Household chores are often a point of contention for many couples and housemates – who does what and when – and more importantly, HOW it is done. If you've ever disagreed on how to arrange the dishes in the dishwasher, here we finally set the record straight. Hisense and professional home organiser Sue Spencer have teamed up to reveal how to stack your dishwasher in the right way…
Hisense spoke to 1,500 homemakers across the nation to find that more than a third (38%)* had fallen out with a friend or family member over the dishwasher. 70% admitted to feeling that there was a ‘right way’ to stack the dishwasher, and a whopping 50% said that they felt they were the only person in their household that took on the responsibility of loading the appliance.
Tips to correctly load a dishwasher
- If there are lots of dishes you should do two loads, a hot programme for saucepans and roasting tins followed by an ordinary wash for tableware like plates and cutlery
- Cookware should be placed at the sides and back of the lower rack for the best rinse experience
- Place items at an angle so that the water and detergent can flow freely
- Do not overlap items as if crockery is arranged too closely, this will restrict water flow and risk the clean result
- The top rack is reserved for glasses, cups, small bowls and serving spoons
- Plates go in the bottom rack but there must be space between them
- Place large serving bowls at the back of the lower rack and tilt towards the centre of the dishwasher for the best clean
- Always load forks and spoons facing upward for the best clean, but knives down for safety
- Make sure spoons don't 'spoon' together by separating them
- Use the spikes in the top compartment to keep your glasses and cups lined up – you don't want them jiggling all over the place as they can smash
More household stories
The ultimate weekly cleaning schedule to keep your house spotless
The Queen of Clean reveals her top Amazon cleaning buys that are worth their weight in gold
Best electric fans for your home: Tried and tested models for keeping cool in 2023