If you pre-rinse, you lose! Using the dishwasher correctly, part 1
The dishwasher. The most useful kitchen appliance, if it works. Because there are an incredible number of things you can do wrong.
I remember exactly when I had my first dishwasher in 2007 in a 2.5-room flat in the heart of Baden. It was supposed to be a saviour, a time-saver of at least four hours a week. I was free! While the machine gurgles contentedly, I spend the time gained on more important things.
The slap in the face came quickly and it came hard. My dishes rarely got completely clean, the glasses had ugly white limescale smears, the cutlery had stains. I had to wash everything again by hand. At that time, I had never heard of regenerating salt, not to mention brighteners. Even today, the dishwasher is still a closed book. If it works, I'm happy. If it doesn't work, I have no idea what the problem is. Time to change that.
The dishwashing pro
René Schaffner knows everything there is to know about dishwashers. As Product Manager at Electrolux, he shines with his expertise.
** Simon: Do I have to pre-rinse my dishes? **
René: No. Food residue must be removed from the plate, especially egg shells and rice grains are poison for the machine. Pre-rinsing is not necessary, on the contrary. Pre-rinsing only increases water consumption. A normal, fully loaded dishwasher needs 10 litres of water. If you pre-rinse everything, you will need several times as much. It is important that you select the right programme, then the dishes will be clean. In most cases, you can even get dried-on dishes clean with the intensive programme.
** Do tabs that already contain polish and salt work? **
Absolutely. I even recommend it. The tabs contain the ideal ratio of powder, brightener and water softener. If you still have water residue on the glasses, you can add additional brightener and reduce the dosage of brightener in the dishwasher. The polish ensures that there are fewer water residues.
** Speaking of polish, detergent and salt: which brand do you recommend?
In all honesty, the brand doesn't matter. I would make sure that the washing-up liquid and polish are from the same brand. They are then perfectly matched. When using regenerating salt, it is important that you really use regenerating salt and not table salt. This does not work.
To be continued
In the next episode, René explains the functions of a dishwasher and why professional dishwashers only need 15 minutes, but your machine at home needs two hours. If you click on the black "Follow author" button below, I'll send you an email when the time comes
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Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.
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