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It’s a common myth that you should thoroughly rinse your dishes before placing them in the dishwasher – when actually, this can actually hinder the effectiveness of a dishwasher.
In this article, we’ll tell you exactly why this myth came about and why, actually, a quick scrape is all you need before placing crockery in the dishwasher.
One of the biggest appliance myths out there is that dishes must be rinsed before they go in the dishwasher. In fact, this action will decrease how effectively your dishwasher cleans its contents.
So, why is this? The enzymes in dishwasher detergents work by binding to food debris on crockery in order to clean it. Simply put, if most of the food debris has already been washed off prior, then the detergent enzymes have nothing to bind to – hence, they cannot clean the dish effectively and you may end up with a less adequate clean. So, not only is rinsing your dishes before they go into the dishwasher a huge waste of time, it’s also a waste of water and energy, too.
This persistent myth may have been passed down from our parents and grandparents from the days when dishwashers were not as effective. Modern dishwashers, however, are far more efficient than models in the past and therefore do not require pre-rinsing like in days gone by. Some dishwashers actually have in-built sensors that detect how much washing is required based on how dirty a particular load is – by rinsing the dishes first, you could be instructing your dishwasher to run a shorter and less effective wash.
You now know that a thorough rinse is a big no-no for your plates. However, it’s still important to scrape any sizeable leftover food from your plate and into the bin before placing it in the dishwasher. This is to stop any larger food fragments from blocking your dishwasher, a problem that could eventually lead to a clogged filter and ineffective drainage of the appliance.
How to get the best results from your dishwasher
- As mentioned before, only scrape large bits of food into the bin. Never rinse a plate before placing it in the dishwasher.
- Follow the instructions for your make or model carefully when it comes to which type of detergent to use and how much – don’t overdo it.
- Check on the filter from time-to-time to keep tabs on any debris build-up or blockages.
Keeping your dishwasher clean and well-maintained can go a long way to improving its longevity and overall performance – keep a lookout for our upcoming article on how to clean your dishwasher for further tips.
Having problems with your dishwasher? Here at Domex, we’re the go-to appliance repair service for London, Epsom, Guildford and Brighton. With over 50 on-call engineers, we can arrive promptly to diagnose and resolve any issues. Simply give us a call today and our advisors will be happy to help.