The New York Times published an article recently that provides tips on how to get the most out of your dishwasher. Some of the information can help you save energy and save money. We pulled out a few excerpts below (our emphasis added in bold), but click through the link to the article at the bottom of this post to read more.
"Pre-rinsing dishes is a big mistake ... People assume that the dishwasher will perform better if you put in cleaner dishes, and that’s not true. Just scrape. Pre-rinsing with hot water is double bad, because you’re pumping water and electricity down the drain."
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"Dishwasher detergent aggressively goes after food ... and if you don’t have food soil in the unit, it attacks the glasses, and they get cloudy," a process known as etching that can cause permanent damage.
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It’s also important not to use too much detergent, he said.
How much do you need? That depends on how much food soil there is ... not how many dishes. If you have a light load ... don’t fill the detergent cup all the way."
The article also provides some information about how to clean your dishwasher and remove any blockages.
