Dishwasher- Do you pre-rinse?

[User246810]

So, for years I've just scraped food off and shoved in, (stuck pans get a pre-soak as mine are non-stick).

But my mum, who's nailed this housekeeping lark, rinses under the tap before putting in the dishwasher.

We have a Bosch dishwasher and I'd always though it was a bit rubbish but now I think I should have pre-rinsing.

So, is my dishwasher shit or do I need to pre-rinse?

[Karen781]

I don't rinse stuff in the dishwasher, but scrape food off and rinse stuff in the waste sink before washing in dishwasher. Could it be your dishwasher tablets if you're not getting good results?

[dementedpixie]

No I don't rinse and you shouldn't have to. The detergent needs something to work on and if you make the dishes too clean then it will do more damage to the crockery. Have you cleaned the filters and spray arms?

[SmokeCloak]

No I never pre rinse.

[mommybunny]

It depends what kind of food is being washed off - with my crappy AEG dishwasher if I don't rinse starchy dishes (of, say, porridge) and the starch that has been left dries before it gets washed then the starch just sticks to the bowls and needs to be soaked before being washed again.

For most other stuff a good scrape works fine.

[InaDelerium]

Our Bosch dishwasher's manual specifically states not to pre-rinse dishes.

[buntingqueen]

This^
We also have a Bosch which specifically states not to pre-rinse dishes.

[zen1]

I soak in washing up bowl then rinse under tap before loading . I just can't bear the thought of bits of food being left in the dishwasher. Also, because the dishwasher only goes on last thing at night, if I didn't rinse breakfast dishes, the food would be well and truly dried on by the time I came to turn the dw on.

[SweetChickadee]

mine says not to pre rinse too

[witwootoodleoo]

Another Bosch owner with a manual that says not to pre-rinse. If you're getting rubbish results try using salt and rinseaid if you don't already. Depending on whereabouts you live and how hard the water is the all in one tablets might not cut it.

[AndNoneForGretchenWieners]

I don't have a dishwasher (unless you can count DH). But my mum does and insists that everyone rinses their plates and cutlery before putting in the dishwasher. To be fair it is a good age and has never needed repair so maybe it is the right approach. I get annoyed at work if people don't rinse before loading the dishwasher because some people are disgusting and put plates and bowls with loads of gunge in, so when you stack your plate you end up someone else's crap on your hand. Like a half full bowl of soup. Just why?

[ArgyMargy]

Don't be ridiculous!! If you can be bothered to rinse you might just as well wash up and chuck out the dishwasher. My son's girlfriend tried to do this - it turned out her Granny said she should. There's your answer; 100 years ago when dishwashers were first invented they were a bit rubbish so you had to wash stuff before putting it in the machine to wash it again. Barking mad.

[user1486076969]

I always pre rinse......(especially mashed potato which otherwise just coats everything else)

[Wh0Kn0wsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Only rinse if there's a lot of tomato sauce as it stains plastic items. Bosch here too.

[thecapitalsunited]

My Bosch manual says not to pre-rinse so I don't. I have porridge for breakfast every day and only run the machine and it all comes off no problems. If I put in something that I know will come out with crud still on it (like if I've burned rice onto the bottom of a pan) if it then I make use of the pre-rinse function of the machine itself.

[e1y1]

No I don't rinse and you shouldn't have to. The detergent needs something to work on and if you make the dishes too clean then it will do more damage to the crockery. Have you cleaned the filters and spray arms?

This - Never pre rinse. I have had (a very rare time or 2) dishes left for 2 or 3 days that haven't been rinsed and still everything comes out spotless, and the dishwasher is immaculate.

Would suggest giving the dishwasher a good clean and possibly changing detergent.

Rinsing should never be neccessary

[Obsidian77]

I know you aren't supposed to, but I always do, unless the dishwasher is going on right away.

[chloechloe]

I do because I can't bear to look at all the plates full of food remains in the dishwasher! Urgh.

I'm not sure I agree about it being a waste of time. If you don't rinse off grains of rice etc then they get stuck in the spray arms - removing and cleaning them regularly and emptying the filter takes longer than a quick rinse under a hot tap!

[dementedpixie]

I scrape plates so food won't be on them. I don't rinse though

[nellythegoat]

No I don't...

move to 0:26 to see the cake go in and 1:38 to see an empty plate.

I don't let my Mum near my dishwasher otherwise she rinses all the plates and then stacks them leaving massive gaps so that they will wash properly. She won't let DF buy one for their house as they 'don't save any time'.

[fussychica]

I only rinse off really gooey stuff like egg or porridge if the dishwasher won't be going on later that day (only 2 people). Never have any issues with food residue after washing.

[rabbit123]

Never. Just scrape off food and put it in the dishwasher. Our DW does a rinse cycle before the main wash anyway (most do) so actually I'd be pre-pre-rinsing which is just wasteful.
The only thing that doesn't go in the dishwasher is things like porridge bowls that need a soak first otherwise it sticks.

[llangennith]

I just scrape off food. These days dishwashers have a powerful prerinse so no need to rinse dishes under the tap first.
Dishwashers years ago weren't as efficient and nor were the dishwasher tablets so I did rinse dishes then.

[PenelopeFlintstone]

I scrape very well, but never rinse.

[Lweji]

Some things do need to be taken off first or washed immediately. Notably egg, mash and melted cheese. Sometimes rice.

I only run mine every two or three days and it washes fine.

Bosh should be a good brand. Maybe it's the cycle you use?

[HappydaysArehere]

Just wipe plates, saucepans over with kitchen roll to get rid of anything loose. Use the cheap paper. I have found that this keeps the bottom little removable strainer free from food but I know people who have a lot of nasty residue in their machines. I just think they are washing up in dirty water.