How to Load a Dishwasher

No matter how advanced your dishwasher, you can still run the risk of not-so-clean dishes if you don’t load it correctly.

Thankfully, loading your dishwasher is straightforward – as long as you follow some easy tips, like the ones below:

Tips for loading a dishwasher

1

Scrape excess food off your dishes

To keep your kitchenware from coming out of the cycle covered with food residue – and avoid clogging the insides of your machine – always scrape off large bits of food before loading your dishwasher.

One hand holds a white plate while the other hand uses a fork to scrape food into a garbage container.

Learn more about how to prevent your dishwasher from clogging

2

Don’t rinse your dishes

Believe it or not, it’s a myth that you need to rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Scraping excess food from your plates with a fork or spoon before stacking them in your machine works just as well – and saves valuable water.

Three soiled white dishes with three soiled stainless steel dinner forks.

3

Don’t overload your dishwasher

It may be tempting to squeeze all your family’s dishes into one load to save time, but an overloaded dishwasher can damage your dishes. Plus, overcrowding can disrupt the flow of water and detergent, so some items may not come out as clean as you’d like.

A hand places a clear glass into the top rack of a full dishwasher.

4

Keep plastics on the top rack

The hottest part of your dishwasher is at the bottom, by the heating element. Keep your dishwasher-safe plastics on the top rack to prevent them from warping.

The top rack of a dishwasher filled with glasses, white cups, and colourful plastic containers.

Learn more about washing plastics in the dishwasher

5

Load your glasses and mugs on the top rack

Because the top rack is cooler than the rest of your dishwasher, it’s also the best spot to clean cups, glasses and mugs. When they’re placed face down correctly, the water and detergent can effectively clean inside, leaving them sparkling clean.

A woman’s hands take a white cup out of the top rack of a dishwasher.

Learn more about how to clean glass in your dishwasher

6

Place extra dirty dishes face down

If you’re cleaning trays or items with baked on food or other stubborn residue, make sure you place them face down, so the spray arms can effectively clean with the right amount of pressure.

The inside bottom rack of a dishwasher filled with soiled dishes including a large casserole dish.

7

Load utensils in the dishwasher, handles down

Load your forks and spoons handles down so the dirtiest parts get cleaned the most thoroughly. You’ll want to load knives blades down – handles up, however, so you don’t cut yourself when unloading.

A full cutlery rack inside a dishwasher.

Learn more about how to clean cutlery in the dishwasher and how you should clean wooden utensils

8

Put oversized items towards the sides and back of your dishwasher

Place larger, heavier items, like cutting boards and platters, towards the sides and back of your dishwasher, so they don’t disrupt the flow of water and detergent.

The bottom rack of a dishwasher filled with soiled dishes and cutlery in front, with an upside-down pot in the back.

Learn more about how to clean wooden cutting boards

9

Load pots and pans at the bottom of your dishwasher

Most pots and pans made of stainless steel can go in the bottom rack of your dishwasher. Just be sure to check the manufacturers advice before loading, as pots made of some materials, like aluminum, can warp or break down in the dishwasher.

The bottom rack of a dishwasher with a large upside-down pot and two pot lids.

10

Use Finish^® dishwasher tablets and Finish^® rinse aid for optimal results

After you’ve loaded your dishes, glasses, cutlery, pots, pans and other kitchenware properly, adding Finish^® dishwasher tablets and Finish^® rinse aid to your dishwasher cycle can enhance your cleaning results. They’re designed to work effectively with various loading techniques, ensuring spotless dishes every time.

Finish Powerball Quantum Ultramax and Finish Jet Dry Rinse Aid boxes.

What items can you put in your dishwasher?

These days, most kitchen items can go in the dishwasher – however, it’s always important to check first, so you avoid ruining both your appliance and your valuable kitchenware.

A woman’s hand removes a white bowl with a dishwasher symbol on it from the bottom rack of a dishwasher.

Learn more about what items are dishwasher safe

How to load your dishwasher to get your dishes sparkling clean every time

Video tutorial: How to load your dishwasher

Video tutorial: How to clean your dishwasher

EXPLORE OUR PRODUCTS FOR DISHWASHING

FINISH® Quantum UltraMAX™
Finish® Quantum UltraMAX™ with CYCLESYNC™ technology that releases the right ingredient^‡ at the right time. ^‡Enzyme
Finish® Jet Dry® Rinse Aid
Finish® Jet-Dry® Rinse Aid

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Frequently asked questions

: Your detergent needs to complement the cleansing action of your dishwasher. Automatic dishwashing detergent is specially formulated to disperse food residue and greasy soiling, hold it in suspension, and remove it in the final rinse. It does all this while producing little or no suds.
For best results use the detergent recommended by the manufacturer of your machine.
However, Finish is the #1 Recommended brand by leading dishwasher manufacturers such as Bosch^*. In very hard water areas we also recommend the use of separate Salt and Rinse aid to protect your machine and achieve the best result.
^*Finish is the most recommended detergent based on the market share of dishwasher manufacturers that recommend Finish
: No need to! Pre-rinsing is a thing of the past. And although many British households do it, it’s time consuming and wasteful of precious resources.
Modern detergents such as Finish Quantum Ultimate contain both bleach and enzymes and are recommended by dishwasher manufacturers for use without pre-rinsing.
Bleach fights tough stains like tea and coffee, and enzymes breakdown proteins and starches. All you have to do is scrape the larger pieces into the rubbish bin and load your dishwasher.
: Dishwasher tablets contain surfactants, which affect the liquid they are added to, making it more efficient at picking up and washing away debris. They also include enzymes (to break down starchy foods and protein), builders (to tackle hard water) and safe bleaches.
Once you’ve put your dishwasher tablet into the detergent dispenser compartment, your machine will release the contents at the optimal time allowing the tab to disintegrate into the water, release all ingredients and clean your dishes!
: Your dishwashing detergent should be stored in a dry environment. If you are using powder, be careful to close the spout after each use to help keep the product dry (and to avoid spills!). Like all cleaning products, store your detergent out of the reach of children.
: Rinse aid is required to:

Ensure spot-free, shiny dishes

Assist the drying function

With multi-benefit tablets such as Finish Quantum Ultimate and Finish All in One, rinse aid and salt functions are included. However, in very hard water areas we also recommend the use of separate Salt and Rinse aid products to protect your machine and achieve the best result.
: "Dishwasher tablets are very simple to use. If needed, remove any protective packaging, pop the tablet into your detergent dispensing compartment, close the compartment, turn on your washing machine and let technology and Finish handle the rest!
For detailed information on how to use Finish Tablets, read on below.
With dry hands, remove the tablet from the container and place it in the detergent dispenser. Ensure both the dispenser and the tablet is dry to prevent it from dissolving prematurely.
Close the tablets packaging lid tightly. Store away from heat and moisture to protect the remaining tablets.
Our tablets are wrapper-free (with the exception of Finish Classic) and are designed to release their contents when they come into contact with water. Do not pierce or attempt to unwrap the tablets.
Clip the detergent dispenser shut and close your dishwasher.
Make sure all items are dishwasher safe and separate silver from stainless steel.
Wash metal items according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Run dishwasher. The optimal water temperature is 51° – 60°C.
For optimal results, it is recommended to also use Finish Rinse Aid for shinier and drier dishes (vs detergent alone).
: Detergent tablets should always be placed in the detergent dispenser compartment.

If you’re placing the tablet at the bottom of the dishwasher it’s likely that it will dissolve too quickly, releasing the detergent during the prewash and leaving no detergent for the main wash cycle. This will reduce the efficiency of your wash.
: Whether you need to remove the plastic from your dishwasher tablet depends on the product you have bought. As a good rule of thumb, if the tablet comes individually wrapped then yes, you should remove the plastic wrap before using. If, however, the tablet is encased in a skin of thin, transparent plastic, this should not be removed and will dissolve itself safely during the washing process.
: Dishwasher tablets should only go in the dishwasher detergent compartment of your dishwasher, not loose in the dishwasher itself.

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