A dishwasher tip specifically for those of you in North America:
Your dishwasher expects to be filled with hot water. If it takes more than 15 seconds for the water at your kitchen tap to get hot, your dishwasher may be washing with cold water for much of its cycle.
If your dishwasher seems kinda meh, try running the kitchen tap until it's proper hot and steamy before you start a wash cycle. It may make a huge difference.
