Dishwashers save water, energy and time but there are many tips to properly load and use a dishwasher.
First, it is not necessary to pre-rinse the dishes.
“It's a really big myth that you need to pre-rinse your dishes,” said Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman with Consumer Reports. “Really, what you want to do is get the large food particles off, put those in the garbage and then just put them in the dishwasher. Let the dishwasher do the work; no reason why you have to do the work.”
Most of us load the dishwasher haphazardly but placement is key.
“You want to make sure you want to make sure that you load dishes so the dirty dishes are facing center of the machine,” said Lehrman. “This way, they get most exposure to the spray and soap and they get cleaner that way.”
Make sure pots and pans face down so the jets hit the dirtiest part. Put the tallest dishes on the outside and go smaller as you move in so that bigger plates won’t block smaller ones from getting a good cleaning.
Dishwashers save water, energy and time but there are many tips to properly load and use a dishwasher. Jill Scott filed the following report.
As to whether silverware should face up or down it depends upon whether you want to get stabbed.
“You should put knife handles facing down so you don't stab yourself as you’re pulling them in and out,” said Lehrman. “It’s also important to not just take a big handful and dump them in; you want to make sure they are separated. Especially spoons.”
On the top shelf, take advantage of any folding shelves or nesting areas to make the most of your space.
As for detergent, it doesn't matter if you use powder, liquid or gel.
“You want to use an enzyme-based detergent, those have tended to do best in our tests,” said Lehrman. “But another important thing is not to overload the machine with detergent. People think putting a little is good, but a lot is better. Actually, that's not true, because the detergent will start etching your dishes if you put in too much.”
Also, a rinse aid that has its own reservoir will help keep dirt from re-depositing on dishes.
Lastly, always make sure your dishwashers are dishwasher-safe or you could ruin them.
For more information, visit www.consumerreports.org.