The last time I used my dishwasher at home was sometime in June when I got all new dishware, utensils, and glassware for my new apartment. It was a lot of items to have to wash, so it made sense to load up the dishwasher and let modern technology do the work for me.
Since then though, I never really found any justification to use my dishwasher. As I live alone and don’t have a wife and a brood with me, the number of dishes, cups, glasses, pots, pans, and utensils I use in a day is very limited. While I could use my dishwasher to clean four plates, two forks, three knives, and two glasses after one day of use, is that the best way? By washing by hand, I save water, energy, soap, and the environment. I suppose I could just wait until my sink just piled up with enough dishes that using the dishwasher would be the better way to go but I think that’s kinda gross. At the rate, I use things, it would take a good five to seven days to get to that point. I really don’t like letting my dishes sit any more than two days. Any leftover food starts to get funky at that point.
I am concerned, however, that not using dishwasher for long periods of time is not good for it. It contains many mechanical parts, some of the complex variety. Much like a car, I believe it’s good just to run it once in a while just to keep things in good working order. I wonder though how many of you are like me who own a dishwasher but don’t use it. Do you run yours once in a while?
Thanks for reading this entire post, which essentially described me wondering if I should use my dishwasher.
I’ve heard you can use a dishwasher to poach a whole fish. Just make sure not to use any soap or the heavy duty wash settings.
Might want to empty the JetDry (rinse aid) from it as well. I can assure you that stuff doesn’t taste any good.
Actually, your dishwater is probably much more efficient at using soap and water than you would be by handwashing individual dishes (even at half the load).
do the asian thing and use the dishwasher as a drying rack like 97% of us do. You probably should use it once in a while as its recommended to keep the seals (not walruses) from drying out.
dl
Oh I already use it as a drying rack. You’re right about the seals though.