February 23, 2026
Wash Wars: Load, Fight, Repeat
Yes there is a right way to stack the dishwasher. Here are the 5 rules
Experts drop 5 rules — commenters go full 'dishwasher anarchy'
TLDR: BBC experts claim five simple rules (don’t pre‑rinse, stack smart, use tablets and dishwasher salt), but the comments devolved into culture clash and kitchen comedy. North Americans questioned “salt,” spouses traded roasts, and “dishwasher anarchy” emerged as the internet’s surprisingly peaceful ceasefire.
The BBC swooped in to end the age‑old “you’re loading it wrong” fight with five tidy rules — don’t pre‑rinse, stack plates bottom and cups top, put the dirtiest stuff in the middle, and use tablets plus dishwasher salt — via Inside the Factory. The internet responded with… sudsy chaos.
North American readers short‑circuited at the UK advice to use “tablets and salt.” One commenter admitted they don’t even use the word “salt” for dishwashers stateside, rattling off pods and rinse aid — and yes, the infamous warning that “kids eat them.” Translation row unlocked: Brits mean special dishwasher salt to tackle hard water, not table seasoning. Meanwhile, a helpful soul dropped an archive link for anyone who couldn’t view the piece.
Domestic drama took center stage. One user confessed they abandoned stacking technique entirely because every attempt earned them a spouse’s roast: “raccoon on cocaine.” Another saw a scraped frying pan photo and begged for a trigger warning, as non‑stick nightmares flashed before their eyes.
Then came the rebellion: a commenter unveiled the peace‑keeping philosophy of “dishwasher anarchy” — load haphazardly all day, run at night, empty in the morning. Some cheered the sanity; others clutched their cutlery caddies. Verdict? The BBC says there’s a right way; the crowd says the right way is whatever keeps the household from going to rinse‑cycle war.
Key Points
- •Modern dishwashers use turbidity sensors; pre-rinsing misleads them and reduces cleaning effectiveness.
- •Scrape food waste and keep the dishwasher filter clean instead of pre-rinsing.
- •Stack items you eat from in the lower rack and items you drink from in the upper rack; face dirty surfaces toward the center and avoid items touching.
- •Angle bowls downward, mix cutlery to prevent nesting, and avoid overloading to ensure proper water circulation.
- •Place the dirtiest items (e.g., cereal, eggs, starchy residues) in the center for highest spray intensity; use tablets and salt.