Post by Tumbleweed on Apr 28, 2012 13:11:27 GMT -6
Nothing is made well anymore as you all know. I told you all how my fridge parts keep breaking and falling apart yet it does a good job cooling and freezing.
Now it is my dishwasher. It does a wonderful job cleaning my dishes but the rinse agent dispenser broke so now I'm having to use the combo soap/rinse tablets, which works just fine, by the way. A couple months ago some of the rack tines broke and today, "another one bit the dust" (lol). So this is lovely. Three broken tines with rust getting on my dishes.
I don't remember what I paid for my dishwasher but it was a modestly priced one, that I know.
It is a Maytag, Model #MDB5130AWW.
I just went to their web-site to price replacing the whole rack.
The upper rack: $145.22
The lower rack: $172.24
Rinse aid reservoir: 21.81
Now do I seriously invest that much money not knowing if the motor or something else could die making it a waste of my money. I purchased it probably sometime in 2007 so it is probably approaching 6 years old.
Evidently, the life expectancy of a Maytag is 9 years. I, of course, could not find that information on their website. If the life expectancy of major working parts (like the motor) is, for example, 5 years, why can't they make all other parts to last about that long? Very maddening.
At best, I may get 3 more years from this dishwasher so I think that pretty much zaps the idea of purchasing new racks. I may have considered it if the three tines had been on one rack but unfortunately the top rack has two broken tines and the lower rack, one broken tine.
So my next step was to find out if I could prevent more from breaking and if I could fix the ones that are broken to prevent rust from getting worse.
I found this kit that come with "Uber Goop WHITE Dishwasher Rack Paint" and 40 caps you can place on the tops of your tines, which I think I'll order.
Amazon
Cost: $9.99
Adding the caps probably won't prevent how my particular tines broke but it can't hurt. Mine broke lower down and since they call it "paint", I'm hoping I can target the lower parts of the tines to reinforce them. I guess I'll have to wait to read the instructions to see if I can do that.
I also found there is a product called ReRack and I understand Ace Hardware carries the product or if they don't have it in stock, can order it. If you watch the video, could they have found a cornier spokesperson. ha ha ha.
And here are additional instructions on how to use the vinyl repair kit.
Some other vinyl repair paint:
Shopzilla.
Rather then paying shipping costs, check with your local hardware store or even Walmart as I heard they carry some sort of product there.
Interesting information I found while searching the web was a simple little article about how to load your dishwasher. At first I thought, now how lame is this that people need to know how to use a dishwasher. (I did think maybe my sister would benefit). But as I kept reading I felt a little foolish. They say to just rinse off your dishes but do not wash them. I know I usually put in my dishes after a quick wipe down under running water. This is apparently a bad thing to do. The soap needs something to adhere to and if the dishes are so clean the soap may end up etching your dishes.
On a side note, I have found less is more. When I first got my dishwasher I was filling both dispensers with dishwasher soap and was aggravated that etching was occurring not to mention a hazy look to my dishes. I then, on a fluke, decided to just fill one dispenser and whella! This did the trick.
Now for an admission. I do wish dishwasher companies would make their parts to last but they are not entirely at fault. My sister is very hard on my dishwasher. She forces things in places they shouldn't be forced and although I asked her not to do that, she continues this habit. Hence, no doubt, the broken tines. So I don't blame you entirely, Maytag.
By the way, I know this sounds like I'm advertising these products but be assured, I get nothing for mentioning their names. I posted them purely to help anyone else out, who may be having the same issues as I am. As of April, 2012, this is a not-for-profit site.
Now it is my dishwasher. It does a wonderful job cleaning my dishes but the rinse agent dispenser broke so now I'm having to use the combo soap/rinse tablets, which works just fine, by the way. A couple months ago some of the rack tines broke and today, "another one bit the dust" (lol). So this is lovely. Three broken tines with rust getting on my dishes.
I don't remember what I paid for my dishwasher but it was a modestly priced one, that I know.
It is a Maytag, Model #MDB5130AWW.
I just went to their web-site to price replacing the whole rack.
The upper rack: $145.22
The lower rack: $172.24
Rinse aid reservoir: 21.81
Now do I seriously invest that much money not knowing if the motor or something else could die making it a waste of my money. I purchased it probably sometime in 2007 so it is probably approaching 6 years old.
Evidently, the life expectancy of a Maytag is 9 years. I, of course, could not find that information on their website. If the life expectancy of major working parts (like the motor) is, for example, 5 years, why can't they make all other parts to last about that long? Very maddening.
At best, I may get 3 more years from this dishwasher so I think that pretty much zaps the idea of purchasing new racks. I may have considered it if the three tines had been on one rack but unfortunately the top rack has two broken tines and the lower rack, one broken tine.
So my next step was to find out if I could prevent more from breaking and if I could fix the ones that are broken to prevent rust from getting worse.
I found this kit that come with "Uber Goop WHITE Dishwasher Rack Paint" and 40 caps you can place on the tops of your tines, which I think I'll order.
Amazon
Cost: $9.99
Adding the caps probably won't prevent how my particular tines broke but it can't hurt. Mine broke lower down and since they call it "paint", I'm hoping I can target the lower parts of the tines to reinforce them. I guess I'll have to wait to read the instructions to see if I can do that.
I also found there is a product called ReRack and I understand Ace Hardware carries the product or if they don't have it in stock, can order it. If you watch the video, could they have found a cornier spokesperson. ha ha ha.
And here are additional instructions on how to use the vinyl repair kit.
Some other vinyl repair paint:
Shopzilla.
Rather then paying shipping costs, check with your local hardware store or even Walmart as I heard they carry some sort of product there.
Interesting information I found while searching the web was a simple little article about how to load your dishwasher. At first I thought, now how lame is this that people need to know how to use a dishwasher. (I did think maybe my sister would benefit). But as I kept reading I felt a little foolish. They say to just rinse off your dishes but do not wash them. I know I usually put in my dishes after a quick wipe down under running water. This is apparently a bad thing to do. The soap needs something to adhere to and if the dishes are so clean the soap may end up etching your dishes.
On a side note, I have found less is more. When I first got my dishwasher I was filling both dispensers with dishwasher soap and was aggravated that etching was occurring not to mention a hazy look to my dishes. I then, on a fluke, decided to just fill one dispenser and whella! This did the trick.
Now for an admission. I do wish dishwasher companies would make their parts to last but they are not entirely at fault. My sister is very hard on my dishwasher. She forces things in places they shouldn't be forced and although I asked her not to do that, she continues this habit. Hence, no doubt, the broken tines. So I don't blame you entirely, Maytag.
By the way, I know this sounds like I'm advertising these products but be assured, I get nothing for mentioning their names. I posted them purely to help anyone else out, who may be having the same issues as I am. As of April, 2012, this is a not-for-profit site.