Many couples have long-standing disagreements over how to load the dishwasher properly. Do you find yourself constantly going back and forth with your partner about how to use your dishwasher most effectively?
Perhaps it’s such a hot-button issue because people feel like they’re wasting time, water, and energy anytime their dishwasher doesn’t do its job perfectly. It’s a horrible feeling to open the dishwasher and find crusty glasses and peanut butter still stuck on spoons.
Settle your disagreements once and for all with these handy dishwasher tips:
Handles up?
One extremely common point of debate is whether silverware should be placed in the basket with handles up or down. The best answer to this contention subject is: yes! Place your silverware with some handles up, some down, and your dishwasher will clean them most effectively.
Have you ever gone to unload your so-called clean dishes and found that the spoons are stuck together with jam, peanut butter, or another sticky substance? That’s because when spoons are placed in the same direction, they can end up nesting together. This prevents your dishwasher from cleaning the silverware well. Prevent this by alternating your silverware – some with handles up, others handles down.
On the other hand, dinner knives should always be handles up for safety’s sake.
Prewash?
Another point of contention relates to prewashing. Does it make a difference? Are you just wasting water?
It depends. Depending on the make, model, and age of your dishwasher, prewashing may be a good idea. If your dishwasher is on the older side, prewashing may be beneficial. Dishes that have a lot of loose or burnt-on food should definitely be prewashed. If your dishwasher was manufactured within the last 5-7 years, though, prewashing is pretty much totally unnecessary. Just scrape off any excess food, put the dishes straight into the dishwasher, and you’ll be good to go.
Prewashing and prerinsing can use up a lot of water to do something your dishwasher may repeat, so only do it if it’s absolutely necessary.
Load it up – but not too much
Your dishwasher will run best when you load it up fully. Plastic items, mugs, and glasses should always go on the top rack – if you put them on the bottom, they may shatter or melt (plastic). Don’t smush everything in, either – ideally, your cups and dishes shouldn’t touch so that the water can get between them during cleaning. Place your dirtiest dishes towards the center of your dishwasher, where they’ll get the most cleaning attention.
Follow these dishwasher hacks and you’ll be well on your water to dishwasher perfection in no time.
Your dishwasher specialists
Even the best dishwashers eventually stop working perfectly. If you’ve noticed that your dishwasher isn’t working as well as it used to, call Southern California’s dishwasher experts at 800-640-9934. We’ll be glad to dispatch one of our technicians to your home to figure out the problem and resolve it ASAP.
Don’t put up with a less-than-perfect dishwasher! Get it back to prime condition with expert dishwasher service from American Appliance Repair.
