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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

How do you use your dishwasher? Is it worth it?

29 replies

SquidgersMummy · 22/12/2013 19:35

So DH is a bit fussy about the dishwasher - he likes to sort of prewash the dishes first so the dishwasher doesn't end up full of food...to be fair we had a friend with a honking dishwasher as they never scraped plates etc - it was grim. So prewashing seems like doing it twice ..so we end up washing the dishes by hand and using the dishwasher as a draining board I have a toddler, a job and a kitchen constantly full of dishes. Surely this is madness. But how do you get rid of the food etc?? Does a dishwasher really save time?? I need MN guidance , giving up 90 per cent of ironing after MN advice revolutionised my life TIA

OP posts:

RhinestoneCowgirl · 22/12/2013 19:39

I think your DH is a bit mad tbh! We scrape plates into the compost bin and then sling them in. I might swish out a particularly filthy pot under a running tap before I put it in the dishwasher but that's it.

Love our dishwasher, it's a 10 yr old Bosch and still going strong.

Original poster

SquidgersMummy · 22/12/2013 19:42

See he's worried the food and grease will clog it up....is that not the case rubs hands together in anticipatory glee x

OP posts:

Alwayscheerful · 22/12/2013 19:43

I scrape plates in the bin and rinse anything used for mashed potato because mash clogs the filters.

StarsUponThars · 22/12/2013 19:47

Which says that you shouldn't pre-rinse.

My DM is adamant that you should.

Honestly, what's the point in having a dishwasher if you pre-rinse ? Life's too short. Tell him to clean the filter whatsit sometimes.

bunnymother · 22/12/2013 19:51

I do what Rhinestones does. I would not live without a dishwasher.

4yoniD · 22/12/2013 19:55

I believe that the tablets/powder require a certain amount of grease/mess to get them working? Not sure of the science but read it somewhere. If you rinse everything, they might not come out as clean as if you had put them in dirty.

Obviously no pre-rinse here - just scrape the worst off.

MinnesotaNice · 22/12/2013 19:57

I pre-rinse. Usually to the point where you can't easily tell if the dishwasher has been already run or not.

Don't know why, just how I was raised to do it, I suppose.

I like having a dishwasher because I feel like it makes everything more sanitary. Plus, pre-rinsing doesn't take that long.

TheCurseOfTinsel · 22/12/2013 20:00

No pre rinse here.

Food gets scraped into compost bin, Then plate bunged in dishwasher.

I could live without mine - it's run 3 times a day (full tithe brim) usually.

Everything goes in, nothing gets rinsed. Maybe the odd mash spoon/masher as they don't always come out clean.

You can get dishwasher cleaning products - run it empty with the cartridge in. Clean the filter once in a while.

They are there to do the work - why wash it all first?!

KrabbyPatty · 22/12/2013 20:00

Our old dishwasher died earlier this year and we had 2 days until the new one arrived.

It was awful.

We give really gunky stuff a cursory rinse, but that's it.

Life is too short to wash dishes.

redcaryellowcar · 22/12/2013 20:09

we don't rinse,.there are filters which catch stray peas etc,.empty this often and scrape plates into bin and that is enough. love earlier theory on dishwasher tablets needing dirt to work properly, will be using that as my defense from now on!!

Hassled · 22/12/2013 20:12

I give my dishes a cursory swill under the tap - that's all. You have to remember dishwashers get seriously hot - the heat coupled with the washing tablet/liquid will sort out any grease.

lilyaldrin · 22/12/2013 20:14

I don't pre-rinse. I empty and clean the filter regularly though.

StarsUponThars · 22/12/2013 20:18

Pre-rinsing is a huge waste of water and time.

specialsubject · 22/12/2013 20:26

exactly. Using a dishwasher FULL uses less energy and water than hand washing. Pre-rinsing is massively wasteful.

scrape off any leftovers into a compost bin (even better, serve less so no leftovers) and then into the dishwasher. Clean the filters frequently, add salt and rinse aid (don't trust the 3-in-1 tablets) and the job is done.

misscph1973 · 22/12/2013 20:30

4yoniD is right. Modern dishwasher tabs / powder need som grease to work with. And a dish washing machine should not get clogged up, although you do need to check the filter everyt now and again. It is also a good idea to run a cycle with crystal soda (from all good diy shops and some supermarkets) every now and again, it takes all grease.

Original poster

SquidgersMummy · 22/12/2013 22:07

See this is why I love MN

OP posts:

AmberLeaf · 22/12/2013 22:09

Your DH is wronger than a wrong thing.

You do not need to pre rinse [or pre wash in your case]

Couldn't be without mine,.

ivykaty44 · 22/12/2013 22:14

I put crockery and cutlery in the dishwasher and then when full turn on - empty flyer regular of any food products

BrownSauceSandwich · 22/12/2013 23:30

Scrape off the worst. Soak lasagne dishes. Empty the filter regularly sometimes. 8 years here, and we haven't had any blockages yet

TKKW · 23/12/2013 14:21

Ive just had my slimline dishwasher in for a week and a half.

I run a tap over most things but depends on how stuck/grubby it is and how soon I plan to use the dishwasher. Its a dishwasher - not a miracle machine but I know I'm an odd one and many dont and are fine too!!

I had a kitchen put in 18 months ago with out a dishwasher and was totally convinced even with a toddler, I wouldnt need one.... WRONG!!!

Total cost of installing a £379 Slimline Bosch exxcel, about £640 :-

wastage of 18 month old drawer unit,

new plumbing
new electric socket under cabinets
new stainless steel cutlery (old ones were wooden handles and not dishwasher proof.

We have another baby due in 4 months and I imagine I will do her bottles in it, so YES!! Worth every penny of the £600 or so.

I find rinsing, loading and unloading a joy as it takes me about 10 -15 mins flat and dishes took up about 1-2 hours a day. I do 1 full load and sometimes a half load.

I hand wash some pans as in the slimline, there wont be enough room for pasta pan and big saucepan but I dont care!!!

You'll need dishwasher salt which is about £1 for a kilo in Wilko.

Ive bought finish tabs at £8, eco tabs at £4 and value tabs at £2. They all clean the same. Really! You might not need a full tab for a half load.

My kitchen is tidier too!

TKKW · 23/12/2013 14:27

oh, the cabinet wastage may bump it up to £700, might have underestimated cots . DH is a bit annoyed about that but also delighted less clanking about when its my turn for dishes.

mousmous · 23/12/2013 14:31

scrape off food
soak difficult stains.
let the d/w do the work.
if you clean the filter regularly and let it run at a high enough (55 degree) temperature for long enough (i.e. not the quick cycle) it will not get manky.
also check that rinse aid and salt are filled up.

AmberLeaf · 23/12/2013 17:09

TKKW oh but it is a miracle machine!

Elizabeth22 · 24/12/2013 09:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pavlovthecat · 24/12/2013 09:12

DH insists on this, i tell him not to, he is getting the message! we just make sure we clean the dishwasher regularly, and clean the filter out thoroughly, check the water head thingies etc.

My MIL washes everything and so does all the american family, but they use it to 'sanitise' or something, not to actually clean the dishes. They are horrified when they visit and see us sometimes washing items and putting on draining board/drying up - they are like 'but it's not cleeeean! it's still got germs on!'

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