Rust in Kitchenaid Superba KDS16 Dishwasher

[washermatt]

Hi: I have a Kitchenaid KDS-16 "Superba" Dishwasher which is about 40 years old. It is in very good mechanical condition and I want to keep using this machine if I can. The problem is that the interior of the door, as well as the interior of the tub is deteriorating. Specifically, I believe the interior was originally either a white porcelain, or baked on ceramic or enamel of some kind, but now, (especially on the interior of the door), the baked on finish is becoming pitted and starting to disintegrate. This is leaving bare exposed metal and rust spots, which are getting worse. Does anybody have any advice as to how I can refinish or repair the interior door, and repair the rust spots in the tub so that I can continue to use this machine? What materials can be safely and properly used for doing this? I see that some of the members here do excellent restoration jobs on old appliances, and I was wondering what suggestions they might have, and how they might restore the interior of these machines to "like new" condition. Thank you for any help you can provide.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Matt, KitchenAid used several layers of porcelain on their dishwasher tanks and inner doors. Even if the top white layer is chipped, the dark porcelain under it will prevent rusting of the metal. Are you sure that this is not a case of iron deposits from the water supply? Have you tried rubbing a small rusty place with either lemon juice or cream of tarter or a little Barkeeper's Friend on a wet cloth? The deposits you are seeing might be iron oxide accumulation around the rough edges of chips as opposed to rust coming from beneath, at least we would all hope so for your sake and your dishwasher's.

To prevent chips from the silverware basket, make sure that the slot for utensils is closest to the door. That prevents or greatly lessens the chance for knife handles to tap against the door due to the wash action.

If the chips are deep and unsightly, an epoxy touch up will restore the appearance and prevent rusting, You will want to use the more durable two part formula like is sold for sinks and bathtubs where you combine the resin with the hardener and let it wait the required time before applying. We have found that it holds up over many years. The batch you mix up will stay usable for a couple of days so you can cover it with plastic wrap and keep it chilled between coats. While you will have to buy more than you need in the kits sold near the sinks and tubs at HD or Lowes, the unused resin and hardener in their separate containers will store almost forever since they just sorta sit there inert and don't degrade. Then you will have a supply for treating rust in washer tubs, etc. I have used it to paint the inside of WP dryer drums and even with the tumbling clothing rubbing past it, it holds up for many years before I have to recoat the worn area, like that little outward bump just to the right of the heated air inlet screen on the rear blukhead.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

 

[washermatt]

Rust in KitchenAid KDS16 Superba Dishwasher

Tom: Thank you so much for your reply concerning how to repair the damaged interior door surface of my KitchenAid KDS16 dishwasher. Do you have a recommendation as to what brand of expoxy touch up paint is the best for this purpose? Also, I was thinking of taking the inner door panel out of the dishwasher and repainting the entire panel so that it would look more uniform. I know that this would entail detaching the soap dispenser, rinse dispenser, etc., but perhaps the work might be worth it. If I did that, could I use a "one part" expoxy paint to spray the entire panel?

Finally, does anybody have an undamaged KitchenAid KDS-16 interior door panel that they wish to sell? I really am trying to keep this machine in good order, and I appreciate anybody's input on this. And again Tom, thank you for your reply.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Matt, More is not better in this case. Painting the whole thing needlessly runs the risk of trapping moisture between the paint and the porcelain and actually causing rust. The epoxy is never as strong a material as porcelain, but it does a wonderful job of bonding to the chipped spots. I don't think the brand of paint matters, but do use the two part stuff and apply it with a tiny brush to just fill the chips. After it cures, apply a second coat.

 

[washermatt]

Tom: Thanks again for your great advice. I appreciate your help.