Loading a Dishwasher

To set the record straight - I do not load the dishwasher.  CH loads the dishwasher.  Why, you ask?  Because CH is the designated dishwasher and I am the designated food preparer.  AND - I have given up trying to convince CH not to put the sharp pointy things in the basket with the tips up!!  This difference of opinion has been happening for twenty years and it will never change no matter how many times I get stabbed in the dishwasher. 

This article posted on About.com covers all the territory of loading a dishwasher.  We might as well get it right to be the most efficient in running appliances - we aim to live easy and simple.

A few simple dishwasher loading tips can mean the difference between baked-on dirt, broken or chipped dishes and a safe clean dishload. Your investment in dinnerware and glassware warrants also training your family in how best to load the dishwasher for a successful wash.

We also have a tendency to 'load to the brim' with the assumption that as long as we can get it in, the dishwasher can handle it. Unfortunately, as hard as it may try, overloading just usually results in a partial cleaning with baked-on dirt that will need to be soaked before they can be re-washed. Here are a few tips to help you get a good safe and clean wash from your dishwasher:

• Allow sufficient space between breakables so they will not touch during the vibration of the washing cycle
• Ensure breakable items are not sitting or laying on metal cutlery which could chip your dishes
• Plastics should be on the top rack only, and use the economy or no heat drying cycle to prevent warping or melting
• Ensure dishes are separated and not doubled together in one space to allow water and detergent to reach those surfaces
• Clean off larger food particles before loading. You may need to scrape dishes if your dishwasher does not have a built-in garberator or hard food disposal unit
• Ensure stemware is secure and well-balanced
• Bowls should be slanted downward or laid face down
• Restrain small items like baby bottle lids in a specially designed dishwashing basket to prevent them from becoming trapped in the bottom of the dishwasher
• Ensure bottles are secure and straight to effect a good wash
• Never place sharp knives with blade pointed up, but down with the point of the knife secured in the cutlery basket
• Refrain from overloading the cutlery basket
• Mixing the cutlery instead of grouping together can allow more space and a better washing
• Remove paper labels from jars; they can come off during the cycle and become trapped in the washer drain
• Place cookware face down on the bottom rack for best pressure washing
• Ensure that large or tall items do not hinder the washing arm from rotating freely when the dishwasher tray is pushed in
• For best spot-free rinsing of glassware, use rinse agents
• Use recommended amount of dishwasher detergent