The Habit That Won’t Die

It’s one of the most common things we see in homes across Chicago:

You scrape the plate…
Then rinse it…
Then load it into the dishwasher.

It feels responsible. Clean. Efficient.

But here’s the twist—
👉 You might be making your dishwasher work worse, not better.


🚫 The Truth: Pre-Rinsing Wastes Water (A Lot of It)

Handwashing or pre-rinsing dishes can use up to 20 gallons of water per load.

Modern ENERGY STAR® dishwashers?
👉 As little as 3–5 gallons per cycle.

That’s not a small difference—that’s a full-blown water bill plot twist.

Over time, that habit adds up to:

  • Higher utility costs
  • More water waste
  • Extra time at the sink

🤖 Why Modern Dishwashers Actually Need Dirty Dishes

This is where things get interesting.

Most newer dishwashers are equipped with:

  • Soil sensors
  • Turbidity sensors
  • Adaptive wash cycles

These systems measure how dirty your dishes are and adjust:

  • Water pressure
  • Cycle length
  • Temperature

👉 When dishes are too clean, the dishwasher gets confused.

It may:

  • Run a shorter cycle
  • Use less water than needed
  • Leave dishes not fully clean

Yes… ironically, pre-rinsing can lead to dirtier dishes.


🍽️ So What Should You Do Instead?

Think of your dishwasher like a team member, not a backup plan.

✔️ Best Practice:

  • Scrape off food scraps (trash or disposal)
  • Skip the full rinse
  • Load properly (don’t overcrowd)
  • Use the right detergent

That’s it.

No sink marathon required.


🧼 When Handwashing Does Make Sense

There are still a few exceptions:

  • Delicate items (fine china, wood, certain plastics)
  • Burnt-on cookware that needs soaking
  • When your dishwasher isn’t working properly

And that last one? That’s where we come in.


⚠️ If Your Dishwasher Isn’t Cleaning Well…

Before you blame the machine, check:

  • Spray arms (clogged with debris)
  • Filter (needs cleaning)
  • Water temperature (should be ~120°F)
  • Detergent quality

If everything checks out and you’re still seeing:

  • Food residue
  • Cloudy glassware
  • Long cycles or poor drying

👉 It may be time for a professional diagnosis.


🛠️ The Hidden Cost of “Working Around” a Dishwasher Problem

We see it all the time:

Instead of fixing the issue, people adjust their behavior:

  • More rinsing
  • Rewashing dishes
  • Running multiple cycles

That’s like turning up the radio instead of fixing the engine noise.


🧊 How Our Ease Membership Helps You “Rest at Ease”

With our Ease Membership, your dishwasher (and other appliances) gets proactive care so small issues don’t turn into expensive ones.

Here’s what that looks like:

  • ✔️ Annual maintenance (we catch issues early)
  • ✔️ Discounts on repairs
  • ✔️ 1-year labor warranty (vs. standard 90 days)
  • ✔️ 2-year parts warranty
  • ✔️ One free virtual visit per year
  • ✔️ Priority scheduling

👉 Translation: less guessing, less stress, fewer surprise breakdowns.


🧭 Final Thought

Your dishwasher was designed to do the dirty work.

Let it.And if it’s not?
We’ll make sure it does.