The Main Function Of Your Dishwasher's Top Rack

Ah, dishes. Love 'em or hate 'em, that's one chore no one can escape. Much like Sisyphus, we are all bound to scrubbing those ceramic pots and trying to play Jenga with the top and bottom dishwasher racks. People have plenty of opinions on how to load a dishwasher the right way, noting everything from dish placement to which way your utensils should face in the dishwasher. Some of these tips are ultimately pretty subjective, but others? They're true life (and dish) savers. That includes understanding the purpose of your dishwasher's top rack.

So, what's the deal with that top rack? And why do some dishes say "top rack loading only"? It's all about how delicate and heat-sensitive a dish is. The water features and heating elements of a dish washer are located at the bottom, so those bottom loaded dishes get the full brunt of the heat and water pressure. That's why less sturdy items like reusable plastic containers go on the top rack, along with ceramic mugs and glassware. That's also why the placement of your dishes actually does matter; It directly impacts where the water hits them and how hot it'll be.

It's a bold claim to make, but we're not here to dictate how you should load your dishwasher down to the very last detail. We're just here to give you some tips to keep your top rack well-balanced and serving its purpose. First: Did you know that most dishwashers come with a loading diagram? Using your dishwasher's make and model, you should be able to do a quick search online to see if the manual is available. Loading your dishes per the instructions is definitely the best way to get your dishes clean while keeping them safe, since it's advice tailored to your specific dishwasher's layout.

Second: Always check the bottom of your dish to see if it has any specific instructions about where to place it in your dishwasher. When in doubt, look it up, or just assume that anything delicate should go up on the top rack. For some bonus tips, angle your dishes downward and toward the center so they get max spray coverage, avoid using liquid soap in your dishwasher, and don't scrub your dishes before loading them. These tips won't make washing the dishes any less of a pain to do, but they will keep your dishes from breaking or melting while you're trying to clean them. Small blessings, right?