and Mouth guards:

Place these on the top rack to prevent the plastic from warping.

·      Glass Light Covers:

Over time, dust builds up on light fixture covers. Why not throw them in the dishwasher for crystal clear results?

·      Shoes:

Plastic shoes – think rain boots or flip flops – are easy to clean in the dishwasher. Place them on the top rack to prevent issues. Also – don’t forget to remove any shoe liners before washing.

·      Plastic Hairbrushes:

If your brush or comb is plastic, then remove the hair form the bristles, and take it for a spin in the dishwasher. It will be clean and sanitized in no time!

·      Potatoes:

Rather than spending time scrubbing a big batch of potatoes, just put them all on the top rack – without soap – and rinse them all at one time.

·      Baseball caps:

While the washing machine can ruin a baseball cap, washing it in the dishwasher is a safe bet. Just be sure to buy a baseball cap keeper first and avoid washing it with actual dishes, as food particles can get stuck in the fabric.

And as with all things, before trying any of these dishwasher cleaning tips, be sure to check your dishwasher’s user manual.

Looking for more dishwasher tips? Appliance Rescue Service is happy to help! Our expertly trained staff can answer any questions you have about Dallas dishwasher repair, dishwasher maintenance, and more.

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Additional Reading

Dishwasher Deep Dive