Cleaning your kitchen doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Dare we say it could be fun? Welcome to BA's Cleaning Week: Consider this your trusty guide to the nooks and crannies that you definitely are not scrubbing often enough, plus the pro-approved tools and products to get the job done.
When used properly, the dishwasher is a remarkable time-saver—a week’s worth of dirty dishes scrubbed shiny, clean at the push of a button! But it can also be an agent of disappointment and destruction: Warped wood boards. Blunt knives. The sinking-stomach feeling of opening the dishwasher after the cycle ends to find most of the dishes aren’t very, uh, clean.
Contrary to what you might’ve been taught, there is a right and a wrong way to load the dishwasher. We won’t espouse the many benefits of practicing correct dishwasher etiquette (besides that it saves water, protects your kitchenware, and keeps your fingers from going pruny during a marathon washing session). But we will let you in on a few tips and tricks we’ve learned over many years of cooking (and, therefore, cleaning).
Follow these foolproof guidelines to churn out a load of squeaky-clean dishes, every time.
1. Prerinsing? Not necessary.
You might be compelled to rinse off dirty plates or bowls before loading them into the dishwasher. But according to Whirlpool, prewashing is not only unnecessary—it could sabotage your machine’s success. “Dishwasher detergent is designed to interact with food particles on your dirty dishes, so rinsing them beforehand may actually inhibit the cleaning cycle,” advises Whirlpool. If you’ve got a full load ready to go, scrape off the serious gunk and bits of food, hit start, and don’t look back.
If you’re planning to leave your dirty dishes in the machine for a while, you can run the rinse-only wash cycle to stifle gross odors. It’s more water-efficient than rinsing by hand, and it’ll prevent dish-appointment (that feeling when you open the machine only to find crusted Bolognese and filmy water spots everywhere).
Note that if you’re stuck with an older model and you’ve noticed it can’t do its job, rinse away—you know what works for your machine.
2. Before you load, be sure it’s dishwasher-safe.
Before any piece of cookware, stoneware, or silverware makes its way into the big tin box, check to ensure it’s dishwasher-safe. This one’s usually self-explanatory: Look for a label that says “dishwasher safe” on the packaging or a dishwasher stamp or symbol (usually a little box with some plates or glasses in it) on the product itself. Purchase dishwasher-safe plastics and Tupperware—here are some of our favorite food storage containers—and serving platters that can withstand high heat.
3. Note the hard NOs.
Don’t dishwash sharp knives, which will dull. The same goes for any kitchen equipment with a blade—blenders, food processor attachments, and mandolines are all off-limits. (Butter knives are fine because they are already relatively dull.) Wood items, like spoons and cutting boards, could warp or crack, so keep them out and hand-wash (for the best results, follow our complete guidelines for caring for your wood cooking tools). Anything that’s delicate or easily breakable, such as wine glasses with thin stems, should be washed and polished by hand. If you’re set on dishwashing your glasses, maybe opt for these sturdier ones instead.
Essentially, the cardinal rule is this: Don’t put anything in there that you couldn’t (or wouldn’t want to) replace—like ceramics, family heirlooms, or fine china.
4. Hand-wash your pans.
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but most pans don’t belong in the washer. Cast iron, nonstick, aluminum, ceramic—none of ’em are invited to the spray-jet party. The dishwasher will strip nonstick cookware of its coating, corrode aluminum cookware, and wash away the hard-won seasoning on your cast-iron pans, not to mention cause rust. (Here’s how to clean that cast iron right.)
The only type of pan that’s technically dishwasher-safe is stainless steel—and while this cookware can go in the dishwasher, that doesn’t mean it should. Exposure to excess humidity can cause the pan to corrode over time; you’re better off washing it by hand. Save the prime bottom-rack real estate and give your pots and pans the TLC they deserve.
If your favorite pan gets destroyed in the wash, shop some of the test kitchen’s favorite pans for an upgrade.
5. Location, location, location.
There is an art to organizing the dishwasher. We recommend streamlining the process by dividing the dishwasher into zones: Reserve the lower rack for larger items, such as plates and large bowls. The top rack should house small bowls, cups, mugs, and dishwasher-safe utensils, like silicone spatulas and spoons. Thin plastic items (like quart containers and take-out bowls) should live on the upper rack to prevent them from melting. Utensils go in their designated zone (either the utensil basket or a third rack, depending on your dishwasher model). Whirlpool even has a handy dishwasher-loading chart to guide you on your journey.
A few tidbits of dishwashing wisdom: The best way to load the dishwasher is from back to front, which helps fit more in. But avoid overcrowding, which prevents the water jets from reaching each and every crevice of those marinara-stained pasta bowls. Place items between, not on top of, the dishwasher’s tines; the grid is meant to keep everything in order. Don’t nest things like Russian dolls; if the water can’t reach something, it won’t be cleaned. Bosch recommends placing bowls and cups at an angle, but if you’re out of slanted rack space, make sure any vessels face downward so they don’t harbor puddles of food-particle-infused water.
6. Utensils up.
Most modern dishwashers have either a built-in rack or basket to hold cutlery. If your machine has a retractable third rack, position each utensil on its side between the tines (except for knives, which should face blade-down). If your dishwasher has a silverware basket, position the tines of forks and the bowls of spoons upright (for maximum cleaning capacity), but keep knife blades stabbing downward (for safety). Storing your forks and spoons handle-up will clean just that: the handle. Not exactly the desired outcome.
For the water to properly clean every surface, don’t cram too many utensils into the basket at once. Spoons have a tendency to, well, spoon, so try to keep them in different compartments.
7. Don’t block the jets.
In most modern dishwashers, the main spray arm sits at the bottom of the dishwasher, right above the heating element. The rotating spray arm shoots out a mixture of hot water and detergent—not unlike a lawn sprinkler—to wash your dishes clean. But in order for your dishes to get clean, it’s important to ensure that bulky items don’t block the jets. Large items go on the sides, and need to sit at an angle. (Like the cups, remember?)
8. A little detergent goes a long way.
You can use less than the recommended amount of detergent if your dishes aren’t too feral (our friends at Epicurious advise filling the detergent dispenser a third of the way or less). Just don’t use more than what’s recommended in your user guide: That’ll leave a filmy residue on your everyday glassware.
9. Always run it full.
Please, for the love of our planet. But you knew that one already, right? And if you don’t mind your dishes dripping dry, skip the heated dry cycle, which saves time and energy.
Following these few best practices will help you make the most of this whiz of an appliance. Now that you know how to load the dishwasher the right way, head on over to our kitchen cleaning central for all the ways to help the hub of your home sparkle.
More cooking, more cleaning.
Once you’ve cleaned up, it’s time to make a mess again. What’s for dinner? We’re thinking roast chicken.
