Revealed! The Right Way To Load Your Dishwasher!

September 14, 2018 | Dishwasher Repair, Help & Advice | No comments

Loading and unloading the dishwasher is the source of many household rows! We’re here to settle the debate once and for all and give you the best advice on how to load your dishwasher!

Believe it or not, the way you load your dishwasher can affect just how clean your dishes come out. Follow these tips for perfectly clean dishes and no more arguments!

To Pre-rinse or Not to Pre-rinse?

Hands Washing Yellow Plate In Black Sink

Most modern dishwashers have the ability to remove stubborn dirt and food stains from your dishes so there’s no need for a pre-rinse. But, you should make sure that food is scraped off the plate and into the bin before it enters the dishwasher.

Top Rack

Glass And Orange Mug In Dishwasher

The top rack is for cups, glasses, small bowls and dishwasher safe plastic.

Place mugs between the tines and ensure they are facing downwards to prevent them filing with unclean water.
Arrange wine glasses carefully and ensure there is enough space between them so they don’t bump into each other and break.
Carefully place bowls on the middle rack and also facing downwards.

Bottom Rack

Dishwasher Looking Empty With A Few Plates And Cutlery

The bottom rack is for plates, large bowls and other large items.

Load plates and bowls so the dirty side faces the sprayer arm.
Pots, pans and casserole dishes should be angled downwards and not be blocking the sprayer.
Flat pans should be placed along the sides and back. Never place them by the front as they can prevent the detergent from reaching other dishes.
Separate stainless steel and silver flatware. If the two rub together during a wash, it could damage the silver.

Cutlery

Knives, forks, spoons and other small cutlery should be placed in the cutlery basket without blocking the sprayer.

Don’t overload cutlery and ensure they aren’t sticking together so the water can get to every one.
Place sharp knives facing downwards as they could cause harm when emptying the machine.
Larger cutlery should be placed lying flat in the top rack.
Smaller objects such as bottle caps can also be placed in the cutlery basket.

Dishwasher Dos and Don’ts

Do

Separate and sort dishes before loading them in the dishwasher.

Unload the bottom rack first to avoid dirty water being spilt onto dishes.

Select the right dishwasher detergent for your machine and follow the instructions.

Clean your dishwasher regularly to keep it lasting for longer.

Dont’s

Overload the machine as this can damage your items.

Use too much detergent. This will create a film around your dishes and mean they will need to be washed twice.

Block the sprayer with large items.

For more tips on loading your dishwasher, check out our Advice Centre.

Tags: Dishwasher Loading, Dishwasher Tips