Getting ready for the holidays is always fun for us… the fact that our kids asked me to decorate the house last night (and we did!) might be an indication that we are ready!  We  love to decorate and get ready for the holidays.  That’s is why I was excited to partner with Sears to share some getting-ready hacks!

So… in getting ready, we bought a new dishwasher and I wanted to share some Dishwasher hacks with you, because I plan on doing all of them!    We just bought the dishwasher at Sears Home Appliances and Services.  We bought a one-year service plan, too.   It is a maintenance plan that provides whatever TLC we need (an in-home technician will fix it for us).    That’s the part that sold us on it- the convenience of the in-home service.  It is so nice to know that we can rely on them and not have to worry about finding someone if we need it to be serviced.  (When we were on vacation last year,  after we had a big family dinner party, the refrigerator broke at the house we were renting and I wish they had bought this service!  We had to run out and buy ice and coolers to keep our food cold until they had it replaced the next day.  If they had used this maintenance plan, it would have been taken care of)

OK – onto my 10 Dishwasher Hacks!

1- Wash your makeup brushes in a dishwasher.   Yep- it really works.  I wash them in the dishwasher (you should be washing them somewhere- if you aren’t already) and then I let them air dry.

2- Wash baseball hats.   With three boys and my husband all wearing baseball hats on a daily basis, they need washed often.  I just throw them into the dishwasher and let them air dry.  It works like a charm!

3- Clean Potatoes in the dishwasher!  According to WikiHow, you don’t need to use any dish detergent- just put it on a rinse cycle and you’re all set.

4- Clean your kitchen sponge.  Just throw it in with your dishes and wash it.  The high heat will kill any bacteria.

5- Wash your kids bath toys or plastic toys.   It wasn’t until I was cleaning out the tub one night, after the kids’ bath, that I noticed a slimy feeling on bath toys.  That was enough to make me start a new habit of washing their bath toys often.  I throw in any plastic toys (that can get wet), too.

6- Use it to clean your shower heads.

7- This one was surprising when I first tried it, but it works.  Clean your rain boots in your dishwasher.   It is quick and they stay in the position that you need for a good cleaning.

8- Did you know that you should run your kitchen sink before turning on the dishwasher?  The reason: It assures that the dishwasher water will be hot and ready to clean.

9-  I love this tip from homerepaittutor – use a wire to clean out the holes in the spray arm.

10- Unload the bottom rack first, to prevent the water that ends up sitting in cups and bowls from spilling  onto the dry and clean dishes below.

I hope that you liked those tips!
Find your next appliance at Sears Home Appliances and Services (they have some great deals right now for the holidays!) and don’t forget to get the Sears maintenance plan. From appliances, to repair, to parts, to warranties to home improvement, ONLY Sears has the unique expertise to take care of your house so you can enjoy your home. Sears Home Appliances and Services are the House Experts for Homeowners.  This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sears Home Appliances and Services.

TELL ME…  What is your favorite hack?