It is perhaps one of the biggest obstacles in a relationship: loading the dishwasher properly! It remains an eternal battle for many, but tidying guru Mandy van Rijthoven (39) from Breda knows exactly how to keep that argument out of the kitchen, as she tells in the Omroep Brabant radio program KEIgoeiemorgen! “You just shouldn’t overload that dishwasher.”
According to Mandy, the biggest irritations arise because the dishes come out dirty and you have to do another round. That has everything to do with how you load the dishwasher. ”It’s kind of like Tetris and everyone has their own rules and thinks they know better. Yet the solution is surprisingly simple: don’t overfill. Then the water cannot flow through”, she explains.
Mandy knows what she’s talking about. As an ADHDer and former perfectionist, she learned to find peace and structure thanks to the right help. Experience that she now uses to help others, from clearing chaotic cupboards to, yes, the dishwasher.
How should you load the dishwasher?
According to her, cups, glasses and plastic containers belong at the top of the dishwasher, provided you clamp them properly, otherwise they will turn over. And you don’t want that, because then they fill up with water and become barely clean, so you have to start over. The dirtier plates and pans go at the bottom. “Put those pans at a slight angle, otherwise a layer of water will remain on them,” she advises. And the cutlery? You sort this out in advance: “Then you don’t have to think about unloading.”
The biggest mistake?
According to Mandy, the biggest mistake we make is something simple but crucial: we block the water jet. “If a pan, bowl or ladle touches the rinse arm, it can no longer move around and the dishes never really get clean,” she explains. So make sure that large items do not get in the way of the rotating arms, so that all dirt is washed away properly.
Would you like to subtly adjust your partner now? Mandy even has a tactic for that. “Write these tips down and discuss them with your partner.” A little hint may be enough to stop the dishwasher feud. This way, loading the dishwasher suddenly no longer becomes a struggle, but a shared victory.