It may be one of the fiercest battles fought between couples in a household: who loads the dishwasher better? Everyone thinks their way is the right way and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t feel strongly about his or her dishwasher-loading methods. But is there really a best way? We asked around and spoke to the experts and here are the top five things you can do to ensure your dishes come out sparkling every time.

1. Skip the pre-rinse
   If your dishwasher is less than 10 years old, don’t bother rinsing your dishes before putting them in. Of course, large chunks of food should be cleaned off, as they could potentially clog up the drain, but most dishwashers bring enough heat and water pressure to wash off even dried-on food. And in fact, newer model dishwashers actually have sensors that detect the degree of dirtiness and will clean accordingly, so if you’ve rinsed too much, you actually run the risk of your dishes not getting as clean as they could be.
2. Mix up the silverware basket or rack
   By mixing spoons next to forks, knives next to spatulas, and placing some up and some down, you reduce the chance of the pieces nesting into each other in the basket or rack. This way, all the pieces will be exposed and cleaned.
3. Face plates inward
   Most dishwashers have sprayers shooting up from the bottom center of the machine and stopping a few inches from the interior walls. If you place plates facing outward, the jets of water might not be able to reach those surfaces that face the wall.
4. Keep the sprayer clear
   Remember that if you cover that sprayer with something (a large bowl, for example), that item will get crystal clean…but nothing else will. Be sure to load dishes around the sprayer for a more even clean.
5. Put delicates on top
   Yes, this really does matter. Items made of more fragile materials (glass, plastic containers, or melamine pieces, etc.) do better further away from the jets. Being up on the top rack will give them a little bit of distance from the water pressure and high temperatures that can lead to breaking or melting. (some models have china or delicate wash- use this!)

Better Housekeeping Shop has a wide range of dishwashers in stock and we’d love to help you find the perfect one for your home. Give us a call today, 732-742-4310, and speak to one of our knowledgeable sales staff.