Pretend I never used a dishwasher before. What do I need to know?

Feb 20, 2026 13:16:42

Some people use their dishwasher to rinse vegetables and fruit,

But I suggest that it’s more of a dish rinser than a dishwasher. I prefer to prewash or rinse off stuff before, meaning I don’t throw it in there caked on.

Depending on the configuration, I like to put my utensils in upside down because I think things inside the basket get less water.

Cast iron is a no-no because you don’t want detergent, and you might need to clean your dishwasher every year or so to keep glasses coming out looking clean, but much of that is depending upon your own water minerals

Feb 21, 2026 01:53:18

William Wallace wrote:Some people use their dishwasher to rinse vegetables and fruit,

But I suggest that it’s more of a dish rinser than a dishwasher. I prefer to prewash or rinse off stuff before, meaning I don’t throw it in there caked on.

Depending on the configuration, I like to put my utensils in upside down because I think things inside the basket get less water.

Cast iron is a no-no because you don’t want detergent, and you might need to clean your dishwasher every year or so to keep glasses coming out looking clean, but much of that is depending upon your own water minerals

Most new dishwashers now have a "Rinse Fruits and Vegetables" cycle option on them. My Danby dish washer does, but then most kitchen sinks now have waterfalls for just that same reason along with draining baskets and cutting blocks, so I am not sure that its a huge selling feature for the dishwasher.

I think I mentioned this a few years ago on this thread but you can also use a dishwasher to cook food. Salmon in particular because it does not require a lot of heat to cook, and can dry out while cooking. Putting salmon in your dishwasher cooks it because it is high enough temperature and for long enough, but in such a humid environment the fish comes out perfect. But again, I can get those same results with my kitchen range so it is not so much that it can or cannot be done, but really a matter of 'is the dishwasher really the right tool to use to get the result you want?" I tried it just to see if it would work, and it did, but I cook a lot of salmon and I use my kitchen range.

Feb 21, 2026 07:11:12

All excellent bits of advice. The one thing that you may not think about, especially if you install the unit yourself, is the proper way to install the drain. This is unbelievably common, I've seen it (and fixed it for the owner) many times. It's the 'drain loop.' Fail to install this right and you'll have perpetual flood of water in the bottom of the washer. https://youtube.com/shorts/vN18PrjbEEw?si=LG8sXqFf725cZsQW

Feb 21, 2026 08:29:17

My tip for someone who has never used a dishwasher before is to place knives with the sharp edge down.

At my house I am the only dishwasher and I still use that tip everyday.

That tip is mainly for the sadety of children of which mine are all grown...

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