How to Green a Dishwasher

With a little work and time, you can make your dishwasher run in a greener manner, which can both save you money on your energy bill and help the environment. Conserving natural resources such as energy and water can help the planet and your local environment. Making your dishwasher more energy and water efficient will help in a big way.

Step 1: Choose Your Dishwasher

Though there are ways you can turn your current dishwasher so that it runs more green, it may be good to look into replacing it if it is an older model that uses a lot of resources. Some older models do not work as well as newer models and newer models are already created more efficient, which would mean you would need to do less to make your dishwasher more green.

If you do not currently own a dishwasher or decide to purchase a new one, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. Dishwashers are not created equal, and you should take the time to research different brands or models. A good tip when thinking about going green is to find appliances that have the Energy Star rating. This rating is only given to select models that prove to be more efficient.

You should also consider how much you will actually use your dishwasher. If you live alone or with only a couple people, you may be better off purchasing a smaller model. This way, you can keep up with your dishes and not be using extra energy by running a half-full dishwasher.

Step 2: Set the Internal Heater in the Dishwasher

Dishwashers, especially older ones tend to heat the water they are using to around 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This can use a lot of electricity. Some dishwashers can be set to not heat the water as hot and you should consult your user's manual to see if yours can be set like that as well.

If not, you can always turn down the heating of your household water heater. This can save you a significant amount of money even outside of only using a dishwasher.

Step 3: Follow Some Simple Rules and Tips

By making a set of rules and tips that you can follow carefully, you can make sure that you run your dishwasher more efficiently.

• Fill your dishwasher before running it every time. This is the easiest way to make sure that your dishwasher is more efficient—by not overusing its potential. Since it uses the same amount of energy and water every time you use it, it is good to fill in both racks as much as you can.
• Do not over-rinse your dishes before placing them into the dishwasher. If you need to do this in order for your dishes to become clean, your dishwasher is not efficient and you need a new one. Rinsing the plates before putting them in the dishwasher only uses up more resources.
• Turn off the dishwasher after it is done with the wash cycle and before it goes into the dry cycle. Allow your dishes to air dry or dry them by hand. This will save on the electricity it takes to heat the air.

Taking some simple steps and following rules can help save you money and help the environment.