From whether you should pre-rinse plates and dishes, if wooden utleitse need to be handwashed and whether there is such a thing as overloading a dishwasher.
Well, we’re here to finally sqaush the debate with help from a industry experts.
Salah Sun, Head of Product Management at Beko UK, a leading manufacturer of slimline dishwashers and other home appliances, explains, “Many UK households unknowingly sabotage their dishwasher’s performance by not following the proper loading techniques.
“By understanding the correct way to stack your appliance, you can boost efficiency, reduce your energy bills and settle those kitchen disputes once and for all.”
How to correctly load your dishwasher
Beko expert Salah Sun shares the five key rules you need to follow to make sure you are loading your dishwasher correctly.
Do you need to pre-rinse everything first?
Sun shares that pre-rinsing is a myth that can unnecessart and wasteful.
Sharing: “Modern dishwashers and all-in-one tablets are designed to tackle food residue. All you need to do is scrape off any remaining food into the bin before loading.
“Even heavily soiled items like pots, pans and cookware don’t need to be pre-scrubbed before entering the dishwasher.
“Just wash them in an intensive cycle with a higher temperature and that will get rid of tough stains.”
What goes in the top rack of a dishwasher?
The top rack should include cups and bowls that should all face down to prevent water from accumulating int he dishes.
However, the top rack isn’t just for your delicate items. “Large utensils belong in the top rack alongside delicate items,” says Sun.
“The height of the upper basket can be easily adjusted to fit tall glasses, making the most of your dishwasher’s capacity.”
What goes in the bottom rack of a dishwasher?
The bottom rack of a dishwasher should have plates, pans and the cutlety basket.
“The bottom rack is designed for your heavily soiled, bigger items such as plates, large bowls and pans,” explains Sun.
“This is where the water pressure is higher, making it perfect for items that need more intensive cleaning.”
Sun advises on the correct strategic positioning of the bottom rack, “Stack plates and flat items facing inwards, so they’re well covered by the spray jets.
“Pots, pans, deep bowls and similar items should face downwards to prevent any water pooling within them.
“And remember to check that the spray arms can rotate freely and nothing is blocking them.”
How best to use the cutlery basket
Sun adds that there can often be a clash with cleaning effectiveness when arranging the cutler.
Explainng: “For cutlery, alternate some pieces facing upwards and others downwards to prevent spoons from ‘nesting’ together as this can block water circulation.”
However, you do need a different approach for washing your sharp knives. “You should avoid putting your sharp knives in the dishwasher entirely as repeated washing cycles can dull their blades,.”
Does a Quick Wash on dishwasher save money?
Many people beleive that using a quick wash will save money and time, however Sun reveals this is not the cast.
Recently research found that a quick wash uses more energy and water than the eco programme.
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According to Beko, the eco mode costs approximately £46.13 annually to run, compared to £68.07 for quick wash.
“A quick wash is designed for lightly soiled dishes or small loads that just need a freshen up,” explains Sun.
“For mixed loads, the eco programme saves you energy and money, even though it takes a bit longer to complete.”
