i have a blog?

I really have no answer for the above question. As in - WHY do I have a blog? HOW will I maintain this blog? WHAT is this blog for?

But, I thought about it and thought about it and then I did it. That process is sort of the norm for me. Doing things after just a couple of thoughts about it.

The title comes from my (perhaps) biggest pet peeve. If dishwashers are loaded incorrectly then they absolutely can't clean the dishes and their entire purpose is obsolete. Anyway, in order to not mislead you, my first post will be about just that. After extensive and thorough research, I will attempt to give concise and easy instructions on

... how to load the dishwasher:

Step 1: The pre-rinse
This step may vary depending on the type of food, the way it was cooked, and the type of dishwasher. Baked on foods may require soaking for a few hours in some dishwashers, while others will remove all types of food residue (those with the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval".) The least amount of work this should require is scraping off all hard, solid foods with a fork into the trash or disposal. The less water used in this step the better!

Step 2: Where does it all go?
Plates - in the horizontal slots on the bottom rack; always face the dirty side inwards. If they do slant, plates should lean in and down.
Bowls - stacked horizontally on the top rack at an incline - to insure the inside surface is accessible to water jets and they can all drain.
Cups - behind the vertical slots, not over them. This ensures they too sit at a slant, this time leaning backwards, for better cleaning.
Utensils - place handle down, so the dirty part is better accessible, except for sharp knives (for safety sake.) Never place good knives, and none with wooden handles, in the dishwasher as it can dull them. Try to have them equally spread out and a random mix of each type placed together so they do not nest and prevent cleaning.
Large utensils - lay across the rows in the top rack, large spoons always facing down.
Tuperware - on the top rack, because most heating elements are on the bottoms of dishwashers. This prevents possible melting
Pots/Pans - place these face down on the bottom rack.
Cutting boards - along the back and bottom, behind the plates if they do not fit in the same slots.

Step 3: what did I forget?
A few notes - these may differ depending on dishwashers -
- you may not always need to fill both soap containers; save the soap if just one works well
- if your dishwasher provides a jet dry or vinegar holder, fill and check this about once a month to prevent spotting
- run your disposal and some hot water before starting the dishwasher - they often drain into the same place, and the dishwasher works best with water about 120 degrees F
- use the lowest setting possible - the heavy duty or pot scrubber settings use more water and more energy
- always run a full, but not over full, load


On a final note, I promise to never again have an entire post about cleaning dishes. Scouts honor.