Should we wash dishes before putting them in the dishwasher?
To ensure your cutlery, crockery and glassware come out sparkling, it is important to make sure your dishwasher is kept clean.
From cleaning filters to loading correctly, here is how you can get the best use out of your machine.
1. Pre-rinsing isn’t necessary all the time
If you are carefully rinsing your plates and cutlery before putting them in the dishwasher then you can cut that task down by only rinsing the items that need it the most. Verity Mann, Head of Testing at Good Housekeeping, told HuffPost Australia, “Don't worry about rinsing off every plate, pot and pan before it goes in the dishwasher. But at least scrape off excess food.” Melissa Maker, author of Clean My Space: The Secret to Cleaning Better, Faster and Loving Your Home Ever Day, said, “It's worth pre-soaking stubborn dried-on stains, such as grease, before loading and running the dishwasher."
2. Clean the filter after each use
"Think of all the food residue that gets trapped down there," Verity said. "Every couple months, it needs more of a deep clean. Do this by running a cup of white vinegar through the machine on a normal cycle – simply place a cup on the top rack with the vinegar in it."
You can also use a dishwasher cleaning product that is available at most supermarkets.
"Spray arms should be cleaned in a solution of washing-up liquid – run water through the inlet of each spray arm to ensure that holes are not blocked with food debris. You can even use a toothpick to clear them," Verity said.
Melissa advises doing this DIY trick for an easy overnight clean. “Clean out the dishwasher filter first, and then just add a cup of baking soda to the base of the dishwasher and allow to sit overnight. Then run through the next morning with a cup of white vinegar sitting on the top rack," Melissa said.
3. Load correctly
To get the most out of your dishwasher, it is important that you load it correctly. "First things first, adjust the dishwasher racks," Verity said. "Move the top rack up or down (most newer models let you do this) to fit odd-sized items you're always washing but never fit correctly.
"Don't overfill it – you can put too much in and that's just going to make it less efficient as the water won't have as much room to circulate. The same applies to cutlery."
Melissa advises not to nest cutlery so food residue isn’t trapped. "Load cutlery stem side down, and stagger small and large dishes to get maximum coverage for your load," Melissa said.
"Keep sharp knives facing downwards as the detergent is abrasive and can blunt them. Ideally, we say wash good knives by hand," Mann added. "We don't advise putting wooden utensils in the dishwasher as it will swell and crack and the surface will become very rough."
4. Select the right program
Although it may be tempting to set the dishwasher to “eco” or “fast”, this may waste more time if the dishwasher contents are dirty. "Also ensure that you use the right program. Using the economy setting is a false economy if the load is really dirty. So choose your cycle carefully," Verity explained.
5. Use rinse aid
"It is necessary to use proprietary products to get the best out of your dishwasher, but they don't have to cost you a small fortune," Verity told HuffPost Australia.
"Rinse aid and salt is important. Rinse aid makes dishes shiny and helps dry them. Salt protects your machine from lime-scale and softens the water for better cleaning."
"Check there is enough dishwasher salt and rinse aid before running. Most dishwashers have indicator lights on the control panel, so you can see when these need refilling."
6. Use vinegar and bicarb soda
"There are items in your cupboard that can also help you get the best out of your machine. As mentioned previously, vinegar is great for providing a deep clean and removing a build-up of limescale (prevalent in hard water areas)," Verity said.
"Another good home remedy is bicarbonate of soda. You can get rid of any nasty smells coming from the dishwasher by sprinkling a couple of tablespoons of it onto the bottom of the machine before running a load."
7. Unload correctly
Be sure to unload the dishwasher correctly so that items don’t drip over one another. “And finally, ensure you unload in the right order. Empty the bottom rack first so the top rack doesn't drip below," Verity said.
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