The quick wash cycle is a great place to start when evaluating the full functionality of your dishwasher, and running it is exactly what its name implies.

It typically runs from 20 minutes to an hour and is ideal for lightly used dishes and other kitchen essentials, but it won't remove heavy staining or caked-on food material.

The eco setting offers similar low-soil cleaning but it also saves energy by reducing the volume of water required and the temperature to which the cleaning solution is heated.

Unlike a quick wash, which uses full power but at a reduced time, an eco wash will take the same amount of time as a standard cleaning cycle

Many homeowners opt to hand wash their glassware, crystal, and fine china, but that isn’t necessary if you use the delicate wash setting on your dishwasher.

This setting uses lower temperatures and a light spray to produce a gentler approach to scrubbing and ensures that items won't move around during the cycle.

Prewashing settings provide the opposite effect. Instead of creating a delicate rinsing sensation that protects fragile items, this approach hogs the pieces inside.

Prewash settings add heavy rinsing action that mitigates the need to soak soiled dishes before placing them in the dishwasher, which

is great for pots

and pans.

High-temperature settings and the heavy wash cycle require additional water and its higher temperatures are great for breaking down caked-on, dried, and sticky food particles.

The heavy wash requires extra cleaning time, sometimes as much as four hours and it’s not suitable for more delicate glassware that you use regularly.