How to Load the Dishwasher (and Unload it Faster)

How to Load the Dishwasher

While loading a dishwasher may seem like an easy task, there are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way (and something I do every time to save me a lot of time when I unload it. I’m sharing them all below!

Rinse the Dishes

I always rinse the dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. I know, I know, you thought that’s what the dishwasher was for but it truly does not get all the food off and unless you want to scrub dried-on food after it has gone through the full cleaning and drying cycle, it really is best just to do a quick rinse before.

I try to rinse any dirty dishes right away and then put them straight into the dishwasher but that doesn’t always happen. At the very least, I try to rinse everything right away because it is so much easier to do a quick rinse right away than try to scrub all the caked on food. If you have to do it eventually, you may as well do it now and save yourself the extra time later and all the time thinking about it in the meantime, right? 🙂

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If you do end up needing to scrub the dishes, I really like this scrubber. I also use these sponges every day and every day or two I toss them in with the towel load in the washing machine to sanitize them. They’re much easier to keep clean than regular sponges.

Load the Dishes

Okay, now this is where you can save a lot of time when it comes to unloading. When loading the dishwasher, I load similar items together.

Small dishes together, large dishes together, forks together, spoons together, etc.

You’ll also want to make sure there aren’t any large bowls blocking the dishwasher arms.

Adding the Detergent

I have tried a lot of detergents. Natural, not natural, and everything in between. My favorite detergent, that doesn’t leave an odor or residue, are these unscented pods.

If you sign up through my link, you can get $20 off. Sign up here and save. I also switched over to their laundry pods and absolutely love them. They clean so much better than the other natural detergent I was using before. So glad I switched!

Update: Many of you asked where my glass straws are from. You can buy them here. I absolutely love them. We’ve had them for years – even the one year old uses them. We’ve only broken maybe two but if you email them, they will replace them for free! Check them out here.

How to Load the Dishwasher (and Unload it Faster)