My Chris sent me this article - it was too good to not pass along.
For the Dishwasher's Sake, Go Easy on the Detergent
"Let me start with soap. The No. 1 sin, according to repair people and appliance experts, seems to be adding too much soap to washing machines or dishwashers.
Washing machines and dishwashers are made to use far less water now than older models and, therefore, need less soap. And detergents have also become increasingly concentrated. So a little goes a long way. Following the instructions on the soap container is a good first step.
Too much detergent can make your clothes stiff and shorten the life of your machine. An excess of soap can also cause a buildup of mold and mildew.
'If people see suds, they think their clothes are getting clean, but that's wrong - it means you're using a lot of extra detergent.'
Use this test to determine if you are oversoaping. Take four to six clean bath towels, put them in your front-loading machine (one towel for a top loader). Don't add any detergent or fabric softener. Switch to the hot water setting and medium wash and run it for about five minutes.
Check for soap suds. If you don't see any suds right away, turn off the machine and see if there is any soapy residue. If you see suds or residue, it is soap coming out of your clothes from the last wash.
Dishwasher
Too much soap is also a problem in dishwashers and can cause dishes and glasses to look filmy Again, check the detergent container for recommended amounts - you definitely don't have to fill up the entire soap container in the dishwasher.
Also, if your plastic items come out still wet, that doesn't mean your dishwasher is not doing its job. Most dishwashers today emit less heat than the older models, so plastic doesn't dry completely.
Loading the dishwasher right will also get your dishes cleaner. Load large items at the sides and back of the dishwasher so that they don't block water and detergent from reaching other dishes.
Place the dirtier side of the dishes toward the center of the machine for more exposure to spray.
Load silverware in the individual silverware slots most dishwashers now include. If you have an open basket, mix forks, spoons and knives to prevent them from sticking together.
Also, remove baked on food and large chunks, but prerinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher is not only unnecessary, it wastes thousands of gallons of water and could actually result in dirtier dishes - the soap needs something to work against to get the dishes clean.
Dryer
One dryer sheet is all that is needed. If you throw in many sheets, they can liquefy when the dryer gets hot and gum up the dryer.
Clean the lint below the removable filter.
Clean the lint off the dryer where it vents outdoors.
Oven
Use the self-cleaning mode more than once a year - otherwise, so many food particles have built up that when they burn off, smoke will billow throughout your entire kitchen."
Bottom line: Less is More
