Why You Should Avoid Rinsing Your Dishes Before Loading The Dishwasher

There are many mistakes people make when loading a dishwasher, but one that seems to divide folks the most is pre-rinsing. Now, if you're firmly in camp pre-rinse, you might think that your habit could only result in cleaner dishes. After all, getting most of the gunk off of dishes before putting them in the dishwasher should only make things run smoother. Well, this isn't exactly the case. In fact, it turns out a bit of grime is actually beneficial!

Many detergent capsules contain special enzymes that work by attaching to leftover food and breaking it into tiny particles that can be easily washed away. However, in order for these enzymes to work at their best, food residue has to be present, so they end up not being as effective on pre-rinsed dishes. Moreover, most modern dishwashers are designed to clean dishes that aren't pre-rinsed. Some even have sensors that adjust cleaning cycles depending on how dirty the dishes are. While pre-rinsing might be helpful for old-school dishwashers, it's entirely unnecessary for newer, more efficient models. Plus, not pre-rinsing will save more water.

So, while your parents might have scolded you for not pre-rinsing the dishes back in the day, it's no longer recommended. However, clean dishes will still depend on how often you clean your dishwasher and its filter. Thankfully, dishwashers can be cleaned with baking soda and vinegar, and most filters just need a quick rinse.

Although you shouldn't pre-rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, that doesn't mean you should put in dishes as-is immediately after eating. It's still essential to scrape large pieces of food from dishes before loading them. This is because larger chunks could break off and clog your filter, resulting in your dishes not getting very clean as particles can't drain effectively.

You don't have to go overboard, though. Just a scrape with a spatula, fork, or spoon will do. Don't worry about any sauces or small bits of debris; the dishwasher will take care of those. If you want some extra freshness, add a lemon to your dishwasher; its citric acid will help with degreasing and deodorizing.

What's left behind on dishes after scraping will be enough for your dishwasher and detergent to be able to do their jobs, and it will save you some elbow grease. Just take care not to let dishes sit unwashed in your dishwasher for too long because they will start to stink, and most units are so efficient that running them daily will still use less water than cleaning them by hand.