According to this article from House Beautiful, if you do any of these things, you are abusing your dishes.
ONE. Storing your stemware with the rim down. These glasses are fragile people. Turn the rim up!
TWO. Do not pre-wash your dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. My mother-in-law has been telling me this for years. I finally stopped. One more time. DO. NOT. PRE-WASH. YOUR. DISHES. If the dishwasher detergent cannot find food to eat, it eats away at your dishes.
THREE. Use a spatula, not silverware, to scrape the heavy food off of your dishes. Scraping silverware across your dishes will eventually mar and scar.
FOUR. Use a buffer, such as a coffee filter or shelf liner, between plates and bowls while they are stored in your cabinets. A coffee filter a day will keep chips away...or something like that.
FIVE. Place glasses between the dishwasher tines, not ON the tine. This will ensure they are as "snug as a bug in a rug" while getting clean.
Who'd a thunk it?!!
I didn't know that about storing stemware rim down. I wish I could not pre-wash my dishes, but my dishwasher is old and won't clean the gunk off if I don't wash first.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t either, but have always alternated how I store stemware depending on how much cabinet space I’ve had. I will keep it turned up from now on though. That’s part of why I had always pre-washed, but finally got a new dishwasher. :-)
DeleteDoes the dog licking the plate count as pre-washing?
ReplyDeleteThank you for grossing me out!! :-)
DeleteHAHAHAHA!!!!!
DeleteRue, do not encourage his behavior...LOL
DeleteClearly, I am not very nice to my dishes! Ooops!!
ReplyDeleteLOL...me either! I'm going to be better to them, I promise! :-)
DeleteGreat advice here. I don't use my dishwasher to clean. I use it for storage space!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
LOL…you are too funny Brenda! When I lived in an older house, I hand-washed the dishes and ignored the dishwasher all together. It was old and didn’t clean well at all and I found that I had to rewash everything that came out. I finally eliminated the middle man! :-)
DeleteI really needed this advice, I would've failed this test if one were given!
ReplyDeleteIt was all news to me also! But at least now I know why my dishes look like they do..LOL
DeleteI think I'm convinced. My son has been telling me for years not to clean my dishes before I put them in the dishwasher. I thought it was silly but now I see there is a very good reason behind it. But no cleaning pans where legumes have been cooked? No oatmeal pans? Or does this suggestion only apply to dishes?
ReplyDeleteDewena
The writer didn’t elaborate in the article, so I really don’t know. But, it sounded to me like it primarily applied to dishware. However, for things that are clingy, like oatmeal and grits, I will pre-soak them a bit. I’m weird, so my cookware, baking pans and silverware are all hand washed. I never put them in the dishwasher…..just one of my quirks….the hubby just shakes his head...LOL
DeleteI never put my glasses upside down, because I don't want ickies on the rim of my glass. I mean I clean my cupboards and all, but still... there's dust.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a dishwasher. Where the hell would I put one? LOL I didn't know about scraping the dishes though.
Great advice :)
xo
I have alternated depending on cabinet size and space. I will definitely keep them rim up from now on though. Wait, you do have one. He’s called “boyfriend”! :-) I don’t know that one would really look good in your kitchen! It’s so beautiful the way it is!!
DeleteHugs!!
I just got my first dishwasher after living in our home after 20 years! Hubs and I have an agreement, I do the cooking he does the cleaning! Enjoyed this, found you through Rue
ReplyDeleteI think that is an EXCELLENT agreement!! How awesome that you are a chef! I always wanted to attend culinary school, but just never got the chance, so don't look at my recipes on the blog...LOL! Thank you so much Cathy! Will be checking out your blog! Have a great evening!
DeleteOh dear, guilty on all counts!!
ReplyDeleteI was also…LOL
DeletePS: if you have gray silverware marks on your plates, a dab of Barkeeper's Friend on your dish cloth will solve the problem.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for all of the other hints!! Great post!
Blessings,
J
Cool! That is so good to know! I have a few plates that are already marked and have not been able to get the marks off. Thank you so much for the hint and you are welcome! Have a great evening!
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