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Step 1
Check if leftover food appears on dishes only on the top rack. This could be due to improper water pressure in your home. To determine if water pressure is too low, place a one-quart container underneath the faucet closest to the dishwasher. Note the amount of time it takes for the container to completely fill. If it takes longer than nine seconds, contact a plumber to ask about a booster pump to increase water pressure.
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Step 2
Ensure that knives, forks and spoons are loaded with the handles down. This will let the stream of water from the dishwasher hit the dirty parts of the dishes. Make sure you aren't overloading your dishwasher; the plate and cup holders on the racks are spaced properly, so make sure you load the dishwasher according to the spacing between the plate racks.
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Step 3
Check your detergent. Old detergent is lumpy and does not dissolve well. Also use more detergent for heavily soiled dishes or if you have hard water. Never use less than a tablespoon of dishwashing detergent.
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Step 4
Make sure the detergent dispenser is free of caked-on detergent.
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Step 5
Make sure the dishes aren't interfering with the spray arms. Spray arms can be blocked by plates, large spoons or other taller items. Also, if you clean old bottles in the dishwasher, be sure no labels are clogging the spray arms.
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Step 6
Run the hot water in the faucet closest to the dishwasher. Fill a glass with hot water, and check the temperature with a candy or meat thermometer. The water should be at least 120-degrees Fahrenheit for proper dish washing. If your water does not reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit after it has been running for awhile, the water temperature in your home may be too low. Contact a plumber for this problem.
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Step 7
Use a detergent with a phosphorous content of 8.7 percent if you have hard water.
