5 Tips for Loading a Dishwasher Efficiently
You might think that loading a dishwasher isn't exactly rocket science, but there's actually more to it than you might have otherwise thought. Back in October, we got a brand new dishwasher from Hoover. I've never had a dishwasher before so it was all new and exciting to me.
I thought you just stacked up your plates, cups etc any old how, but Tom pointed out that there's actually a knack to it. So I thought "I wonder how many other people have had a dishwasher installed for the first time who are unsure as to how to load it in the most efficient way". So I thought I'd do a blog post with some hints and tips!
Make sure your dishes are facing forwards
There's no point having your plates, bowls etc pointing away from the dishwasher door. Make sure they're all facing forwards so as to ensure they get a good, thorough clean every single time. No matter how stuck on the food might be, a dishwasher will be able to clean it to an immaculate standard, but only if it's facing the right direction.
Angle the dishes slightly downwards
You might find that the prongs in the draw will naturally allow this to happen, ours does. But if it doesn't try to angle the dishes downwards slightly. This is because the jet streams come from the bottom of the dishwasher (and also from other places), so it's far more likely to clean your dishes to a good standard first time around and without the need for a prewash.
Don't overcrowd the racks
It can be tempting to pack the dishwasher full to the brim, but don't do this. Granted, it has to be filled to a high capacity to make setting off the dishwasher as cost-effective as possible, but if you over-fill it, much like a washing machine, it's less likely to clean every single plate etc in there as it's too tightly packed together. I like to leave a space between each plate to ensure everything can be cleaned adequately.
Refrain from pre-washing the dishes in the sink
It's very tempting to rinse off your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, but this isn't needed. Filters etc are in place to prevent buildup of food and debris, so don't worry about compromising the integrity of your dishwasher by not prewashing. The general rule is to scrape off the remaining food into the bin and then place the dish straight into the dishwasher for cleaning later. So don't bother prewashing the plates etc in the sink because the dishwasher will do this all for you.
Ensure everything you put in there is dishwasher-safe
You need to check the bottoms of all of your dishes, plates, cups, bowls etc, because this will specify whether or not they can be placed in a dishwasher. If you put something in there that isn't meant to go in a dishwasher, you could end up damaging the cup, bowl, plate etc. Usually, pictures, lettering or designs will peel off and they'll never be the same again. If you have any mugs your treasure or fine bone china plates, then don't put them in the dishwasher. Other things you shouldn't put in the dishwasher includes:
- Anything antique or made from china
- Thin plastic items
- Non-stick pans
- Cast iron pans
- Copper pans
- Crystal
- Sharp knives
- Insulated mugs
- Silver
Be sure to check the manual of your dishwasher because you might find that there are programmes it can run that are specifically designed for certain materials and kitchenware. For example, our dishwasher has a crystal glass setting and a tupperware setting etc. It might be that you can put some of the aforementioned things in, but if in doubt, don't do it.
***
I hope you enjoyed this blog post, or found it useful? Let me know in the comments if you too have just had a dishwasher installed when you didn't have one before and I'll see you again very soon with a brand new blog post :)
***
WHERE TO FIND ME
PREVIOUS BLOG POST
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Comments
Post a Comment