Experts unveil the ultimate dishwasher loading strategy that will transform your kitchen routine

You've seen the arguments over it at family gatherings and perhaps even within your own home: How do you load a dishwasher properly?

You might think it's a simple and straightforward question, but the dish-loading debacle has divided households and stirred sentiments.

Now, experts have weighed in on the matter, answering the burning questions: Should there be a specific gap between dishes? Which way do the spoons go? Is pre-rinsing necessary?



Let's face it, loading a dishwasher can be challenging. The ultimate goal is to fit in as many items as possible while ensuring all are cleaned thoroughly.

Sophie Lane, Product Training Manager at the appliance maker Miele, suggested that there is an 'art' to loading a dishwasher.


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Experts shared tips on how to load a dishwasher properly. Image source: Pexels



A well-executed loaded dishwasher maximises the machine's efficiency and gets your dishes gleaming.

To achieve this, ensure your items aren't touching each other and maintain a gap of approximately 2 cm between them.



Why this arrangement? The angling allows the water jets to reach each dish effectively without any hindrance.

Smaller items are especially at risk of being missed, so they should be properly secured and spaced out.

As for cutlery, the 'together-forever' drill doesn't work. Bundling spoons or forks can compromise cleanliness, with only the outermost front and back surfaces getting a proper clean.

Thus, it is recommended to avoid clustering cutlery together.



To resolve this issue, most dishwasher experts recommend stacking cutlery in a tray rather than a basket, facilitating an effective cleaning process.

Furthermore, a cutlery tray, typically located at the top of the dishwasher, bypasses the dilemma of whether to place your knives and forks facing upwards for a thorough clean or downwards to minimise injury risk.

Now, moving on to an age-old question: Should we pre-rinse dishes? Lane argued that pre-rinsing dishes is a waste of time and water.

'The dishwasher is there to do that,' she said.

It is also recommended to spin the rotating arm before turning on the dishwasher to ensure that there are no blockages.



In 2015, Dr Raul Pérez-Mohedano from the University of Birmingham conducted a study on the best way to load a dishwasher.

He concluded that packing items in a circle around the cutlery basket was the most efficient. However, after studying numerous cycles, experts warned that current basket designs may make implementation of their findings difficult.

Fascinatingly, the study also suggested arranging dishes according to stain types. Carbohydrate-based stains like potato and tomato benefiting from water jet force, whereas protein-based foods (think dried egg yolk) require more contact with the detergent.



During a study, engineers used radioactive isotopes to monitor the speed and direction of the water jets when the dishwasher was in use.

They discovered that although the entire interior of the dishwasher gets wet during a cycle, it doesn't necessarily clean everything evenly.

Thus, strategic dish placement is crucial to optimise its cleaning performance.
Key Takeaways
  • Experts have provided guidance on the best techniques for loading a dishwasher, including plate spacing and cutlery arrangement.
  • Pre-rinsing dishes before loading them into the dishwasher is generally considered a waste of time and water.
  • Cutlery should be spaced out, ideally in a cutlery tray rather than a basket, to ensure a thorough cleaning.
  • A 2015 University of Birmingham study used radioactive isotopes to monitor water jets in dishwashers, advising on how to pack dishes based on the type of stain they have.
Do you have any more tips on how to load your dishwasher? Share them in the comments below.
 
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I've used a dishwasher for over 30yrs. I always rinse or wipe dishes before placing in the dishwasher. Saves cleaning the dishwasher filter. That's the option I found. Decided it wasn't any different to rinsing or wiping dirty dishes before washing by hand. These days dishwashers have a cutlery rack which is handy, plus gladly use less water.
 
Don't have a dishwasher ,only Me! Plus my water bill low
My dishwasher came with the house when we bought it. It has replaced my other washers and dryers. The girls left home, and my husband took a job where he is away for 5 out of 7 nights a week. Come to think of it he hasn't learnt where things go - I will have to remedy that situation.
 
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I’ve used dishwashers since the mid 1970s & always pre rinse dishes. It keeps the filters much cleaner. We did test water usage a few years back and found that it used less water than hand washing. I have a Bosch dishwasher at present & it’s very water & electricity efficient. I would never go back to a cutlery basket, the rack is much better. I’ve picked up a lot of stacking tips from my son, he has things in all sorts of places and it comes out spotlessly clean which is all that matters.
 
I use a dishwasher only when it is full, or when I entertain.
I don't prewash, however, do scrape off solids. Can't see the point in pre-washing as it defeats the purpose of saving water.
This loading tip is kind of useless unless you have the same shelf setup.
I don't see a need to seek an alternative method when mine works. Here's a tip. Fill the machine before a wash, even if you have to wait another day for a full machine. That is a really good save of water.
 
Like many of you I have had a dishwasher for 30+ years and most of that time was while we only had tank water. I wouldn’t even contemplate not using the dishwasher even during periods of drought as handwashing uses way too much water. I am very anal when packing the dishwasher as my family can attest, especially the cutlery tray (dislike baskets) and I never never rinse my dishes as just don’t see the point, only scrape lumps into the bin as cleaning the filter on a dishwasher takes less then 5 mins once a week.
 
Only 2 of us so it takes less time & water to wash immediately after a meal before food dries on plates and cutlery - less time and water than a dishwasher would take & everything comes up clean because no food has had a chance to dry on dishes IMO. We dribble water while washing, then a bit faster to rinse & do not fill up two sinks to do that.
 
Only 2 of us so it takes less time & water to wash immediately after a meal before food dries on plates and cutlery - less time and water than a dishwasher would take & everything comes up clean because no food has had a chance to dry on dishes IMO. We dribble water while washing, then a bit faster to rinse & do not fill up two sinks to do that.
Sounds good! I guess the only way is to measure the amount of water when washing up by hand. Some people love washing up, and don't want a dishwasher. I need to wash/scrub my stainless steel pots by hand after use though, but that is minimal water usage.
 

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