Do you shut your dishwasher after use? The answer is probably yes - it’s neater after all. However, experts have revealed leaving your dishwasher door shut can damage the appliance.
Leaving the dishwasher door open seems a little unsightly, right? It’s something we’re probably all in agreement with - especially if you've invested in one of the best dishwashers.
But this is actually detrimental to the machine's wellbeing. After making an effort to learn what things you should never put in your dishwasher, you don’t want to make this dishwasher mistake.
Constantly keeping your dishwasher door closed increases mould growth, mildew and bad smells.
What happens if I keep my dishwasher door shut?
‘When the dishwasher door is shut, moisture is trapped. This creates a moist, warm environment that's the ideal breeding ground for mould and bacteria,’ says Steve Horner, kitchen hygiene expert at Cladding Monkey.
‘This will lead to bad smells, mould growth and mildew, which all combine to make your dishwasher much less hygienic than it should be.
‘Your dishwasher being unhygienic can lead to your dishes and cutlery being unhygienic too, with bacteria spreading from dishwasher to cutlery, cutlery to mouth, and therefore potentially making you ill when you use the cutlery.
‘It's also an issue because mould and mildew can be hard to remove once it's developed. You might have to spend money on hiring a professional cleaner to deal with the issue, which could be expensive yet easily prevented.’
Inviting mould and mildew to your machine goes on to cause greater problems than the obvious, according to Maria Anderson, Cleaning and Organising Expert at Henfield Storage.
‘The constant moisture trapped inside a closed dishwasher can increase the corrosion of metal components, which leads to rust and damage,’ says Maria
‘Leaving the door closed can disrupt the drying process, this leaves the dishes damp and potentially prone to water spots.
‘When the dishwasher door is closed, moisture gets trapped inside, which leads to the creation of hard water stains on the interior surfaces. These stains are difficult to remove and can impact the appearance and performance of your dishwasher.’
If you've been making this mistake for a while you can turn back time by using a good dishwasher cleaner like Vamoosh 6 in 1 dishwasher cleaner from Amazon. It will help to clean your dishwasher thoroughly, removing bad smells, grease buildup and limescale.
How far should I leave my door open?
Leaving your dishwasher open doesn’t mean you have to leave it fully wide open all day, according to Steve.
‘Ideally, we should be keeping our dishwasher doors open for a little bit after a cycle has ran and completed,’ he says.
‘It doesn't need to be kept open forever, just enough to let the excess moisture out. An hour or two after your cycle has finished should be fine, but there's really no harm in leaving it open until its next use.
All you have to do is leave your door ajar, too - just enough for the moisture to escape.
Next time you go to swing the door shut, stop yourself - take a moment to ensure the dishwasher is open, letting all the pent up moisture escape.
