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How to properly load a dishwasher

How to load a dishwasher?

Loading the dishwasher the right way is essential when it comes to achieving great washing and drying results. If you are using your dishwasher for the first time, we recommend carefully reading through your instruction manual first to familiarise yourself with the basics. If your dishwasher is already set up and you have noticed that the washing and drying results are not meeting your expectations, the below tips and tricks will give you the fundamentals of a perfect load.

Top rack

1. The safe space for cups, glasses and small bowls. Make sure you place these items here, leaving enough space inbetween. This is essential as obstruction can cause breakage and prevent grease stains from washing off properly. Tall champagne and wine glasses should go in the bottom rack, where they can be placed in a Secure Glass Holder.

2. Place dishwasher-safe plastics in the top rack to keep them away from exposure to high temperature.

Bottom rack

3. Larger items such as dishes, salad bowls and pans belong to the bottom rack, where there’s more space. You can even add baking trays, grill racks or fridge shelves.

4. There’s no need pre-rinse dishes when loading the appliance as the rinse programme has this covered. However, you should always scrape off any big chunks of food that can block the dishwasher filter.

5. Serving plates and chopping boards go to the side. This is because large items can easily obstruct the spray arms and block the water flow. When it comes to cleaning your wooden chopping board, we recommend sticking to hand-washing to avoid any splintering.

6. Clip to clean. You can use Small Clips to ensure that baby bottles, and other small plastic items, such as lids and cups, stay put for a more hygienic wash.

Cutlery

7. Place knives sharp-edge down. This will help to avoid any injury when unloading the dishwasher, as well as stop bacteria from coming into direct contact with the blade.

8. Mix up the cutlery if your appliance is not fitted with a cutlery draw. Forks and spoons in the Cutlery Basket should be mixed to prevent nesting and blocking off the water. If your dishwasher is fitted with a cutlery draw, you should place same items alongside each other to conserve space.

How to use rinse aid?

Rinse aid is a surfectant product that improves both cleaning and drying results. We recommend using it as part of every cycle in order to get the most out of your dishwasher. Find out more below.

How to clean a dishwasher?

Cleaning your dishwasher periodically can help improve the performance and prolong the lifetime of the appliance. Discover our easy-to-follow care guide to get started.

How to descale a dishwasher?

Descaling the dishwasher is particularly important if you live in hard water area due to the buildup of limescale. To discover how to descale your appliance, follow the link below.

How to clean glass in the dishwasher?

Cleaning delicate items such as a wine glass, or a glass tray in the dishwasher requires some special treatment. Our useful guide will take you through our top tips and tricks.

Contact Us

Do you need further help and support? Our customer service team will be able to provide the help you need.

Repair Service

Need to book a repair? Not a problem. We can arrange for an engineer to repair your appliance, both in and out of warranty.

User Manuals

If you need any help and support that is specific to your Bosch appliance model, your user manual is the best place to find this information.

Bosch Store

Search for original spare parts and buy tested and approved accessories and care products for your Bosch appliances in the Bosch store.