How to Properly Load a Dishwasher

May 19, 2010 by desiringvirtue

I don’t know about you, but I hate it when I open the dishwasher to find that my glasses and bowls are still dirty! Usually I just blame the dishwasher or the detergent, but sometimes it is my fault. I must have missed the memo about a “correct” way of loading the dishwasher, but apparently there is. I did some research and compiled a list of tips to help make your (and my) dishwasher more efficient. Some of these tips you may already know, but some you may not, so take a look and share your own tips if I missed anything!

 

1. Quickly rinse dishes before putting them in to get the chunks of food off.
2. Put glasses, coffee mugs, plastic containers, and large utensils in the top rack of the dishwasher to keep them from breaking or melting.
3. Place bowls down the center of top rack.
4. Make sure to put glassware (as well as sippy cups!) on prongs so that they are held in place better.
5. If you are washing fragile items leave space between each of them to ensure they don’t vibrate against each other during the wash.
6. Dishes, large bowls and other items that need greater water pressure go on the bottom rack.
7. Put cookie sheets and platters along the sides of the bottom rack so they don’t prevent water flow.
8. Face items like plates in the same direction, facing toward the middle for best water flow.
9. Put pots and dishes with baked-on food  in the bottom rack facing down so that they get as much water pressure as possible.
10. Load silverware with handles down (except for knives….point them down) in the basket provided.
11. When loading utensils into their compartment mix them up so that all the spoons don’t “spoon” each other and trap food and grease.
12. Make sure that large or tall items do not hinder the washing arm from rotating freely when the tray is pushed in.
13. Don’t place large/tall items near the front or they may keep the detergent cup from opening during the cycle.
14. Don’t put extremely large bowls and pots in the dishwasher and expect your dishes to come out looking clean. Why? All the water is being trapped in those few items and not reaching the others. As sad as it sounds, wash them by hand.
15. A full dishwasher runs best, so fill it up before running.
16. Fill both cups with a good dishwasher detergent.
17. If necessary use a rinse agent.

Some of these tips were shockers to me. For instance, I love separating all of the utensils into their own compartment (mostly because it makes putting them away easier), but this truly does limit their ability to get clean. I will admit that I have put HUGE pots into the dishwasher hoping that they (and the rest of my dishes will get clean), but they never do… I always end up hand washing them anyways. So, here’s to more productive dishwashers–and happier operators!

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