How To Save Money when you use your dishwasher at home

How To Save Money On Your Dishwasher:

1) Run the dishwasher only when it is full. A typical dishwasher costs about $60 to $100 a year to run with 80% of the cost due to heating the water needed for it. Running a partially filled dishwasher two times will use twice as much energy as running a full load once since dishwashers don't have different load size settings. 

2) Purchase a dishwasher that requires less hot water. Dishwashers differ in the amount of hot water used in the wash cycle. The manufacturer's specifications or the Energy Guide label should list this information. 

3) Check to see if your purchase of an energy efficient dishwasher will qualify for a state tax credit. Some states offer tax credits on your personal income tax when you purchase an energy-efficient dishwasher model.


4) Do not install your dishwasher next to your refrigerator. The heat and moisture given off by the dishwasher will increase the refrigerator's energy consumption. If you must put them next to each other, place a sheet of foam between them for insulation. 

5)  Use the energy saving setting on your dishwasher 

6) If you have a choice between an "air-dry" and "heat-dry" setting on your dishwasher, choose the air dry setting. It will use 15% to 50% less energy than the heat-dry setting. 

7) Turn your dishwasher off after the final rinse and open the door. It will take some time for the dishes to dry, but they will dry without using any energy. 

8) If your dishwasher has a "rinse hold" setting, you want to avoid this option. This rinse hold setting typically uses an extra 3 to 7 gallons of hot water for each wash. 

9) Choose the shortest wash cycle on your dishwasher. A short cycle uses less energy and will work just as well on everything but the dirtiest of dishes. 

10) Although many newer dishwashers do not require you to rinse dishes off before loading, many people still do. If you prefer to pre-rinse your dishes, use cold water to do so.

11) I also have not bought dishwasher soap in over 2 years because of coupons, I was able to get tons for free so that has helped with the cost of the dishwasher.  Or    I save on detergent by buying any brand on sale, and mixing it 50/50 with baking soda. I use 2 T per load. I also only run my dishwasher in the late evening.