(BPT) – From homemade cookies to classic turkey dinners, the holiday season is a time to savor your favorite recipes with the ones you love. But, preparing these treasured dishes often leads to piles of dishware to be cleaned long after stories have been shared and guests have departed. And while you might rely on your dishwasher to help with the holiday clean-up, are you using your dishwasher the right way? Of course you are, right? Before you answer that question, it’s time to come clean about how to get the most out of your dishwasher by debunking five of the most common dishwasher myths.
Dishwasher Myth #1: Dishes must be pre-rinsed to come out clean
You shouldn’t have to wash your dishes before you wash your dishes. Although many Americans participate in the age-old practice of pre-washing before loading the dishwasher, the truth is that you simply need to scrape leftover food off of your dishes before loading. In fact, remaining particles of food actually provide a place for the dishwasher detergent to attach and do its job properly. This holiday season, simply load your dishes as is, knowing they’ll be sparkling clean and ready for the next memorable meal.
Dishwasher Myth #2: Dishes do not come out dry in the dishwasher
A recent survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Bosch home appliances found that 90 percent of Americans frequently dry their dishes post-cycle before putting them away. With drying techniques ranging from using a towel (37 percent), to air drying the entire load (20 percent), to cracking open the door of their dishwasher and allowing the load to air dry (15 percent), only 8 percent believe that their dishes come out perfectly dry every time. Re-drying your dishes post-cycle is a lengthy and unnecessary extra step that leaves you with less time to catch up with loved ones. From large platters to plastic to-go containers, you can skip the post-cycle drying step with the new Bosch CrystalDry technology, which delivers 60 percent drier dishes* even on tough-to-dry items, like plastics. This technology is a holiday hosting must-have, helping to make sure that your plastic bowls, serving utensils and glasses will be clean and dry when the dishwasher cycle is completed.
Dishwasher Myth #3: Dishwashers use more water than hand washing
A common myth is that dishwashers use more water than hand washing. But, Energy Star qualified dishwashers actually use less water than hand washing. In fact, on average, hand washing uses about 27 gallons per load compared to the dishwasher, which uses roughly three to six gallons. Loading your favorite serving platters and holiday mugs into the dishwasher is good news for both you and the environment!
Dishwasher Myth #4: I can’t possibly fit everything in a dishwasher
Just as no two holiday gatherings are ever the same, no two loads of dishes are, either. While loading holiday serving items into a dishwasher might have required some creativity in the past, some dishwashers actually take the guesswork out of loading the dishwasher for you. Bosch Benchmark dishwashers, for instance, are equipped with a series of flexible loading features — an adjustable middle rack, folding tines, a special third rack for smaller items and more — to accommodate any load, from the items needed for a holiday wine and cheese night to Thanksgiving dinner.
Dishwasher Myth #5: Dishwashers are noisy
There’s nothing worse than the sound of a loud dishwasher cutting through a conversation at a festive gathering. That’s why Bosch has worked for years to develop technologies that have created the quietest dishwasher brand in the U.S.** Bosch dishwashers allow you to start a cycle right after dinner, while you’re still hosting, because sparkling clean and dry dishes shouldn’t have to interrupt an evening of celebration.
Armed with these simple dishwasher loading tips, your holiday season can be both merry and bright.
*Compared to Bosch Dishwashers with PureDry.
**Based on an average of sound ratings of 24” Full Size Stainless Steel Tub dishwashers contained in major brands’ websites. Major brands defined as TraQline Top 5 Market.
