Posted by 
If only high school had covered the things we really need to know. We would have had a full semester on the right way to do laundry, run the vacuum and set out the recycling. Or we’d have had to take an Advanced Placement test on how to load the dishwasher, which for most of us would have helped our daily life more than knowing how to find the length of the missing side of a triangle.
But we live in a world where trigonometry gained dominance over home economics. No wonder we can’t all get along, with everyone quarrelling about which direction silverware should face in the little flatware basket. With the goal of restoring a modicum of domestic harmony, we talked to home and cleaning experts about all things dishwasher related.
The experts offered reassurance that the struggle is real.
Morgan Eberhard, a leading principal scientist for Procter & Gamble’s North America Home Care business, hears the bickering all the time. “It’s one of the most argued-about chores between partners and roommates,” she said. “Everyone feels like their way of doing it is the right way.”
Home and lifestyle expert Jill Bauer, who is a frequent contributor on the Today show, said questions on dishwasher loading “are usually at the top of the list” from her fans.
Just in time for tonight’s after-dinner cleanup, here’s the latest on crusty pots, smeared glassware and even which way the flatware should face. No AP test required.
Load With ‘Water Reach’ In Mind
Are you always the first one to bend way over and stick that dirty cereal bowl into the far reaches of the newly empty dishwasher, thus clearing the way to more easily load the next bit of crockery? And are you expecting a medal for this?
As important as your contributions are, Eberhard said the focus on front or back pales in significance to the “water reach” issue. Considering where the water comes from is the key to proper loading, she said. “The water source rotates outward from the centre of the machine through the spray arms, and you want as clear a path as possible between water spray and dirty dishes.”
Instead of worrying about front or back, she said, “You need to prioritize proper placement to ensure water reach. Larger items are often best placed toward the back or sides of the lower rack, as this is less likely to block the detergent dispenser or spray arm.”
What’s On Top: Cups, Mugs, Bowls And Glassware
The top rack is the place for cups, mugs and bowls. “Put them face down, between the prongs, to prevent rattling. This way they’ll also get cleaned better and won’t collect water,” Eberhard said.
When it comes to items like wine glasses and other delicate glassware, she suggested leaving them a finger-width apart on the top rack or using the stemware holder if your dishwasher has one. Anything that’s made of plastic belongs on the top rack, she said. “Temperatures typically remain cooler on the top rack, which will prevent melting,” she said.
While we’re talking about placement, you might want to take a look at the cabinets above your dishwasher and load with an eye to where the clean items will eventually go, said Becky Rapinchuk, cleaning expert and founder of Clean Mama: “Group items like glasses, cups, bowls and plates together, so it’s easy to grab a stack and put them all away at once.”
Flatware And Pots: Don’t Spoon Your Spoons
While Eberhard suggested always putting the dirtiest part of a utensil facing up in the flatware basket, there are different viewpoints. Rapinchuk does it this way: “I prefer to load dirty forks tines-down and dirty spoons bowl-down, so when you’re unloading, you’re not touching what’s going to be put into someone’s mouth.”
For Bauer, it’s important to mix things up in the flatware basket. “You want to spread out how many are facing up and down,” she said. “Don’t load all of your spoons together, because you don’t want your spoons to ‘spoon’ each other and hide the dirt.”
Pots are bottom-rack placement only, Bauer said, citing the “water reach” issue that Eberhard mentioned earlier. “The key is making sure that on the bottom rack, your dishes are facing the water source, which is in the middle. She said to avoid putting them face down, and to place them on their sides instead.
“Otherwise, they’ll hog all the water, which will spray just up into that pot and not be able to disperse and spray other dishes,” she said.
What Can’t Go In There
While most things do fine in the dishwasher, there are a few no-go items. Rapinchuk cautioned against putting nonstick pans in the dishwasher. “The high heat can disintegrate nonstick surfaces,” she said.
“I’m wary of putting fine china into the dishwasher,” Bauer said. “The force of the water could cause damage, and the detergents could dull the finish on some of the metallic accents of a pattern.” She did point out that some dishwashers have a gentle/china setting. “If you feel comfortable using that cycle, just don’t overload the dishwasher, as you don’t want the dishes to rattle against each other and potentially chip,” she added.
Another no-no is anything sharp, she said. “I always think it’s best to wash knives by hand. The heat can do damage to the handles, and the way the knives jiggle around in the utensil basket can eventually cut through the basket’s bottom.”
Eberhard mentioned a few more items that should never see the inside of a dishwasher: anything made from aluminium, cast iron or wood, plus any insulated travel mugs or homemade ceramics.
Scrape And Rinse? Or Fuhgeddaboudit?
Wars have been fought over less, but Rapinchuk diplomatically agreed that, when it comes to scraping and rinsing (or not), “the topic is controversial.” She herself scrapes off excess food, does a quick rinse and then loads items into the dishwasher. “I prefer to do this because I feel like everything gets cleaner, and it’s less work for the dishwasher and filter,” she said.
Bauer agreed, with a clear definition. “Scraping and rinsing doesn’t mean washing the dishes by hand before loading,” she clarified. “But you definitely want to get all of the loose food scraps off so they don’t clog your dishwasher filter and cause problems with the way your machine functions. If you’ve left something in your sink that is really caked on, let it sit with some hot water on it for a few minutes before loading, to soften the residue a bit.”
As you’re getting ready to hit the “on” button, consider this pro tip: “Before you run the dishwasher, start your kitchen faucet running on hot water, and then press ‘start,’” Rapinchuk said. “It’ll heat up the dishwasher more quickly.”
How Full Should The Dishwasher Be?
You don’t want to overload, Eberhard said: “Because you want the water to reach every dish, it’s important not to overpack the dishwasher or stack dishes on top of one another. If it’s too full, you might be preventing the water and detergent from being able to reach all of the dirty parts of the dishes.”
“Running it before it’s filled to capacity is really OK,” Bauer agreed. “In some instances, giving your dishes a little more room and not being overcrowded might actually clean them better.” If you’re worried that you should just hand-wash a smaller load, she had this truth bomb to drop: “You actually use more water hand-washing dishes than your dishwasher.”
Eberhard agreed: “Your sink uses 24 gallons of water (approximately 90 litres) for a full load of dishes, while an Energy Star-certified dishwasher uses less than 4 gallons (aproximately 15 litres) for a whole cycle. That’s 80% less water using a dishwasher than hand-washing, so even small dishwasher loads can save water if the alternative is washing those dishes by hand instead.”
