Saving Energy With Your Dishwasher

Always was full loads, according to the Santa Cruz plumbing experts!  A dishwasher uses the same amount of hot water and energy whether it’s half-filled or fully loaded.  Use the rinse-and-hold cycle when you don’t have a full load.

Let your dishes air-dry.  If your machine doesn’t have an Energy Saver switch to stop heated drying, just wait for the final rinse to end, then release the door latch and turn the control knob to Off.  Wait a few minutes for the steam inside to subside, then open the door and pull the top rack out partway to hold it open.

Do’t bother to rinse dishes before loading them.  The machine’s water system pulverizes and flushes away food particles.  But it is not  a waste disposer; scrape off bones and large quantities of food.  Just empty glasses and cups.

Put pots and baking dishes with heavy or encrusted residue in the lower rack facing down toward the spray arm.  Make sure pot handles are secure and can’t drop down and block the spray arm.

Put large platters or cookie sheets in the back or on the sides.  In the front, they can keep water from reaching the detergent dispenser and the silverware basket.

A dishwasher can’t clean everything.  If a pot has burned-on or charred food, the only way to get it clean is to wash it by hand.

Use the top rack for smaller and lighter items, including plastics and glasses between or over the prongs; don’t let them hang loosely on prongs.  Never wash glasses or fragile glassware in the bottom.