Your Maytag dishwasher has many different settings and functions you probably don’t use every day. It offers many settings that the regular “wash”. It’s normal to have a habit of exploring the same settings on your dishwasher every time, however, it’s important you understand the whole capability of your dishwasher so that you can get the best out of it.
You can go beyond the usual normal cycle in your daily washing activities. This article will explain some other wash programs or settings you can explore on your Maytag dishwasher and what each cycle icon entails among other things.
Maytag Dishwasher Settings: Rinse Aid Settings
Rinse aid settings can help you boost the performance of your dishwasher. Rinse Aid in your dishwasher is a drying agent that enhances the dishwasher’s drying performance and minimizes water spots on dishes. You only need to refill it once for many washing cycles.
Numerous all-in-one detergent brands include little amounts of rinse aid in the detergent pack but you can use regular liquid rinse aid too.
Rinse aid works by dispensing during the final stage of the rinse cycle to cleanse water off dishes and the interior of the unit thereby enhancing better drying. This minimizes the water droplets formation that can leave behind white residue, streaks, and spots.
The main aim of using a rinse aid is to eliminate water spots which can be frustrating especially when you are using hard water. You’re probably using hard water if you suspect a white residue within the faucets or drains, soaps don’t lather well or there’s a ring around the tub. There might also be poor cleaning results from the dishwasher such as filming or spotting.
Rinse aid also makes dishes dry better and faster which is good if you’re not using the heat cycle because you want to save energy. If you want to use a rinse aid, You will add it to the dispenser so it releases during the final rinse cycle.
Below are other ways to get cleaner and drier dishes.
- Ensure you load your dishes in such a way that they’re slanted and not touching.
- Reduce the number of plastic in the wash load.
- Use the appropriate amount of detergent. (Check the detergent package for a guide)
- Choose a heated dry setting. E.g the PowerDry option on some Maytag dishwashers uses heat and a high-speeding fan to get 60% better drying.
Maytag Dishwasher Eco-Mode Settings
The Eco-mode is an energy-saving setting on your dishwasher that helps to reduce the wash and rinse temperatures within a cycle. Consequently, your dishwasher uses less energy than it would have otherwise used for heating the water
Activating Eco mode means your machine will use a lesser wash and rinse temperature which means less energy is needed for heating and it reduces the amount of water usage.
Generally, lower-temperature water in your dishwasher can result in poorer washing and drying performance. The hotter the setting of your dishwasher, the better it washes and dries but the higher it uses energy and water. So using the Eco mode depends on the dishes you’re washing.
If the dishes are not heavily soiled, you can expect a decent washing and drying result if you use the Eco mode. Even if they’re not well cleaned, you can rewash them. It’s a great sacrifice for using less water and energy.
Moreover, features such as internal fans and auto-opening doors can compensate to some extent. You can also just air dry your dishes after washing.
To activate the Eco mode, you’ll press and hold the Eco mode button for about 3 seconds. After that, the machine will display a 3-seconds countdown. You can also deactivate it by following the same process.
Maytag Dishwasher Sanitize Settings
For those that prefer the assurance of extra hot water, the sanitize setting is an option. The settings help release an additional force of hot water and turn up the machine heat even more. It adjusts the washer heat to about 150°C to kill every bacteria that resulted from food soil. The Sanitize settings might even include a concentrated blast of steam in the final cycle.
However, if you don’t want to use the Sanitize settings because of the water and energy consumption, you can rest assured the normal high-temperature water combined with an excellent detergent can eradicate grime, grease, and other rigorous food particles to ensure you get that sparkling clean dishes.
Maytag Dishwasher Cycles
Perhaps you’ve been using the same wash cycles for years, it’s time to learn and explore other wash cycle settings present in your dishwasher. Using a cycle that aligns with your washing needs might get you crystal clear dishes.
Traditional dishwashers usually come with three standard wash cycles: heavy, normal, and light. These settings are well designed for usual dishes and everyday dirt but your Maytag dishwasher offers more. Below are some cycles present in your Maytag dishwasher.
Normal Cycle
The normal cycle is best for everyday washing and drying. It doesn’t use intense heat or prolonged wash time to run dishes. It also treats dishes without heavy soil. The normal cycle generally runs for about 90 minutes.
Quick Wash Cycle
The quick wash cycle uses a large blast of heat and water to thoroughly clean dishes fast and effectively. It is popularly known as the 30 minutes or 1-hour wash. A quick wash cycle is a perfect option when you want to speed up the washing process. Perhaps guests are coming and you quickly want to clean chucks of lightly soiled bowls, plates, or utensils.
Delicate Cycle
The delicate cycle as the name implies washes dishes delicately. It uses a lesser temperature to protect fragile items. It is also known as the Glass cycle or Light cycle. It’s best for any items, fine china or crystal you can easily wash with your hands
High-Temperature Cycle
The high-temperature cycle is similar to sanitizing settings. It raises the main temperature of washing to over 130° to help improve washing and drying performance. It’s ideal for greasy residue or burnt-on food.
Prewash Cycle
The prewash cycle helps to cut down on the cleanup process because it soaks dishes with baked-on food. It’s also called a retreat function as it ensures you don’t have to pre-soak the dishes before you place them in the dishwasher again.
Wrap-up
The above tips and recommendations are possible ways to explore your Maytag dishwasher settings and get the best out of your machine. Rather than using the usual or normal settings, try out any of these recommendations and see if you can include them in your everyday wash cycle.
