GREENSBORO, NC-- It's what you do. You rinse off your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher. Your mom drilled it into your head, right?
Consumer Reports found the dirtier your dishes, the more clean they come out and the more clean your dishes when you put them in the dishwasher, the dirtier they come out!
Here's the explanation: Most dishwashers sold in the past 5 years in the $500 price range have a sensor inside. After the first cycle, the sensor determines how much muck was rinsed off and if theres a lot, the next cycles are scrubbing washes.
So, if you rinsed off the dishes before putting them in and there is less muck, the sensor only orders up a light wash. Consumer Reports recommends scraping off bits of loose food, but put in a dirty, non-rinsed dishes in the dishwasher if you really want cleaner dishes.
Consumer Reports Best Detergent Recommendations In Each Category: CR tested 37 products.
Single Dose: Cascade Complete Action Pacs, Member's Mark Ultimate Clean from Sam's Club, Finish Quantum Max Powerball, Finish Powerball tabs, Cascade Platinum Action Pacs w/Power of Clorox, Finish Gelpacs
Gels: Palmolive eco+
Powders: Cascade Complete Powder, Seventh Generation Powder