As the former Manchester United footballer faces the court amid shocking accusations, an unexpected dilemma emerged from the otherwise grim Ryan Giggs trial this week – and it left tongues wagging.

Whether or not your partner is a celebrity athlete, it seems that one minor detail has long been a point of contention among couples: how we prefer to stack dishwashers.

Giggs stated in the courtroom that their dishwasher was on three to four times a day. ‘I would be opening the dishwasher and the tablespoons would be placed the wrong way,’ he said. ‘It would wind me up.’

How and where should cutlery and dinner wares be placed to maximise your dishwasher’s efficiency? Does the placement actually matter?

To get to the bottom of things once and for all (and hopefully prevent potential breakups), several experts stepped in with the answer to the age-old question, backed by extensive studies to provide you with the ultimate guide to spotless dishes every time!

There’s no need to wash plates before popping them in the dishwasher! Source: The Spruce​

1. Avoid rinsing your dishes before popping them in

It goes without saying that you must throw away food scraps, but contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to rinse plates under the tap before throwing them in the dishwasher. In fact, doing so is counter-productive.

Modern appliances work better with dirt and may end up getting cleaned less thoroughly if they don’t have the expected level of residue on them.

Most dishwashers have built-in sensors that measure the level of dirt in the water from the first rinse cycle. This means that if you regularly pre-rinse your plates, the dishwasher may set itself to do a light wash, raising the chances of missed spots.

And trust us, the last thing you’d want to have leftover grime and bacteria on is your cutlery and plates. Yikes!

Which side is the correct one? Source: TODAY​

2. The correct way to store cutlery

Which way should cutlery be pointed? Upwards or downwards? The debate rages on. Some swear by placing fork and spoon handles down, while others argue that placing the tips down is essential for a more thorough wash.

If your machine comes with a cutlery tray, the experts at Siemens said that it’s best to follow the guidelines. Depending on the configuration of your appliance, the tray may be designed to secure the cutlery handles no matter what the direction is.

They added that there’s also some potential benefit to mixing utensils up. This way, all the dirtiest areas are cooped up in one spot.

However, they warned against stacking knives, spoons, and ladles at an angle that makes them prone to accumulating water, which results in water stains or rust.

One thing that everyone can agree on? Knives should always be stored with the blade down for safety reasons, says Richard Tarrant, of BSH Home Appliances Corporation. Other experts recommended dividing the cutlery into groups – knives with knives, forks with forks and so on. This makes unloading convenient… But Mr Tarrant begs to disagree.

He explained that sorting utensils together will make it hard for the appliance to target the nooks and crannies of each piece, so the full surface will most likely be unclean.

Interestingly, several consumer tests have not shown whether using a basket or a tray makes all the difference when it comes to cleaning cutlery in the dishwasher.

This is where you should store heavy-duty items. Source: The Kitchn​

2. The bottom shelf is for heavy-duty items

‘Your dishwasher’s most powerful spray jets are positioned down in the depths of the body. So, any heavy-duty items such as pots, pans, big plates, colanders, or large bowls should be placed neatly in the bottom rack to get the most effective clean.’ the experts at Neff shared.

‘The water spray is stronger here, so the dishwasher will clean them more effectively and you will get a better wash result,’ adds the experts from Siemens.

But be careful not to allow any items to extend out beyond the bottom of the crockery basket!

‘This will ensure that the spray arm does not get blocked, and the dishwasher will be able to wash the dishes properly.’ they continued.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with angles. Source: Whirlpool​

3. Experiment with the best angle for bowls

‘Further from the initial spray and the strongest concentrations of detergent, slightly more delicate and less soiled items belong on the top rack of the dishwasher,’ says Siemens.

‘Put glasses and plastic items here, where it’s not as hot and the jets aren’t as powerful. Position hollow vessels such as glasses and bowls upside down or at an angle so that water cannot collect in them.’

‘Never stack dishes on top of one another, as this will prevent upper parts from being sprayed with water from below, and the dishes will not be cleaned properly.’ they added.

But most importantly — don’t overload your dishwasher. If you do, your detergent won’t reach every item and will be unable to clean them well.

Sort the plates out depending on what you ate. Source: IStock​

4. Stack according to what you ate

A study conducted by Chemical Engineers at the University of Birmingham led scientists to come up with a dishwasher stacking technique that hasn’t been covered in any instruction manual.

They discovered that stacking according to the type of food debris resulted in spotless dishes. \

‘Cleaning of protein-based soils, such as egg yolk, requires an initial swelling or hydration stage, which is typically driven by high alkaline conditions at the beginning of the wash-cycle,’ said Dr Raul Perez-Mohedano, who led the study.

‘Carbohydrates, like tomato paste, require less chemistry and more mechanical action.’

Essentially, this means carbohydrate-based stains such as potatoes and tomatoes should be left to face the strongest water jets, while protein-based foods such as dried egg yolk need more contact with the chemical detergent.

So, protein-soiled plates should be placed towards the outer perimeter of the dishwasher, where water travels slower but the detergent has more time to act. Meanwhile, carbohydrate-soiled dishes should be placed in the centre of the appliance, where the most intense splashes of water can reach them best.

It’s also important to ensure that the dirty side of every item faces the centre of the dishwasher, where the dishwasher jets spray from.

Is your dishwasher working properly? Source: KitchenSeer​

5. Signs that your dishwasher isn’t steamy enough

‘An average dishwasher temperature runs its main cycle at about 51 to 60 degrees Celsius,’ says the team for detergent brand Finish. ‘This is because the temperature of water in the dishwasher needs to be hot enough to ensure that the detergent is dissolved and activated, while also removing any leftover food and grease.’

During the rinse phase, the water temperature should soar to 80 degrees Celsius, effectively sterilising the contents of the dishwasher and completely ridding it of germs.

You’ll know that your machine isn’t hot enough if your dishes don’t turn out as clean as they should be. Another tell-tale sign is if your dishwasher detergent tablet has not been fully dissolved.

If these signs sound familiar, contact a technician. Then, make it a point to run a hot or intensive cycle every six months or so, along with a dishwasher cleaner. This keeps grime from building up and wearing down your appliance.

Are they worth the splurge? Source: CHOICE​

6. Are 3-in-1 tablets sufficient?

The new ‘triple action’ or 3-in-1 dishwasher tablets claim to do the job of rinse aid, dishwasher salt, and detergent, but is it really worth buying?

The team at Bosch divulged that these tablets only reduce the amount of rinse aid and salt needed overall but don’t totally replace them. So you should always keep both in stock at home.

Even the tablet manufacturers admitted that in hard-water areas, it’s recommended to use rinse aid and salt along with their tablets.

So the answer is, it’s probably not worth relying on solely.

There you have it, everyone! Now that you know the most efficient way to clean dishes, share it with your partner or a friend. But make sure you do it nicely as we all deserve to learn without being shamed for not knowing.

What are your thoughts on these tips? Better yet, how do you usually stack your dishes? Let us know in the comments below!
Learn more about how to load a dishwasher by watching the video below:

Source: Clean My Space​

 

[Esma Rose]

I am amazed that none of them mentioned the tines of forks, especially only a few years back when a young boy was helping his mum stack their dishwasher. All went well when suddenly the boy slipped and the tines of a fork which had been stacked facing UP , impaled his neck on a fork. I think of that incident EVERY time I stack my dishwasher. I have had that accident on my mind for so long that it has become a conversation piece with my friends. I ask them "how do they stack their forks." I'd advise all who read this to join me in making it known. There IS an alternative to peace of mind. Hand wash them like in the days when you never had the gleaming edifice in the kitchen that is so useful today.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I am amazed that none of them mentioned the tines of forks, especially only a few years back when a young boy was helping his mum stack their dishwasher. All went well when suddenly the boy slipped and the tines of a fork which had been stacked facing UP , impaled his neck on a fork. I think of that incident EVERY time I stack my dishwasher. I have had that accident on my mind for so long that it has become a conversation piece with my friends. I ask them "how do they stack their forks." I'd advise all who read this to join me in making it known. There IS an alternative to peace of mind. Hand wash them like in the days when you never had the gleaming edifice in the kitchen that is so useful today.

My daughters were drawing in the back yard when my mischievous daughter said 'run the dogs over the fence' my daughter bolted to only fall and she fell on her lead pencil with went into her eye.
She was so close to losing her eye. Need the fat in her eye pushed back in and stitches. My other daughter felt so bad for playing that joke.

Now that vision has stayed in my mind, and I tell my grandchildren not to even walk around with pencils.

Oh yeh I wash all my dishes by hand even when all 13 kids were at home.

My son keeps begging me to let him install a dishwasher but I reply ,after 60 years of washing up by hand why replace something that isn't broken

 

[Janice Reilly]

My daughters were drawing in the back yard when my mischievous daughter said 'run the dogs over the fence' my daughter bolted to only fall and she fell on her lead pencil with went into her eye.
She was so close to losing her eye. Need the fat in her eye pushed back in and stitches. My other daughter felt so bad for playing that joke.

Now that vision has stayed in my mind, and I tell my grandchildren not to even walk around with pencils.

Oh yeh I wash all my dishes by hand even when all 13 kids were at home.

My son keeps begging me to let him install a dishwasher but I reply ,after 60 years of washing up by hand why replace something that isn't broken

I am 75 years old and have NEVER owned a dish washer!

 

[Ezzy]

As the former Manchester United footballer faces the court amid shocking accusations, an unexpected dilemma emerged from the otherwise grim Ryan Giggs trial this week – and it left tongues wagging.

Whether or not your partner is a celebrity athlete, it seems that one minor detail has long been a point of contention among couples: how we prefer to stack dishwashers.

Giggs stated in the courtroom that their dishwasher was on three to four times a day. ‘I would be opening the dishwasher and the tablespoons would be placed the wrong way,’ he said. ‘It would wind me up.’

How and where should cutlery and dinner wares be placed to maximise your dishwasher’s efficiency? Does the placement actually matter?

To get to the bottom of things once and for all (and hopefully prevent potential breakups), several experts stepped in with the answer to the age-old question, backed by extensive studies to provide you with the ultimate guide to spotless dishes every time!

There’s no need to wash plates before popping them in the dishwasher! Source: The Spruce​

1. Avoid rinsing your dishes before popping them in

It goes without saying that you must throw away food scraps, but contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to rinse plates under the tap before throwing them in the dishwasher. In fact, doing so is counter-productive.

Modern appliances work better with dirt and may end up getting cleaned less thoroughly if they don’t have the expected level of residue on them.

Most dishwashers have built-in sensors that measure the level of dirt in the water from the first rinse cycle. This means that if you regularly pre-rinse your plates, the dishwasher may set itself to do a light wash, raising the chances of missed spots.

And trust us, the last thing you’d want to have leftover grime and bacteria on is your cutlery and plates. Yikes!

Which side is the correct one? Source: TODAY​

2. The correct way to store cutlery

Which way should cutlery be pointed? Upwards or downwards? The debate rages on. Some swear by placing fork and spoon handles down, while others argue that placing the tips down is essential for a more thorough wash.

If your machine comes with a cutlery tray, the experts at Siemens said that it’s best to follow the guidelines. Depending on the configuration of your appliance, the tray may be designed to secure the cutlery handles no matter what the direction is.

They added that there’s also some potential benefit to mixing utensils up. This way, all the dirtiest areas are cooped up in one spot.

However, they warned against stacking knives, spoons, and ladles at an angle that makes them prone to accumulating water, which results in water stains or rust.

One thing that everyone can agree on? Knives should always be stored with the blade down for safety reasons, says Richard Tarrant, of BSH Home Appliances Corporation. Other experts recommended dividing the cutlery into groups – knives with knives, forks with forks and so on. This makes unloading convenient… But Mr Tarrant begs to disagree.

He explained that sorting utensils together will make it hard for the appliance to target the nooks and crannies of each piece, so the full surface will most likely be unclean.

Interestingly, several consumer tests have not shown whether using a basket or a tray makes all the difference when it comes to cleaning cutlery in the dishwasher.

This is where you should store heavy-duty items. Source: The Kitchn​

2. The bottom shelf is for heavy-duty items

‘Your dishwasher’s most powerful spray jets are positioned down in the depths of the body. So, any heavy-duty items such as pots, pans, big plates, colanders, or large bowls should be placed neatly in the bottom rack to get the most effective clean.’ the experts at Neff shared.

‘The water spray is stronger here, so the dishwasher will clean them more effectively and you will get a better wash result,’ adds the experts from Siemens.

But be careful not to allow any items to extend out beyond the bottom of the crockery basket!

‘This will ensure that the spray arm does not get blocked, and the dishwasher will be able to wash the dishes properly.’ they continued.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with angles. Source: Whirlpool​

3. Experiment with the best angle for bowls

‘Further from the initial spray and the strongest concentrations of detergent, slightly more delicate and less soiled items belong on the top rack of the dishwasher,’ says Siemens.

‘Put glasses and plastic items here, where it’s not as hot and the jets aren’t as powerful. Position hollow vessels such as glasses and bowls upside down or at an angle so that water cannot collect in them.’

‘Never stack dishes on top of one another, as this will prevent upper parts from being sprayed with water from below, and the dishes will not be cleaned properly.’ they added.

But most importantly — don’t overload your dishwasher. If you do, your detergent won’t reach every item and will be unable to clean them well.

Sort the plates out depending on what you ate. Source: IStock​

4. Stack according to what you ate

A study conducted by Chemical Engineers at the University of Birmingham led scientists to come up with a dishwasher stacking technique that hasn’t been covered in any instruction manual.

They discovered that stacking according to the type of food debris resulted in spotless dishes. \

‘Cleaning of protein-based soils, such as egg yolk, requires an initial swelling or hydration stage, which is typically driven by high alkaline conditions at the beginning of the wash-cycle,’ said Dr Raul Perez-Mohedano, who led the study.

‘Carbohydrates, like tomato paste, require less chemistry and more mechanical action.’

Essentially, this means carbohydrate-based stains such as potatoes and tomatoes should be left to face the strongest water jets, while protein-based foods such as dried egg yolk need more contact with the chemical detergent.

So, protein-soiled plates should be placed towards the outer perimeter of the dishwasher, where water travels slower but the detergent has more time to act. Meanwhile, carbohydrate-soiled dishes should be placed in the centre of the appliance, where the most intense splashes of water can reach them best.

It’s also important to ensure that the dirty side of every item faces the centre of the dishwasher, where the dishwasher jets spray from.

Is your dishwasher working properly? Source: KitchenSeer​

5. Signs that your dishwasher isn’t steamy enough

‘An average dishwasher temperature runs its main cycle at about 51 to 60 degrees Celsius,’ says the team for detergent brand Finish. ‘This is because the temperature of water in the dishwasher needs to be hot enough to ensure that the detergent is dissolved and activated, while also removing any leftover food and grease.’

During the rinse phase, the water temperature should soar to 80 degrees Celsius, effectively sterilising the contents of the dishwasher and completely ridding it of germs.

You’ll know that your machine isn’t hot enough if your dishes don’t turn out as clean as they should be. Another tell-tale sign is if your dishwasher detergent tablet has not been fully dissolved.

If these signs sound familiar, contact a technician. Then, make it a point to run a hot or intensive cycle every six months or so, along with a dishwasher cleaner. This keeps grime from building up and wearing down your appliance.

Are they worth the splurge? Source: CHOICE​

6. Are 3-in-1 tablets sufficient?

The new ‘triple action’ or 3-in-1 dishwasher tablets claim to do the job of rinse aid, dishwasher salt, and detergent, but is it really worth buying?

The team at Bosch divulged that these tablets only reduce the amount of rinse aid and salt needed overall but don’t totally replace them. So you should always keep both in stock at home.

Even the tablet manufacturers admitted that in hard-water areas, it’s recommended to use rinse aid and salt along with their tablets.

So the answer is, it’s probably not worth relying on solely.

There you have it, everyone! Now that you know the most efficient way to clean dishes, share it with your partner or a friend. But make sure you do it nicely as we all deserve to learn without being shamed for not knowing.

What are your thoughts on these tips? Better yet, how do you usually stack your dishes? Let us know in the comments below!
Learn more about how to load a dishwasher by watching the video below:

Source: Clean My Space​

I admit to using white vinegar in my dish washer for over 10 years now as a rinse aid, never leave a gap between cups or glasses as suggested here, knives down & forks up because that is how they stack best in the slots in the basket, stack plates according to their size together (e.g. dinner plates together,. bread & butter plates together etc.), regularly squeeze as much as possible into each wash & cannot say l regularly have items which are not clean. The DW is never put on overnight to be emptied the next morning because l have solar electricity & wait until mid-morning or afternoon to set the DW going to take benefit from the solar power. This goes through a cleaning cycle twice a year unloaded.