I can sympathize. I had a roommate who hated the dishwasher because she didn't know how to load it properly or set the wash mode.

GAT_00: Diogenes: Should silverware go business end up or down?

I'm a business end down guy reared by a business end up family.

How is that actually a question that needs debate? Hmm, should I leave knives sticking up that I can accidentally stab myself with, or should I have them safely pointed down? Hmmm.

Tableware up, makes putting it away easier but steak knives and sharps down for safety.

I don't care how someone else does the dished because that means I am not doing them.

My family isn't allowed to have knives anymore so it's no big deal how they go in the dishwasher.

ZAZ: Tableware up, makes putting it away easier but steak knives and sharps down for safety.

My knives go point up while forks and spoons go active end down. I've done it that way as long as I remember. For the non-knives the reason is I don't want my possibly dirty hands touching the part that touches my food when I unload. I may have had a reason once for the knives. Possibly I didn't want the sharp ends of the knives gouging the plastic holder. I've learned to be careful and not cut myself too deeply.

A friend told me about a safety engineer at an old job that had to explain why he missed a few weeks of work. Seems that he loads the knives in pointy end up, and tripped and fell into his dishwasher. Ended up with some large number of stab wounds.

/Probably an urban legend
//I load them business end down anyway.

This thread reminds me of the roommate I used to have who would load glasses and bowls open-end up.

As for pre-rinsing, I thought that was the dog's job.

I admit that I'm a dishwasher nazi (Hi Godwin!) I'm the hitler of dishwashers.

I always re-load the dishwasher after my wife does it. I can't stand the way she always loads it WRONG.

PS. Knives do NOT go into the dishwasher, only those "butter knives", not sharp knives!

ZAZ: Tableware up, makes putting it away easier but steak knives and sharps down for safety.

My knives go point up while forks and spoons go active end down. I've done it that way as long as I remember. For the non-knives the reason is I don't want my possibly dirty hands touching the part that touches my food when I unload. I may have had a reason once for the knives. Possibly I didn't want the sharp ends of the knives gouging the plastic holder. I've learned to be careful and not cut myself too deeply.

I suppose you could always try washing your hands before handling the clean dishes that people will eventually be eating from...

I am the dishwasher.

My philosophy: If you're doing the dishes, you load the farking machine however you want.

Wifey and I agree pretty much on loading and operation of the machine. Where we differ is on unloading. If any items are not completely dry, I shake the excess and put them away in the cabinates. She will take waay to long to dry each piece comepletely with a towel.

My way is easier, and they dry eventually.

GAT_00: Diogenes: Should silverware go business end up or down?

I'm a business end down guy reared by a business end up family.

How is that actually a question that needs debate? Hmm, should I leave knives sticking up that I can accidentally stab myself with, or should I have them safely pointed down? Hmmm.

Every owners manual of every dishwasher I've owned said business end up - i figure the designer knows best. As for knives, they shouldn't even be in the dishwasher, and if they are, you should have your eyes open whilst unloading.

RTFM!

Every machine (even dishwashers) are designed to work a certain way. The manufacturer has designed the machine to do its best work when loaded a certain way.

You or your roomie' do not know better that the design team.

Dude looks like a lady.

I let other people (women) do the dishes while I drink beer and watch football

I may or may not know someone who turns the control dial past some of the cycles while the dishwasher is running. To save electricity, I guess. For some reason the dishes don't always come out completely clean.

rhino33: i'm only bothered at my wifes inability to load the washer efficiently. i don't care where things are placed in there, but every time she goes to turn it on, i stop her and open it. i then proceed to re-organize everything she's put in there, and then double that amount of stuff with the extra space i find on the racks.

In my house that's my situation. Lordfortuna is a dear for trying to help, but he inevitably puts the heavy mugs in the deep part of the upper rack, which both wastes space and puts strain on the broken roller. Manufacturer told us it would be $100 to replace the whole rack because the stupid wheel broke, so we just deal with it. Anyway I've got tricks to maneuver large cutting boards or pans and stuff in there that he doesn't understand. I don't really say anything about it to him though; it's not worth making him feel like I'm criticizing and getting defensive. I just move the mugs.

Occasionally I'll run it with a few open spots and he's all 'whaaat' but the way I see it, if there's tiny bits of food lurking in the bottom, a less-full washer gives it a chance to rinse out better.

Mad Scientist: Wifey and I agree pretty much on loading and operation of the machine.

You do the dishes with Wifey? Nice.



This article reminds me that I need to replace our dishwasher. Having to pre-rinse is bad enough but lately we've had to post-rinse everything, too.

RE: Knives

Except for plain old table/butter variety ...

KNIVES DO NOT GO IN THE DISHWASHER OR THE SINK!

If the knife is not in your hand it is in the knife-rack.
1) Cut
2) Clean
3) Dry
4) Put away

rhino33: i'm only bothered at my wifes inability to load the washer efficiently. i don't care where things are placed in there, but every time she goes to turn it on, i stop her and open it. i then proceed to re-organize everything she's put in there, and then double that amount of stuff with the extra space i find on the racks.

My mother loads the dishwasher this way too. When I visit, I can usually double the number of dishes she fits in.

I once explained it to her thusly:

Me: "When you put dishes away in the cupboard, do you stack plate bowl plate bowl?"
Her: "No."
Me: "Why not?"
Her: "Because it takes up a lot of space. They don't nest/stack together"
Me: "Exactly! It's the same principal in the dishwasher."
Her: Lightbulb goes on "Ohhhh..."


Also, I would like to say I put the cutlery in business end UP. Why? First of all, you can fit more forks/spoons in this way. Secondly, with the eating end up and out of the basket, the dishwasher can clean them better.
The only thing that's the exception to this is sharp knives, which I put point down for safety reasons.

ZAZ: My knives go point up while forks and spoons go active end down. I've done it that way as long as I remember. For the non-knives the reason is I don't want my possibly dirty hands touching the part that touches my food when I unload.

And if you're really that paranoid about it, I pity you.

One of the few standing rules in our house is *I* load the dishwasher.

Mrs. D1v is under a long-standing impression that dishwashers have teeth.

(either hose the food chunks off or let the dog help out, but rinse, dammit!)

Diogenes: Should silverware go business end up or down?

I'm a business end down guy reared by a business end up family.

Lordfortuna used to insist all knives point up which drove me crazy, as I have cut myself that way. After he watched that episode of Lost where Sayid kills a guy by slamming him on a dishwasher door full of knives pointed up, however, he changed his tune. I was amused.

Do 'em by hand, ya lazy farks!
Ask for help if you need it, too.

This argument is all sorts of WTFness.

Wellon Dowd: Mad Scientist: Wifey and I agree pretty much on loading and operation of the machine.

You do the dishes with Wifey? Nice.

[www.popten.net image 480x640]

This article reminds me that I need to replace our dishwasher. Having to pre-rinse is bad enough but lately we've had to post-rinse everything, too.

It may not be your dishwasher. Because of some new rule that required the removal phosphates from dishwasher soap, it's not nearly as effective as it once was. It's apparently really bad in places with hard water.

We started to add vinegar to ours and noticed that we were generally getting a better clean. There are a bunch of tricks to boost the cleaning power without resorting to new equipment if you google around.

Unhip1: Do 'em by hand, ya lazy farks!
Ask for help if you need it, too.

This argument is all sorts of WTFness.

Heh yeah, I think this kind of discussion (argument?) definitely counts as one of those "White People Problems", or "First World Problems"

Lord-Fark-Wad: RE: Knives

Except for plain old table/butter variety ...

KNIVES DO NOT GO IN THE DISHWASHER OR THE SINK!

If the knife is not in your hand it is in the knife-rack.
1) Cut
2) Clean
3) Dry
4) Put away

Dad?!? I thought you were dead.

GAT_00: I'm talking about steak knives, not scimitars.

Listen, strange women lyin' in kitchens distributin' tableware is no basis for a system of dishwashing. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic cleansing ceremony.