Dishwashers are one of the most hardworking home appliances. On a day-to-day basis, they’re in charge of the heavy lifting at the end of a family meal. Let’s face it, without dishwashers, the kitchen wouldn’t be such a relaxing and fun happy place for most. But did you know there’s a correct way to load your dishwasher? That’s right, if you want it to work as efficiently as it can, there are some basic rules you should follow. Here are a few of them.
Remove leftover food
Sounds obvious, right? Well, not many people follow this basic rule. You’ll be surprised to hear that, most of the time, leftover food gets caught in the dishwasher and clogs it. There’s absolutely no need to pre-wash dishes (waste of time and precious water!), but larger food particles should be removed before loading. If there’s anything super sticky or baked on try scraping it off or soaking the dish to loosen it a bit. Otherwise, you risk baking it on even more during the heated dry cycle.
Keep utensils together, but don’t overcrowd!
For the most powerful wash, position the forks and spoons sticking up. For safety, we recommend keeping the knives stabbing downwards. For the water to properly clean every surface, and to minimise scratches as well, don’t cram too many utensils into the basket at once. A little handy trick is to disperse the spoons across different compartments so they don’t stick together.
Load dishes correctly
Dishes do have recommended places within the dishwasher, and your cycle will run more smoothly if you stick to the manufacturer’s guidelines for those advised zones. Pots, pans, and other items that require more thorough washing should be arranged on the bottom rack of your dishwasher since that’s where it will perform the most thorough cleaning.
Plastics should always be on the top rack because the heating element in the bottom of the device can bend, melt or otherwise cause harm to your plastics. The upper rack is also good for smaller items, like bowls and cups.
And finally, plates should always be stacked on their sides in the plate slots. These slots are designed to keep them properly distanced so that the spray can reach them.
Don’t put everything in there
It’s so tempting to load the dishwasher with everything when you’ve had a long day and just want to get to bed, but this is a big no-no! Avoid putting in sharp knives which will dull as a result, and keep anything wooden out of there (they might crack). Pans, especially of the nonstick variety, don’t belong—they’re bulky and damage-prone. A good rule of thumb is don’t put anything in there that you would hate to lose, such as fine china, family heirlooms or that ceramic bowl you just made.
There’s no need to be overly cautious with dishwashers, but there is a right way to load them so you can maximise their performance and avoid any damage.
