Listen parents, we told you all those years that cleaning the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher was silly and duplicative, and now we have the Times telling us we were right! Ha! Pre-rinsing dishes is “actually triple bad” according a “senior dishwasher design engineer,” because dishwasher detergent exists to attack food, and when it doesn’t find any, it instead attacks your glasses. It also wastes electricity and water. And that’s not the only mistake most people make. Inside, the Times’ tips for keeping your dishwasher happy…

• Use The Right Detergent: Your dishes will come out cleaner if you use powder detergent over liquid or tablet detergent.
• Load Dishes Properly: Put glasses along the side of the top rack, and saucers and cups in the middle. The durable stuff belongs on the bottom rack.
• Avoid Clogs: Wash the spray arm once in a while to remove any clogs.
• Use The Normal Cycle: Consumer Reports tests dishwashers using the normal cycle. Dishwasher makers know this and make it the most efficient cycle. Skip past pots and pans.
• Flash Dry Your Dishes: Quickly dry your dishes by opening the dishwasher immediately after it shuts off. The hot dishes will quickly give up water moisture and should dry within ten minutes.

The Dish on Dishwashers [The New York Times]
(Photo: NJ Tech Teacher)

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