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Besides the technological marvel that is your microwave, dishwashers surely are one of the best kitchen appliances ever invented.

Commonly accepted to be more water-wise than handwashing, the humming machine in your kitchen does the work of a chore-averse teenager in half the time.

As these machines have become part of our lives, there have been a lot of advice and tips on how to get the best results from your machine.

Some are effective, such as placing half a lemon in your machine to help with build-up or doing a weekly vinegar wash to deal with odours. And of course, everyone knows that you need to rinse the dishes before placing them in the washer.

According to dishwashing expert, Ashley Iredale, the latter ‘tip’ could actually be bad for your machine. As per an article in the Daily Mail, rinsing your dishes before placing them in the machine confuses the internal sensors, tricking the machine into thinking the dishes are clean, and therefore, we should have read the manual first:

Most dishwashers have inbuilt turbidity sensors that measure how much dirt is in the water from the first rinse cycle, so rinsed plates may fool the system.

Lucky for us, Ashley had a few expert tips for the lazy kitchen gurus among us.

Tablets should not be put into the soap dispenser.

“Dishes will be washed just as well by throwing the tablet in the bottom of the machine. They are too big to wash away like that, and by having them loose in the tub from the get-go, it gives the dissolvable wrapper a head-start in the initial rinse, so the tablet itself is more readily available from the start of the wash cycle.”

Leave the dishwasher door open between washes.

“Closing the dishwasher between washes is dangerous. It doesn’t give the seals a chance to dry out, which gives mould and bad smells a chance to take hold. Leaving the door slightly ajar will prevent the growth of bacteria and fungus as oxygen will flow through and the environment wont be as warm and damp.”

Never run the machine for half loads.

“You will waste money, water and energy as your dishwasher will use the same amount of electricity and water regardless of how full it is. A full dishwasher also dries better as the crockery heats up from the hot water in the machine, then it holds on to that heat, helping it to dry.”

Keep sharp knives out of your dishwasher.

“The washing process can dull sharp edges, and the harsh chemicals and humid environment can corrode steel. It’ll actually cost you more time, both in constantly sharpening your knives to restore the sharp cutting edge, and in first aid for the injuries you’ll sustain from trying to cut food with a blunt blade.”

Washing the dishes has never been the most exciting or sexy chore, but it helps to know what helps your machine to operate optimally.

If you are all riled up about the possibilities of your magic machine, the good people at Choice Consumer Advocacy Group have compiled a handy list of do’s and don’ts. Check it out here.

Alternatively, you could also just use paper plates and plastic cutlery, but they don’t go well with romantic dinners or the environment.

[sources:choice&dailymail]