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What Must Be Done Before Washing Items In A Dishwasher?

ByParves Hasan Hours Updated onNovember 12, 2022 Categories Guides

Before washing dishes in the dishwasher, you need to follow some tips. It will improve your dishwasher cleaning efficiency.

So what must be done before washing items in a dishwasher?

Let’s dive into the article to know the answer and find the best cleaning tricks for dishwashers.

Jump To Right Section
  • What Must Be Done Before Washing Items In A Dishwasher?
    • Prepare Dishes
    • Check The Dishwasher
    • Load Dishwasher Correctly
    • Choose The Right Detergent.
  • When Should You Rinse Dishes Before Washing Them In The Dishwasher?
  • Tips For Washing Dishes In A Dishwasher

What Must Be Done Before Washing Items In A Dishwasher?

You need to follow the below steps before washing items in a dishwasher to improve the cleaning result.

Besides, it helps you to avoid clogged and jammed issues in the dishwasher.

What Must Be Done Before Washing Items In A Dishwasher

Prepare Dishes

You must remove all the leftover food residue from your utensils before loading them in the dishwasher. Make sure all the ugly dishes are empty.

It is the key to avoiding clogged garbage disposal or water pump. You don’t want to get services now and then, right?

Modern dishwasher has a high risk of blockage if you don’t clean the food residue. 

After making the dishes empty, you can rinse them in your sink. It is not mandatory. But if the bowls are filthy and contain stubborn stains, then rinsing is a good idea.

Luckily modern dishwasher comes with a sensor that can determine the soil level and choose the wash cycle accordingly. 

If you have a modern dishwasher, then skip manual rinse. You can directly load the dishes into the dishwasher.

Check The Dishwasher

Check The Dishwasher

Now it’s time to check the dishwasher components. For example, whether the door is sealed or other equipment is functional or not.

Check the spray arms whether they can spin or not. This checking is vital to derive a smooth wash cycle.

Also, inspect whether the machine is dirty or not. If your device is dirty, it can’t deliver sparkling cleaning dishes.

If it is ugly, you need to wash your dishwasher first.

Load Dishwasher Correctly

Now your dishwasher is ready for cleaning. But you should load the dishwasher correctly. Never overload the machine.

Overloading will reduce cleaning performance. Also, it is essential to place the utensils in the correct sequence to get the best cleaning result.

The bottom rack contains the heating element. So you should not place sensitive utensils on the bottom rack. 

First, keep the oversized items and then place the smallest dishes. So that spray arms can reach every item.

However, don’t forget to use the particular fork and knife compartment to wash them safely. Before washing any plastic item, check whether it is dishwasher safe or not.

If you load the dishwasher correctly, the efficiency of cleaning will increase. Also, it will reduce the cleaning time.

Choose The Right Detergent.

Choose The Right Detergent

Different type of dishwasher detergent is available on the market. You need to choose the right type of detergent to get an efficient cleaning.

You can go for tablet detergent to get maximum cleaning performance. If you use a tablet, you don’t need to guess anything like the liquid detergent.

Simply place the detergent into the soap dispenser. If you use liquid detergent, then pour the right amount of detergent.

Remember that an extra amount of detergent can result in ugly dishes. So the amount of detergent is also essential.

Now you are ready to wash items in the dishwasher. Turn on the dishwasher and choose the proper wash cycle to get the sparkling clean dishes.

When Should You Rinse Dishes Before Washing Them In The Dishwasher?

When Should You Rinse Dishes Before Washing Them In The Dishwasher

When you talk about the pre-rinse of dishes, a debate arises. Some people find pre-rinse helpful, whereas some think it wastes water.

But the fact is that pre-rinse is not for every dish. In some cases, it is highly helpful.

Many new dishwashers provide sensors to detect the dirt level of your bowls.

According to the dirt level, the dishwasher automatically chooses the required wash cycle. So it efficiently cleans any most rigid germs, dirt, or grime.

That means you can skip pre-rinse if you have a smart dishwasher.

Even some high-quality dish detergent is capable of breaking down stuck food particles. So, pre-rinse is not mandatory.

When your dishes contain large pieces of food particles, melted chocolate, and sticky residue, you should apply pre-rinse. So rinsing is good for filthy dishes.

Both scraping and rinsing are essential to avoid dishwasher repair. So if your utensils need pre-rinse, don’t forget to apply it.

Tips For Washing Dishes In A Dishwasher

Tips For Washing Dishes In A Dishwasher

To maximize your cleaning performance, follow the below tips.

  • After taking the meal, remove the leftover food instantly. It helps you to avoid stickier or hard food residue.
  • Before pouring any items, check whether it is dishwasher safe or not.
  • Avoid sensitive items with another crockery.
  • Apply pre-rinse if and only if the dishes are highly ugly.
  • Never stack pans in the sink for a whole day.
  • Use a dish brush to clean the food residue.

Bottom Line

What must be done before washing items in a dishwasher is a common query. Here we share a details list that you should follow before you start washing.

These simple and easy steps will improve your dishwasher cleaning result. Besides, it helps you to avoid frequent repairing.

Washing utensils in the dishwasher is fun if you know the suitable method. So follow the above instructions to get an efficient cleaning result.

Parves Hasan

Chief Editor @My Kitchen Mates (or, in plain English, I'm the man responsible for ensuring that every guide post we publish is helpful for our readers.

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