If You Thought You Were Supposed To Load Silverware Like This, You'd Be Dead Wrong

Even though it's surely saving you time and water, there's a good chance you could still be getting more from your dishwasher. It's hardly the machine's fault; the truth is you've been loading your dishwasher wrong the entire time, robbing yourself of the most immaculate tableware possible. Thankfully, it's never too late to fix it! There are several ways to improve the process, but one of the most common mistakes everyone makes when doing the dishes is in how we load utensils. Do you insert your silverware handle up or down? While it might seem inconsequential, most agree there is a correct answer.

According to many experts, including the American Cleaning Institute, the best way to load utensils is (drum roll please)...handle down! That's right, if you thought you were being clever by sticking the forks in head-first, your campaign to avoid getting poked came at the expense of sparkling cutlery. For the best clean, stick spoons and forks in with the handles down and business ends up. Knives, meanwhile, can go in blade first. But there's more to proper loading than just the orientation.

For the most efficient cleaning, you need to be careful with which utensils you put together in each basket. Ideally, you should mix different utensils in one basket to prevent nesting. When two spoons share a basket, for instance, they may snuggle together, keeping water and detergent from reaching all the surfaces. Many dishwashers have slots in the basket to prevent this, but if yours doesn't, take the extra step to sort and separate your cutlery.

The correct way to load utensils in the dishwasher isn't as clear-cut as, say, the argument over which way toilet paper goes on the holder. The "handles up" approach has some merit worth acknowledging. Even many experts prefer this method, saying it's more hygienic, as you won't handle the end that goes in your mouth when you unload the dishwasher. Some also support the safety side of this practice. Loading and unloading the dishwasher isn't without risk, with one 2013 study finding dishwasher-related injuries occurred in 12.5% of incidences among adults and 5% among children, many of which involved sharps.

The injury threat is valid, so much so that experts generally agree knives should go into the basket handle up. For everything else? Handles down is the way to go to get a complete cleaning. When the food ends are pointing up, the overhead jets hit them directly. The unimpeded water pressure can then more effectively blast away stuck-on food. If you flip them upside down, the water has to work through obstructions, either the basket grate underneath or the utensil handles above. Plus, the heads get a little more breathing room at the top of the basket, as opposed to getting bunched together at the bottom, where they wouldn't get as clean.

Giving each utensil enough space is one of several ways to use your dishwasher better, regardless of how you load your silverware. In fact, some recommend creating room in smaller baskets by alternating cutlery, with some handles pointing up and others pointing down. Test different approaches to find the most convenient and effective for you!