It’s the subject of many debates at home just how to load and use a dishwasher properly. Most of us think we know others probably don’t want to admit it but there’s a chance you’ve been loading your dishwasher incorrectly for years. Doing this can result in broken or continuously dirty dishes.
We’ll review how to properly load your dishwasher and provide you with some other helpful tips to ensure you get the most out of your dishwasher.
Some common mistakes to avoid
- Pre-Rinsing
- Putting your glassware over the tine
- Loading Plates On Bottom Rack
- Overfilling
Table of Contents
1. Pre-Rinsing
Our first mistake that everyone makes is pre-rinsing if you’re rinsing your dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, you’re not only wasting water but you’re also wasting energy. By doing so you’re preventing your detergent from doing its job.
Dishwasher detergents are designed to clean food particles, separate them from the dish surface and break them down. If you’re not providing particles for the soap to clean to, it will attack the materials within your dishes causing them to wear down and even crack.
2. Putting your glassware over the tines
A second most common mistake is putting your glassware over the tines. it’s a common misconception that your glassware belongs over the tines and the top rack of your dishwasher.
while cuts and glasses do belong in the top rack they should actually be placed between the tines to prevent cracks or chips that can occur while they rattle or bump against each other during your wash cycle.
3. Loading Plates On Bottom Rack
The third is loading your plates on the bottom rack in the same direction. You want your place on the bottom to all to face the centre to provide better access for water and soap.
4. Overfilling
Our last very common mistake is overfilling. Just like your washing machine a dishwasher is less effective when it’s full of stuff. If the water and soap can’t freely circulate your dishes will not come out clean. To avoid overcrowding you can hand wash a few of your items.
How to Load a Dishwasher?
- Explanation
To start we’re going to look at the top rack. The items you would find in the top rack are things like your soup bowls, coffee cups, glass cups, wine glasses and you can also put some of your larger utensils that don’t fit in the basket.
Some dishwashers come with a third rack which is where you house also your silverware and other large utensils.
When loading the top rack, it is important to make sure the spray arm can reach all your dishes.
I know it’s tempting to put your cups on the bottom rack when the top is full but you must resist. The top rack is specifically designed for glassware and cuts. It receives a gentler wash and is the best place for delicate items. Cups should also be stored facedown at an angle to allow water to run off the bottoms properly.
- Smaller item
Your smaller bowl should be placed properly between the times to help prevent from water collecting. Also, make sure that they’re not overlapping at the tops this can make it difficult for water to reach inside and can cause cracks or chips.
- Lower Rack Items
Items belonging in your lower rack are things like your plates, pots and pans and other large dishes like your casserole dishes.
Note: “When loading makes sure you consider where your detergent dispenser spray arm and water jets are, it’s not the same in every dishwasher.”
Tip to load bottom rack
It’s important that the spray arm can circulate fully and the dispenser is not blocked .when you’re loading the bottom rack everything should face towards the center.
When loading your larger items like your pots pans or casserole dishes you want to make sure you’re loading them to the side or the back of the bottom rack.
If you’re loading them in the front, it is possible you will block your detergent dispenser and it won’t be able to reach the rest of your dishes. With larger bowls you don’t want to limit their water intake by placing them face down you can place them on their side to receive a much better water flow.
Here in Picture is a Perfect Diagram How to Load a Dishwasher:
How to Load Silverware in Dishwasher?
Now for the most disputed part of the dishwasher how to load your silverware? Today’s silverware baskets are a little more advanced than the old baskets. The traditional section of the basket comes with cell covers which spaces your forks spoons and knives for you.
If you’re civil where basket does not have cell covers you’ll need to make sure that you’re placing them in alternating directions for safety reasons Always put your knife face down.
For your forks and spoons mix it up, have some handles facing down some facing up, the key is to make sure that they don’t end up well spooning because this will prevent access for your soap and water.
Important things to note before loading a dishwasher
A couple of other items to note never load bronze, copper cast, iron or wood into your dishwasher. These materials cannot handle the heat a dishwasher can produce. Stainless steel and silver should never be loaded into a dishwasher next to each other. If the two types touch during a wash cycle a reaction may occur and your silver would be damaged.
Always check that your plastics are dishwasher safe before putting them in. If your dishwasher has an exposed heating element the plastics should be placed on the top rack to prevent from melting .if your dishwasher has a concealed heating element then your plasticware can be placed anywhere within your dishwasher.
That’s How Dishwasher works.
Dishwasher Detergent Guidelines
All the charge of powders liquids and packets can clean well but the detergent must be fresh, or it won’t do the job a good. Rule of thumb is to buy only what you can use in a two-month span, so those large Costco size detergents are no no.
They should also be stored in a cool dry area of the home putting them under the sink can cause your detergent to clump.
Some Last words
well, we have tried to answer the most common question “How to load and use a dishwasher” properly? we have tried to explain all the necessary details to that your dishwasher works the way you want it to perform. Although We a have list of best dishwasher deals for getting low priced dishwasher but still it’s important to care for this amazing machine.
Following the above-mentioned details, it will not only increases the efficiency of the dishwasher but also makes sure your expensive smart washer stays for a long time.