You've Been Loading Silverware In Your Dishwasher All Wrong

Many of us own a handy dishwasher, which is a superstar at saving us time and water and cleaning the dishes effectively. That being said, roughly 20% of U.S. households that have a dishwasher, still wash their dishes by hand. You might be doing the same, perhaps because your machine is leaving some dishes dirty (the filter might just need a good clean) or maybe you've accidentally nicked yourself one too many times while unloading it.

Well, there's an easy solution to the latter problem: load your forks and knives (or other sharp utensils) with the handles facing up. This will avoid any unwanted injuries and keep your fingers safe. You can do the same with spoons, but if you have a bigger load of silverware, pop spoons in handles down to save space. Loading your silverware handle up also makes it easier and quicker to unload — plus, from a hygiene perspective, your hands won't be touching the surfaces that come into contact with your mouth. 

Loading your dishwasher wrong can definitely limit its ability to wash dishes effectively, so here are some other tips when washing silverware. If your dishwasher has designated slots in the utensil racks, make sure to use them as this will keep your silverware separate, giving each piece of cutlery a more effective clean. Try to keep different materials like stainless steel and silver-plated silverware apart if possible, since the contact can lead to corrosion. 

When loading your silverware, mix things up so that you're placing a variety of spoons, forks, and knives in one basket. If you only have forks or knives next to each other, they can cluster together which will make it nearly impossible for the machine to clean and dry them well. Chef's knives, carving knives, or any knives you want to keep sharp should actually be kept out of your dishwasher altogether. Loading them in can cause the materials to corrode or dull the blades. Keeping sharp knives out of the dishwasher also means there's less danger of cutting yourself while loading and unloading. And, remember, for the rest of your silverware, stick to loading handles up.