Cutlery in the dishwasher

[MumofWombat]

I know it's a stupid thing to have a disagreement about but help me to clarify which of us - DH or myself, is the one being unreasonable!

When I load the dishwasher I put cutlery in 'prongs/blade down' in the rack, so that the handles poke up to make it easy to put away at the end.
DH puts them handles down as he reckons they get cleaner that way.

Seriously, we've had words more than once about this!
Who's right Mumsnet jury? Over to you...

YY to tripping over the door whilst down, really cracks you on the upper ankle/shin in the most painful way!

Blades and prongs down always!

We have a fancy dishwasher too and there is a tray at the top and cutlery lies flat

Many moons ago when I was working in a hospital we had a toddler admitted.

He was running around the kitchen and tripped over the dishwasher drawer and on to the cutlery bit which had a knife sticking up.

He was taken around various hospital departments because no one could understand how the knife had missed every internal organ.

I think every form of scanner/radiogaph/echo/ultrasound was used.

He was a very lucky child and I have not put a knife in blade up since.

I'd suggest you argue about something else !

Anyone who does handles down for sharp knives has clearly never seen that episode of Lost where Sayid kills that bad guy with the dishwasher. Heck, there's even a FB group dedicated to it (albeit empty!)

www.facebook.com/pages/Facing-the-Knives-in-Your-Dishwasher-Down-so-Sayid-Jarrah-Cant-Kill-You/107808555923658

I don't care either way, but it is one of DP's weird obsessions. He thinks it should be handle up for knives, for safety rreasons. If I acidentaly load so much as one butter knife blade up I can be sure he'll notice and words will be had...

So it looks in conclusion that we are both half right.
Thank you all, but I might just subtly change the way I put things in the washer rather than tell him he's right!

Handles down for cutlery so more water gets to the dirty bits. The only thing to do handles up is sharp knives for safety when loading/unloading.

What does it say in the dishwasher instructions? Do whatever it advises.

Handles down in ours.

However they get dumped in the basket. Some up some down. Although the manufacturer suggest handle down and has slots in the basket, but I opened it as it was too much faffing getting handles to fit.
Knifes on the top shelf in build in slot thing.

Miele dishwashers have a drawer a the top where you lie everything down.

It doesn't matter which way you put them if your dishwasher is working properly. It's pretty important to vary it, actually, as if you put two spoons in the same basket compartment they will spoon up and stick together and not get clean.

My DH gave me a kindly lecture a few years ago about how to stack the dishwasher. I said that as he was the expert it could be his job. I've rarely stacked it since (same thing happened with ironing).

Knives handles up, forks & spoons handles down. Because of impaling potential, I prefer to put the forks handles up, but then the prongs sometimes slip through the basket & impinge upon the rotating arm beneath.

Handles down in the cutlery basket. Sharp knives go flat at the top.

This one is so easy. Handles down, apart from sharp knives, in case accidental impalation should occur.

Anybody who does anything different is wrongity wrong wrong.

Our brand new dishwasher says handles up for everything, they still get perfectly clean.

So maybe the rules are changing?

Handles up for table knives, handles down for spoons & forks.

I hand wash all our sharp knives.

Handles down always. Never put decent kitchen knives in dishwasher, you'll ruin the handle and apparently 3 people a year die in the UK from falling on sharp knives in the dishwasher!

Handles down to allow proper cleaning. Avoid freak death by closing the dishwasher door between use, then anyone who falls, wont land on an upright blade.

Yes, yes I am sure we have all heard about freak accidents where someone falls over and gets stabbed to death by the sharp knife in the dishwasher. The one I heard was a 12 year old boy I think. But really - who does leave the dishwasher door open with the bottom shelf pulled out still loaded with stuff? Our dishwasher remains shut unless we are loading or unloading - minimal chance of accidents. And actually the really sharp knives are too good to go in the dishwasher anyway.

For everything else, table knives included, I agree with your DH. handles down and blades up if you want them properly clean.

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