Dishwasher Ins and Outs

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• Scrape plates before loading but don’t prewash dishes, which wastes water and hinders dishwashing detergent’s ability to attack food particles that cling to dirty dishes.

• Load glasses, stemware and plastic containers on the dishwasher top rack for lower water pressure and cooler temperature. Stronger pressure on the bottom can break glass and melt or wrap plastic.

• Putting glasses in the rows between the prongs rather than over the prongs will keep them more secure and prevent chipping.

• Load plates by size to make unloading easier.

• Load silverware into the caddy with the useful end – especially fork tines and knife blades – up. Some, however, think that grabbing handles when unloading is both safer and more hygienic.

• Mix up silverware. Some will argue that loading silverware by type makes unloading quicker, but nesting forks and spooning spoons won’t get .

Unloading

• Open the door as soon as the dishwasher shuts off. This allows remaining moisture to escape. Hot dishes steam away moisture and dry more quickly – usually within about ten minutes.

• If your dishwasher is not performing up to par, check for food particules clogging the mechanical parts in the base. Remove any debris.

• Empty the bottom rack first so that little pools of water in the bottom of mugs and glasses on the top rack won’t drip onto dishes below.

• Take the silverware caddy with you to the silverware drawer.

• Rather than putting dishes in the cabinet one by one, unload them into stack (by size) on the counter and then put the stacks away. Store diswasher close to the dishwasher for ease in unloading.

• Unload promptly so dirty dishes don’t pile up in the sink.

Dishwasher Ins and Outs

What NOT to Put In The Dishwasher

While most dishes, glasses and kitchen tools are dishwasher-safe, over time the effects of heat, detergent and water pressure can do their damage. Hand wash anything you cherish or want to preserve. The following items are generally better off with hand washing:
Stainless Steel – Though dishwasher-safe, stainless pots and pans will last longer with hand washing.

Cast Iron – Never put in the dishwasher, as detergent will strip away the seasoned surface and cause rust.

Aluminum – Hand wash all aluminum unless it’s designated dishwasher-safe.

Wood – The heat and steam of a dishwasher’s dry cycle can warp wood, so take care to hand wash wood utensils, cutting boards, and serving dishes, including wood-handled items.

Antique or Hand-Painted China – While some new fine china is dishwasher-safe, most antique dishes can be damaged in the dishwasher.

Plastic – High heat can warp plastic. If a plastic item isn’guaranteed dishwasher-safe by the manufacturer, hand wash it. If you do put plastic in the dishwasher, place it in the upper tray.

Knives – Though many knives are generally safe to put in the dishwasher, most manufacturers recommend hand washing them with warm water and a little detergent, rinsing and then drying immediately with a towel. Also, be aware that knocking against other items in the silverware basket can dull the blade, so you may have to resharpen more often.

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