Dishwashers offer a plethora of benefits compared to traditional handwashing, including hygiene, time and energy savings, and, notably, water conservation.
While it might seem hard to believe, running your dishwasher has great potential to increase your water savings. Finish, as your trusted ally in dishwashing, prioritizes minimizing water usage while developing dishwasher detergents.
This article explores practical steps to maximize water conservation with your dishwasher. Let's explore the world of efficient dishwashing and discover how to conserve water with your dishwasher.
1. Fill up the dishwasher completely
Before starting the dishwasher, wait until you have a full load to ensure it operates at maximum capacity. This maximizes the efficiency of energy, water, and detergent usage.
Avoid relying on half-load programs to save water; though they use less water and energy than a full cycle, the savings are not proportionate.
Instead, it's more effective to wait until your dishwasher is full and then choose an eco or water-saving cycle, which conserves water and energy and reduces running costs.
2. Smart loading for water savings
Conserving water can be as simple as loading your dishwasher. Ensure it is fully loaded, but avoid overfilling, as this may hinder thorough cleaning.
Place large items at the back and sides of the racks to reduce the likelihood of needing a second wash. If large plates are placed at the front, they can block the water from reaching the detergent dispenser.
Find out how to load your dishwasher properly for optimum cleaning. From rinsing to not overloading to stacking your kitchenware in the best spot, we cover best practices.
3. No need to pre-rinse
You can save water by skipping the pre-rinse under the tap and removing large food scraps with a spoon or fork.
Modern dishwashers are powerful enough to clean thoroughly, making extensive pre-rinsing time-consuming and wasteful of precious resources.
Additionally, modern detergents such as Finish Quantum Ultimate All-In-One contain both bleach and enzymes and are recommended by dishwasher manufacturers for use without pre-rinsing.
If you must, pre-soak heavily soiled dishes in a bowl rather than rinsing them under running water before starting the wash cycle.
4. Turn down the heat
Most modern dishwashers are equipped with booster heaters that raise the temperature of the water from your home's water tank. Lowering your water tank's thermostat to 65 degrees can lead to additional energy savings without sacrificing cleanliness.
Find out everything you need to know about your dishwasher water with Finish’s dishwashing temperature guidelines.
5. Air dry
Air dry your dishes. Instead of using electric heat or a fan to dry them, simply open the door at the end of the washing cycle and let them air dry. Letting the dishwasher air dry also helps get rid of the dishwasher smells.
Most dishwashers' hot water evaporates quickly when the door is left open after the wash and rinse cycles. This method can save around 15% of your dishwasher's total energy use.
Alternatively, you can select the air-dry (no-heat) cycle, which uses a fan to circulate room air through the dishwasher.
