1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:01,976 These things… 2 00:00:01,976 --> 00:00:03,154 annoy me. 3 00:00:03,154 --> 00:00:05,286 This is a dishwasher detergent pack, 4 00:00:05,286 --> 00:00:08,996 actually one of two that came with my new dishwasher. 5 00:00:08,996 --> 00:00:12,742 Detergent packs have become wildly popular lately, and ya know what? 6 00:00:12,742 --> 00:00:13,606 That’s cool. 7 00:00:13,606 --> 00:00:14,174 I get it. 8 00:00:14,174 --> 00:00:16,354 No mess, pre-dosed, convenient. 9 00:00:16,354 --> 00:00:18,208 Those qualities are worth a premium! 10 00:00:18,208 --> 00:00:21,112 Just don’t eat them. 11 00:00:21,112 --> 00:00:23,374 I can’t believe that ever needed to be said… 12 00:00:23,374 --> 00:00:28,268 Trouble is, these fly in the face of the way most dishwashers are designed to operate. 13 00:00:28,268 --> 00:00:30,760 Including the one this came with! 14 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:36,551 I have a feeling these guys are responsible for a lot of dishwasher dissatisfaction these days. 15 00:00:36,551 --> 00:00:38,512 See, if you use them exclusively, 16 00:00:38,512 --> 00:00:42,688 you may be significantly limiting your dishwasher’s ability to clean. 17 00:00:42,688 --> 00:00:46,307 Now, have no fear, your Tide pods are fine. 18 00:00:46,307 --> 00:00:49,683 This problem affects dishwashers specifically. 19 00:00:49,683 --> 00:00:53,827 To understand why, let’s take a look at a dishwasher so we can learn how it works. 20 00:00:53,827 --> 00:00:57,055 Luckily, I have one! 21 00:00:57,055 --> 00:00:59,952 Riiiighhht here. 22 00:00:59,952 --> 00:01:01,954 [various shuffling and struggling] 23 00:01:02,628 --> 00:01:04,150 [struggling intensifies] 24 00:01:08,753 --> 00:01:09,753 Hi. 25 00:01:09,753 --> 00:01:14,487 This is a fairly typical and basic household dishwasher built for the US market. 26 00:01:14,487 --> 00:01:17,991 Cue the comments about how European models are different. 27 00:01:17,991 --> 00:01:21,036 Actually, yes, before we go too far - 28 00:01:21,036 --> 00:01:26,715 my experience is with the North American market and there seem to be vast differences between the continents. 29 00:01:26,715 --> 00:01:31,170 I suspect the main point of my video here will apply to many of you over there, 30 00:01:31,170 --> 00:01:33,318 but I could be wrong and in any case 31 00:01:33,318 --> 00:01:37,160 I’m sure there are lots of particulars that will seem odd or different. 32 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,195 Please do comment about them, it boosts engagement! 33 00:01:40,195 --> 00:01:42,577 On that note - before we get into the main point, 34 00:01:42,577 --> 00:01:46,175 there’s a bit of advice I want to give to North American viewers specifically. 35 00:01:46,175 --> 00:01:47,518 Our dishwashers... [audio fades] 36 00:01:47,518 --> 00:01:49,702 [voiceover] OK I spent way too much time on this. 37 00:01:49,702 --> 00:01:51,747 Basically, because it’s always been this way, 38 00:01:51,747 --> 00:01:54,293 North American dishwashers are hooked up to hot water. 39 00:01:54,293 --> 00:01:57,494 Now, because of this, they don’t expect to heat the water for the first rinse. 40 00:01:57,494 --> 00:02:01,151 But, since you probably don’t get hot water right away at your kitchen sink, 41 00:02:01,151 --> 00:02:05,808 it might start washing with cold water and that alone will really affect performance. 42 00:02:05,808 --> 00:02:07,548 If you aren’t already in the habit of doing so, 43 00:02:07,548 --> 00:02:10,475 you should run your kitchen faucet until you get hot water 44 00:02:10,475 --> 00:02:12,237 before you start the dishwasher. 45 00:02:12,237 --> 00:02:14,784 Since the dishwasher’s almost always hooked into the kitchen sink, 46 00:02:14,784 --> 00:02:17,299 this ensures it starts washing with hot water. 47 00:02:17,299 --> 00:02:18,824 Yes, this wastes a bit of water, 48 00:02:18,824 --> 00:02:22,455 and the entire practice of hooking it into hot water is questionable in the first place, 49 00:02:22,455 --> 00:02:23,793 but that’s just the way it is 50 00:02:23,793 --> 00:02:25,490 and if you think your dishwasher sucks 51 00:02:25,490 --> 00:02:27,724 you should really try this if nothing else. 52 00:02:27,724 --> 00:02:29,014 Anyway... 53 00:02:29,014 --> 00:02:33,985 Being a more basic model, this dishwasher is constructed mostly out of plastic. 54 00:02:33,985 --> 00:02:36,015 Normally it’s installed under the countertop 55 00:02:36,015 --> 00:02:39,020 which is why they only bother to give it good looks on the one side, 56 00:02:39,020 --> 00:02:41,208 though so-called portable models 57 00:02:41,208 --> 00:02:44,891 (which really just means they’re on wheels and don’t require permanent installation) 58 00:02:44,891 --> 00:02:48,762 as well as countertop models are available if uncommon. 59 00:02:48,762 --> 00:02:52,814 Also, comes with this nice blanket to keep it warm! 60 00:02:54,397 --> 00:02:56,525 Or maybe it’s for sound-deadening. 61 00:02:57,375 --> 00:02:58,918 Probably that. 62 00:02:58,918 --> 00:03:04,147 Dishwashers are actually very simple appliances and they haven’t fundamentally changed since, 63 00:03:04,147 --> 00:03:07,047 well, since they were invented, actually. 64 00:03:07,047 --> 00:03:09,767 That’s right, Josephine Cochrane’s dishwasher design [she later changed the spelling of her name, pedants] 65 00:03:09,767 --> 00:03:12,435 patented all the way back in 1886 66 00:03:12,435 --> 00:03:15,735 and considered to be the first modern automatic dishwasher, 67 00:03:15,735 --> 00:03:20,261 worked more or less exactly how this one does. 68 00:03:20,261 --> 00:03:22,345 And really, that shouldn’t be too surprising 69 00:03:22,345 --> 00:03:27,345 because it’s not like the physics of washing dishes have changed from then to now. 70 00:03:27,345 --> 00:03:29,932 Speaking of, how does one wash dishes? 71 00:03:29,932 --> 00:03:33,009 Great question! First, you get some dishes. 72 00:03:33,009 --> 00:03:36,324 Then, you use them to help you prepare and consume a meal. 73 00:03:36,324 --> 00:03:38,996 After that’s done, now ya got dirty dishes! 74 00:03:38,996 --> 00:03:41,961 To clean them, all you’ll need is some hot water, some soap, 75 00:03:41,961 --> 00:03:43,742 and something to scrub with. 76 00:03:43,742 --> 00:03:46,502 Fill your sink up with some hot water, add some soap, 77 00:03:46,502 --> 00:03:48,130 and go all scrubby scrubby. 78 00:03:48,130 --> 00:03:49,946 The mechanical action of your scrubbing 79 00:03:49,946 --> 00:03:53,404 combines with the cleaning actions of the soap and the heat of the water 80 00:03:53,404 --> 00:03:56,340 to break food residue apart and release it from the dinnerware. 81 00:03:56,340 --> 00:04:00,248 Now just give it a good rinse and you have a clean plate or whatever. 82 00:04:00,248 --> 00:04:03,976 And if you work in a commercial kitchen, don’t forget to fill the third compartment 83 00:04:03,976 --> 00:04:07,181 of your three compartment sink with an approved chemical sanitizer solution 84 00:04:07,181 --> 00:04:09,358 or extremely hot water. 85 00:04:09,358 --> 00:04:12,035 Remember: Wash. Rinse. Sanitize! 86 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:13,845 But here’s the thing - 87 00:04:13,845 --> 00:04:17,675 you don’t actually need something to scrub with to wash dishes. 88 00:04:17,675 --> 00:04:21,576 Scrubbing with a towel, sponge, what have you imparts mechanical force 89 00:04:21,576 --> 00:04:25,352 on food grime releasing it from plates, silverware, et cetera. 90 00:04:25,352 --> 00:04:28,489 Water by itself can accomplish the same thing, though. 91 00:04:28,489 --> 00:04:32,910 Ask any canyon and it’ll tell you just how abrasive water can be. 92 00:04:32,910 --> 00:04:35,453 Well, OK we’re not talking about erosion here 93 00:04:35,453 --> 00:04:37,411 but water is heavy stuff. 94 00:04:37,411 --> 00:04:39,799 A jet of water can impart a fair bit of force 95 00:04:39,799 --> 00:04:43,698 simply because it’s moving at high speed and has a substantial mass. 96 00:04:43,698 --> 00:04:46,756 You’ve sprayed dirty boots with a garden hose before. 97 00:04:46,756 --> 00:04:49,702 Or something like that anyway, so you’ve seen this first hand. 98 00:04:49,702 --> 00:04:52,049 Dishwashers use this same principle. 99 00:04:52,049 --> 00:04:57,274 Combine it with a bit of soap and time, and you’ve got automatic dishwashing. 100 00:04:57,274 --> 00:05:00,223 Now, you could simply use the water in your home’s pipes, 101 00:05:00,223 --> 00:05:03,093 send it through nozzles to create jet streams from the pressure, 102 00:05:03,093 --> 00:05:06,406 and spray the dishes but that would be very wasteful. 103 00:05:06,406 --> 00:05:10,760 So instead, dishwashers fill themselves with some quantity of water 104 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:15,098 and use an electric motor to drive a pump which creates its own pressure. 105 00:05:15,098 --> 00:05:19,556 The same water will be recirculated through the dishwasher for long periods of time, 106 00:05:19,556 --> 00:05:23,451 which also means that any detergent that’s added stays in the water 107 00:05:23,451 --> 00:05:25,825 and doesn’t get flushed away immediately. 108 00:05:25,825 --> 00:05:30,424 How and when detergent gets added to the water is important. 109 00:05:30,424 --> 00:05:32,817 Foreshadowing. 110 00:05:32,817 --> 00:05:37,022 When necessary, a second, smaller pump is used to drain the water, 111 00:05:37,022 --> 00:05:40,829 although the mechanical particulars there vary from model to model. 112 00:05:40,829 --> 00:05:45,519 Inside the dishwasher are a series of sprayer arms which, you guessed it, 113 00:05:45,519 --> 00:05:47,692 are armed with sprayers. 114 00:05:47,692 --> 00:05:51,589 The main pump sends the water it moves into these arms which, 115 00:05:51,589 --> 00:05:54,600 by restricting the flow from the pump and causing a build-up in pressure, 116 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:58,782 create a series of waterjets to be directed at the items to be cleaned. 117 00:05:58,782 --> 00:06:01,401 The jets are pointed in all sorts of different directions, 118 00:06:01,401 --> 00:06:03,745 a definitely deliberate design decision, 119 00:06:03,745 --> 00:06:06,358 distributing a deluge of detritus decongestant 120 00:06:06,358 --> 00:06:08,447 directly at dirty dishes. 121 00:06:08,447 --> 00:06:10,768 Importantly, the spray nozzles are arranged 122 00:06:10,768 --> 00:06:14,281 so that the reactive force produced by the water exiting the nozzles 123 00:06:14,281 --> 00:06:18,169 causes the arms to rotate for more complete cleaning coverage. 124 00:06:18,169 --> 00:06:21,560 Let’s now take a look at the various components of this dishwasher. 125 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:25,747 The large plastic box which forms the bulk of its structure is called the tub. 126 00:06:25,747 --> 00:06:30,993 It’s not always plastic, and for a name like tub it seems to be on its side, 127 00:06:30,993 --> 00:06:33,338 but it is the tub nonetheless. 128 00:06:33,338 --> 00:06:35,988 A small cavity at its bottom known as the sump houses 129 00:06:35,988 --> 00:06:40,688 the pump assembly and provides much of the space for the water that it will fill itself with. 130 00:06:40,688 --> 00:06:43,961 When cleaning, the pump takes in water through these filter screens 131 00:06:43,961 --> 00:06:47,471 and forces it through a pair of pipes which lead to the sprayer arms. 132 00:06:47,471 --> 00:06:50,062 One pipe leads directly to the bottom sprayer, 133 00:06:50,062 --> 00:06:53,443 and in this case there’s a suspended sprayer arm below the top rack 134 00:06:53,443 --> 00:06:56,759 as well as an adowable wittle one at the very top; 135 00:06:56,759 --> 00:07:01,573 those two are fed by a pipe traveling up the rear of the tub’s exterior. 136 00:07:01,573 --> 00:07:05,452 All of the mechanical bits of the dishwasher hang from the bottom of the tub, 137 00:07:05,452 --> 00:07:08,072 and you might be surprised at how few there are. 138 00:07:08,072 --> 00:07:10,899 Only four things need to be controlled here. 139 00:07:10,899 --> 00:07:14,842 First there’s a solenoid valve which allows clean water into the tub. 140 00:07:14,842 --> 00:07:17,523 Second there are the two electric motors that drive the pumps - 141 00:07:17,523 --> 00:07:21,678 the large one provides the pressure for cleaning and discharges through the sprayer arms, 142 00:07:21,678 --> 00:07:24,809 and the smaller one discharges to this hose for draining. 143 00:07:24,809 --> 00:07:27,052 And finally there is the resistive heating element, 144 00:07:27,052 --> 00:07:30,199 with its terminals protruding through the tub here. 145 00:07:30,199 --> 00:07:31,560 And that’s it. 146 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:33,522 Since this is a modern dishwasher 147 00:07:33,522 --> 00:07:35,180 there is a microprocessor at the helm, 148 00:07:35,180 --> 00:07:36,978 and it monitors a few sensors. 149 00:07:36,978 --> 00:07:41,289 This one here is a mechanical float switch which signals that the tub is full. 150 00:07:41,289 --> 00:07:43,886 However, this is a backup input. 151 00:07:43,886 --> 00:07:46,852 It doesn’t actually fill the tub anywhere near this full - 152 00:07:46,852 --> 00:07:50,131 instead, there is a second, hidden sensor here. 153 00:07:50,131 --> 00:07:53,766 I suspect the float switch is there mainly to guard against overfilling 154 00:07:53,766 --> 00:07:57,588 in case the main sensor fails or the solenoid valve gets stuck open. 155 00:07:57,588 --> 00:07:59,190 Or some other thing. 156 00:07:59,190 --> 00:08:03,870 Lastly, there is a temperature sensor which helps it know when it needs to heat the water. 157 00:08:03,870 --> 00:08:06,594 Oh, and of course there is also a door switch 158 00:08:06,594 --> 00:08:09,204 so it can tell if the door is open or not. 159 00:08:09,204 --> 00:08:10,434 Speaking of the door, 160 00:08:10,434 --> 00:08:12,090 now let’s talk about the door! 161 00:08:12,090 --> 00:08:14,199 This is where the brains of the operation are, 162 00:08:14,199 --> 00:08:16,686 including the logic board and user input panel, 163 00:08:16,686 --> 00:08:20,385 as well two more things the dishwasher has control over. 164 00:08:20,385 --> 00:08:24,418 Built into the door at the top is a vent that opens when drying, 165 00:08:24,418 --> 00:08:28,456 and about midway up the door on the inside is the star of the show: 166 00:08:28,456 --> 00:08:30,538 the detergent dispenser. 167 00:08:30,538 --> 00:08:32,796 See, because of how dishwashers work, 168 00:08:32,796 --> 00:08:36,502 it would be best for it to be able to release detergent into the tub 169 00:08:36,502 --> 00:08:39,335 at a specific point in the cleaning cycle. 170 00:08:39,335 --> 00:08:43,528 That is after all the entire point of having a detergent dispenser. 171 00:08:43,528 --> 00:08:49,133 It wouldn’t bother with one if it didn’t want control over when it’s introduced to the wash water. 172 00:08:49,133 --> 00:08:50,925 And this is where, in my opinion, 173 00:08:50,925 --> 00:08:54,874 dishwasher detergent packs are making things worse for all of us. 174 00:08:55,230 --> 00:08:58,120 Well, those of us with dishwashers, anyway. 175 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,477 To explain what I mean, we need to observe the dishwasher in action 176 00:09:01,477 --> 00:09:04,730 and uncover its sequence of operations. 177 00:09:04,730 --> 00:09:07,642 When a cycle is started, after running the drain pump for a while 178 00:09:07,642 --> 00:09:11,187 to get any stray water that might be in the tub for whatever reason out of it, 179 00:09:11,187 --> 00:09:14,858 the water inlet valve is opened and water is let in. 180 00:09:14,858 --> 00:09:19,123 Once it’s full, it runs the main pump and starts cleaning in earnest. 181 00:09:19,123 --> 00:09:21,980 Remember that this water isn’t being heated by the dishwasher, 182 00:09:21,980 --> 00:09:26,550 so unless you ran your kitchen tap this may be stone cold. 183 00:09:26,550 --> 00:09:29,259 Because the dishwasher has filled itself with so little water, 184 00:09:29,259 --> 00:09:32,240 hardly even a gallon (or 4-ish liters) 185 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,806 it can’t run the bottom and top sprayers at the same time. 186 00:09:35,806 --> 00:09:38,797 So, it periodically switches which ones are cleaning. 187 00:09:38,797 --> 00:09:42,891 I believe it accomplishes this simply by reversing the direction of the pump motor, 188 00:09:42,891 --> 00:09:45,296 as I don’t see any sort of valve anywhere. 189 00:09:45,296 --> 00:09:49,742 When it’s not cleaning the bottom rack, water is redirected out the rear supply pipe 190 00:09:49,742 --> 00:09:51,781 and sent into the top sprayers. 191 00:09:51,781 --> 00:09:56,138 This does have the unfortunate side-effect of making the wash cycle much longer, 192 00:09:56,138 --> 00:09:59,351 but comes with the benefit of reduced water usage. 193 00:09:59,351 --> 00:10:01,688 In many dishwashers, including this one, 194 00:10:01,688 --> 00:10:05,279 the impeller of the main pump acts something like a garbage disposal. 195 00:10:05,279 --> 00:10:10,515 It shreds food particles apart so that they can easily be drained and won’t harm your plumbing. 196 00:10:10,515 --> 00:10:14,808 This isn’t universal, though - some dishwashers, notably models made by Bosch, 197 00:10:14,808 --> 00:10:20,219 instead use filter screens to trap particles, and these require periodic cleaning. 198 00:10:20,219 --> 00:10:22,819 Sounds gross, but whatever. 199 00:10:22,819 --> 00:10:25,637 This dishwasher is of the pulverizing variety, 200 00:10:25,637 --> 00:10:28,600 and it’s actually got a really clever design feature. 201 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:32,356 The bottom sprayer arm shoots jets of water along the bottom of the sump 202 00:10:32,356 --> 00:10:37,184 to push solids into the main pump intake where they will be shredded into gloop. 203 00:10:37,184 --> 00:10:38,463 Neat! 204 00:10:38,463 --> 00:10:41,553 This first fill of water is responsible for… 205 00:10:41,553 --> 00:10:43,495 well, a lot. 206 00:10:43,495 --> 00:10:46,913 The dishes are as dirty as they’ll ever be when you first start the dishwasher, 207 00:10:46,913 --> 00:10:49,988 and there’s a lot of grime to take care of. 208 00:10:49,988 --> 00:10:52,889 That means this fill of water gets filthy… 209 00:10:52,889 --> 00:10:53,714 fast. 210 00:10:53,714 --> 00:10:56,218 So it doesn’t spend much time with this water. 211 00:10:56,218 --> 00:10:57,937 Only about fifteen minutes. 212 00:10:57,937 --> 00:10:59,263 It then drains it away. 213 00:10:59,263 --> 00:11:02,281 And it fully expects this water to be friggin’ nasty. 214 00:11:02,281 --> 00:11:05,743 The next step in its program is to fill with just a bit of water, 215 00:11:05,743 --> 00:11:08,149 and run the pump in a few short bursts. 216 00:11:08,149 --> 00:11:10,435 This dilutes whatever’s left of the nastiness 217 00:11:10,435 --> 00:11:14,347 (after all there will always be at least some water left in the sump from the last fill) 218 00:11:14,347 --> 00:11:17,195 and probably helps ensure the pump doesn’t clog. 219 00:11:17,195 --> 00:11:19,992 It then drains this small quantity of water. 220 00:11:19,992 --> 00:11:22,446 Now, notice that this entire time 221 00:11:22,446 --> 00:11:25,786 the detergent dispenser has remained closed. 222 00:11:25,786 --> 00:11:29,169 Because the first fill is the nastiest and also the shortest, 223 00:11:29,169 --> 00:11:32,378 it doesn’t make sense to release the detergent right away. 224 00:11:32,378 --> 00:11:38,100 Again, that is the entire reason the dishwasher has a mechanism to hold and release detergent. 225 00:11:38,100 --> 00:11:40,177 It has to get the nasty stuff out first, 226 00:11:40,177 --> 00:11:42,474 and if it had released the detergent, 227 00:11:42,474 --> 00:11:47,514 well the detergent would have left with all the nasty stuff in the first 15 minutes of the cycle. 228 00:11:47,514 --> 00:11:49,122 That’s no good. 229 00:11:49,122 --> 00:11:51,076 But wait, you say. 230 00:11:51,076 --> 00:11:55,831 Isn’t detergent, like, there to help it clean? 231 00:11:55,831 --> 00:11:58,629 Wouldn’t it be good to have some in the first fill 232 00:11:58,629 --> 00:12:01,488 to help it get more gunk off faster? 233 00:12:01,781 --> 00:12:02,838 Why yes! 234 00:12:03,190 --> 00:12:04,385 It would! 235 00:12:04,385 --> 00:12:09,655 And this is why many dishwashers, and in fact every single model I’ve encountered personally, 236 00:12:09,655 --> 00:12:11,633 have not one... 237 00:12:11,633 --> 00:12:14,918 but TWO places for you to put detergent. 238 00:12:14,918 --> 00:12:17,233 One of which, the pre-wash compartment, 239 00:12:17,233 --> 00:12:20,843 is open to the tub to release detergent immediately for the first fill 240 00:12:20,843 --> 00:12:23,040 (in this case through these little vents) 241 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:24,723 and the other, the main wash, 242 00:12:24,723 --> 00:12:28,169 is sealed until the dishwasher’s program calls for it. 243 00:12:28,169 --> 00:12:30,992 Are you starting to see why I don’t like detergent packs? 244 00:12:30,992 --> 00:12:34,992 Quick note, for those of you with dishwashers that don’t have a pre-wash basin, 245 00:12:34,992 --> 00:12:37,985 hold your commenting fingers because we’ll get to you. 246 00:12:37,985 --> 00:12:43,804 So, this dishwasher like many, many others out there is designed with the expectation 247 00:12:43,804 --> 00:12:46,413 that some detergent will be in that first fill, 248 00:12:46,413 --> 00:12:50,383 and that *more* detergent will be available to it when it wants it. 249 00:12:50,383 --> 00:12:55,538 And sure enough, after it drains the real nasty water out of itself and does that little purge routine, 250 00:12:55,538 --> 00:12:58,400 it fills up with fresh water, this time completely, 251 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:00,293 so it can start cleaning again. 252 00:13:00,293 --> 00:13:03,829 Shortly after it begins, it opens the detergent dispenser. 253 00:13:03,829 --> 00:13:07,730 It spends a long time with this water: nearly an hour. 254 00:13:07,730 --> 00:13:10,001 With most of the real nastiness long gone, 255 00:13:10,001 --> 00:13:15,470 it can really work to clean the stubborn bits with very soapy and mostly clean water. 256 00:13:15,470 --> 00:13:19,060 This is also where it turns on the heating element to heat the wash water further, 257 00:13:19,060 --> 00:13:20,175 if needed. 258 00:13:20,175 --> 00:13:25,370 Which, since 15 minutes has passed since the last fill, is almost a given. 259 00:13:25,370 --> 00:13:28,219 Again, we might want to rethink this whole 260 00:13:28,219 --> 00:13:30,372 “dishwashers are hooked up to hot water” business 261 00:13:30,372 --> 00:13:33,782 because I think it might be more harmful than helpful. 262 00:13:33,782 --> 00:13:37,573 Your water heater ends up heating a bit of water that gets cold again 263 00:13:37,573 --> 00:13:39,841 by the time the dishwasher actually needs it. 264 00:13:39,841 --> 00:13:41,401 It’s not great. 265 00:13:41,401 --> 00:13:47,040 Now, after it’s done cleaning, it needs to rinse your dishes to make sure there’s no detergent left on them. 266 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:51,059 To do this using as little water as possible, this dishwasher takes special care 267 00:13:51,059 --> 00:13:53,620 in the draining of the main wash. 268 00:13:53,620 --> 00:13:56,749 It adds a bit of water while the drain pump is still running 269 00:13:56,749 --> 00:13:59,092 to dilute what’s left in the sump. 270 00:13:59,092 --> 00:14:04,173 Then it does the same small fill and purge routine it did after draining the first fill. 271 00:14:04,173 --> 00:14:06,459 This further dilutes what’s left. 272 00:14:06,459 --> 00:14:09,376 And to be extra extra sure the detergent’s gone, 273 00:14:09,376 --> 00:14:14,000 it again lets water in at the same time it drains the purge water. 274 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:17,425 Finally, it fills completely and pumps the rinse water around 275 00:14:17,425 --> 00:14:20,629 for about a half hour while also heating it. 276 00:14:20,629 --> 00:14:23,779 If you have a sanitize option, this is when that happens. 277 00:14:23,779 --> 00:14:27,660 In the US, the rinse water will be heated to at least 150°F 278 00:14:27,660 --> 00:14:31,337 per the NSF specification on residential dishwashers. 279 00:14:31,337 --> 00:14:35,569 After the final rinse, it drains this water away and runs the heating element 280 00:14:35,569 --> 00:14:38,035 to dry the dishes, if desired. 281 00:14:38,035 --> 00:14:39,829 Let’s step back a moment. 282 00:14:39,829 --> 00:14:42,180 What do we need detergent for in the first place? 283 00:14:42,180 --> 00:14:43,779 What does it actually do? 284 00:14:44,277 --> 00:14:45,738 Well, a number of things. 285 00:14:45,738 --> 00:14:49,908 Dishwasher detergents are concoctions of various chemical surfactants and enzymes 286 00:14:49,908 --> 00:14:53,897 with three particularly useful properties for washing dishes automatically: 287 00:14:53,897 --> 00:14:56,308 it helps break down proteins in food, 288 00:14:56,308 --> 00:14:59,289 and it acts as an emulsifier and a dispersant. 289 00:14:59,289 --> 00:15:00,898 They also don’t produce suds, 290 00:15:00,898 --> 00:15:04,903 an absolute necessity when pumping water around in a machine. 291 00:15:04,903 --> 00:15:09,299 This is why you can’t use plain dish soap in a dishwasher - otherwise, 292 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:11,576 this happens. 293 00:15:11,576 --> 00:15:12,543 Fun. 294 00:15:12,543 --> 00:15:14,751 Except, not at all. 295 00:15:14,751 --> 00:15:19,793 Oh, and dishwasher detergent is the main reason some things aren’t dishwasher safe. 296 00:15:19,793 --> 00:15:24,712 It’s more aggressive than just plain soap, and so can harm certain items or finishes. 297 00:15:24,712 --> 00:15:27,718 Anyway, you know that oil and water don’t mix, right? 298 00:15:27,718 --> 00:15:30,016 This presents problems when cleaning dishes 299 00:15:30,016 --> 00:15:35,174 because we often have various oily substances in our food which in turn end up on the dishes. 300 00:15:35,174 --> 00:15:38,682 Emulsifiers can ease the tensions between oil and water. 301 00:15:38,682 --> 00:15:41,542 Dishwasher detergent, and in fact soap more broadly, 302 00:15:41,542 --> 00:15:43,459 is an emulsifier. 303 00:15:43,459 --> 00:15:48,598 It allows oil and water to mix by encapsulating tiny oil droplets in structures called micelles 304 00:15:48,598 --> 00:15:50,798 which then become suspended in the water. 305 00:15:50,798 --> 00:15:55,946 The emulsifying action of the detergent thus allows you to clean oily things using water. 306 00:15:55,946 --> 00:15:57,157 Fun fact! 307 00:15:57,157 --> 00:15:58,841 Egg yolks are an emulsifier, 308 00:15:58,841 --> 00:16:02,108 which is why eggs are often called for in recipes for baked goods 309 00:16:02,108 --> 00:16:05,090 where oil or butter is to be mixed with flour and water. 310 00:16:05,090 --> 00:16:10,204 You need them to keep the oil or butter from separating out of the batter, dough, etc. 311 00:16:10,204 --> 00:16:13,139 Which leads us to the dispersant properties of detergent. 312 00:16:13,139 --> 00:16:15,411 Dispersants, also known as dispersing agents, 313 00:16:15,411 --> 00:16:17,540 are used to keep you in suspen - 314 00:16:17,540 --> 00:16:20,056 I mean keep things in suspension. 315 00:16:20,056 --> 00:16:23,069 I will now read this amazing sentence from Wikipedia: 316 00:16:23,069 --> 00:16:28,263 “Dispersants are widely used to stabilize various industrial and artisanal products, 317 00:16:28,263 --> 00:16:30,590 such as paints, ferrofluids, 318 00:16:30,590 --> 00:16:32,466 and salad dressings.” 319 00:16:33,316 --> 00:16:37,037 The main benefit of having a dispersing agent in the dishwasher detergent 320 00:16:37,037 --> 00:16:40,681 is that it helps keep oil droplets, food particles, what have you 321 00:16:40,681 --> 00:16:43,325 in suspension so they don’t settle out of the water 322 00:16:43,325 --> 00:16:45,513 and form a nice buildup of residue. 323 00:16:45,513 --> 00:16:46,778 ‘Cause that’d be gross. 324 00:16:46,778 --> 00:16:49,787 Plus, it keeps them from redepositing on the dishes, 325 00:16:49,787 --> 00:16:51,901 as that would be counterproductive. 326 00:16:51,901 --> 00:16:54,593 So basically, detergent helps break down food things 327 00:16:54,593 --> 00:16:57,278 and helps them mix with the water which makes the water more effective 328 00:16:57,278 --> 00:16:59,972 at getting food things off plates and stuff. 329 00:16:59,972 --> 00:17:03,144 That’s a really simple way to put it but it’s more or less correct. 330 00:17:03,189 --> 00:17:04,268 And so I ask you, 331 00:17:04,268 --> 00:17:08,542 would it not be beneficial to have some detergent from the beginning? 332 00:17:08,542 --> 00:17:12,990 After all, if the point of the first fill is to remove and pulverize the biggest, 333 00:17:12,990 --> 00:17:18,479 nastiest, grossest food bits and get them out of the wash water quickly, 334 00:17:18,479 --> 00:17:21,174 would we not want it to be able to emulsify oils 335 00:17:21,174 --> 00:17:22,508 and break down proteins, 336 00:17:22,508 --> 00:17:24,680 remove more food particles as a result, 337 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:28,034 and keep those particles in suspension until it can drain them away 338 00:17:28,034 --> 00:17:31,847 by adding a little bit of detergent to the water from the start? 339 00:17:31,847 --> 00:17:33,074 Personally? 340 00:17:33,074 --> 00:17:35,490 Yes. I want that. 341 00:17:35,490 --> 00:17:40,229 And these little buggers have taken this away from me and you and everyone you love. 342 00:17:41,050 --> 00:17:42,781 Well, OK, that’s not strictly true, 343 00:17:42,781 --> 00:17:46,974 but their popularity has caused most consumers to bypass the very helpful 344 00:17:46,974 --> 00:17:50,096 and in my opinion necessary addition of detergent 345 00:17:50,096 --> 00:17:52,168 in the first pre-wash fill. 346 00:17:52,168 --> 00:17:59,513 Dishwashers can clean much more effectively if they have detergent in both the initial fill and the main wash. 347 00:17:59,513 --> 00:18:03,920 You really shouldn’t need to pre-rinse the stuff you put in a dishwasher because 348 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:05,733 that’s what the first fill does! 349 00:18:05,733 --> 00:18:09,827 Without detergent in it, though, it can’t do nearly as good a job. 350 00:18:09,827 --> 00:18:14,376 And now that detergent packs are the de facto form of detergent, 351 00:18:14,376 --> 00:18:17,549 your dishwasher simply doesn’t work as well as it should. 352 00:18:17,549 --> 00:18:21,522 I mean, look, this box of Cascade powder even says 353 00:18:21,522 --> 00:18:27,281 “For best results, fill both the pre-wash and the main wash cups completely.” 354 00:18:27,281 --> 00:18:30,792 How am I supposed to do that with one of these, Cascade‽ 355 00:18:30,792 --> 00:18:32,909 Let’s do some experiments, shall we? 356 00:18:32,909 --> 00:18:37,425 I’ve prepared a few pairs of dirty plates soiled with various grossness. 357 00:18:37,425 --> 00:18:39,856 Here we have baked-on pasta sauce. 358 00:18:39,856 --> 00:18:42,705 This bowl is filled with remnants of pancake mix. 359 00:18:42,705 --> 00:18:45,524 We have a plate on which scrambled eggs were eaten. 360 00:18:45,524 --> 00:18:47,898 And finally, there’s 2 tablespoons of butter 361 00:18:47,898 --> 00:18:51,808 and about a quarter cup of shredded cheese microwaved to make this mess. 362 00:18:51,808 --> 00:18:55,820 And, these have been sitting undisturbed for about 3 days. 363 00:18:55,820 --> 00:18:57,008 Yummy! 364 00:18:57,360 --> 00:19:00,485 I’ll be running them through a normal cycle on this dishwasher, 365 00:19:00,485 --> 00:19:06,348 but I’ll be stopping it after it drains the first fill so we can see how much gets done in that first 15 minutes. 366 00:19:06,348 --> 00:19:10,314 The water entering the dishwasher will be as hot as the tap allows. 367 00:19:10,314 --> 00:19:13,945 For one run no detergent will be added to the pre-wash basin, 368 00:19:13,945 --> 00:19:16,248 and for the next run there will be. 369 00:19:16,248 --> 00:19:20,852 And it’s nothing special, just this Great Value lemon scented gel. 370 00:19:20,852 --> 00:19:22,515 Let’s see how it goes. 371 00:19:22,515 --> 00:19:24,109 Here’s the first attempt. 372 00:19:24,109 --> 00:19:26,610 Remember, there’s no detergent in here at all; 373 00:19:26,610 --> 00:19:28,746 it’s cleaning with water only. 374 00:19:28,746 --> 00:19:32,254 It’s doing surprisingly well at getting the pasta sauce off. 375 00:19:32,254 --> 00:19:36,041 That water’s looking pretty gross… and here it comes. 376 00:19:36,041 --> 00:19:37,379 Look at that deliciousness. 377 00:19:37,379 --> 00:19:39,487 Mm-mm good! 378 00:19:40,161 --> 00:19:43,025 Now, let’s do this again but this time with some detergent. 379 00:19:43,025 --> 00:19:46,678 It’s been placed in the pre-wash area and you can see it oozing out. 380 00:19:46,678 --> 00:19:48,941 Actually, it doesn’t need to be here at all, 381 00:19:48,941 --> 00:19:52,094 in fact I think it would be better just to squirt some into the tub, 382 00:19:52,094 --> 00:19:54,680 but I’ve done it because it’s prim and proper 383 00:19:54,680 --> 00:20:01,544 (plus it’s the amount the dishwasher manufacturer recommends because, well, it is a measuring cup after all). 384 00:20:01,544 --> 00:20:05,724 Alright, and washing… washing… done! 385 00:20:05,724 --> 00:20:10,887 Or, well, no… 15 minutes of a two hour cycle but now let’s compare! 386 00:20:10,887 --> 00:20:15,187 I’ll admit that I was surprised just how much water alone was able to accomplish, 387 00:20:15,187 --> 00:20:17,164 particularly with the pasta sauce. 388 00:20:17,164 --> 00:20:22,276 And, believe it or not, the run with pre-wash detergent actually did worse with the pancake mix. 389 00:20:22,276 --> 00:20:26,863 But the devil is in the details, and there are some important and significant differences. 390 00:20:26,863 --> 00:20:29,169 While the difference looks slight at first glance, 391 00:20:29,169 --> 00:20:33,104 more pasta sauce was removed and more completely when there was detergent, 392 00:20:33,104 --> 00:20:36,698 particularly in the areas it had been burned onto the plate. 393 00:20:36,698 --> 00:20:41,382 There are many more flecks that stuck behind when there wasn’t detergent in the water. 394 00:20:41,382 --> 00:20:45,796 Next, notice that a fair bit of butter remained on the buttery cheese plate. 395 00:20:45,796 --> 00:20:50,154 With detergent in the water, all the butter had been dissolved into the wash water. 396 00:20:50,154 --> 00:20:53,386 Thanks to the emulsifying action of the detergent, of course. 397 00:20:53,386 --> 00:20:56,144 There doesn’t seem to be much of a difference when it comes to the cheese, 398 00:20:56,144 --> 00:21:01,901 but remember that what doesn’t leave in the first fill will stick around for the main wash. 399 00:21:01,901 --> 00:21:07,986 This glob of butter will take up a lot of the detergent’s ability to emulsify oils in the main wash, 400 00:21:07,986 --> 00:21:09,641 which will make it less effective, 401 00:21:09,641 --> 00:21:14,096 whereas when there was pre-wash detergent it was all gone. 402 00:21:14,096 --> 00:21:16,498 Last but certainly not least, the eggs. 403 00:21:16,498 --> 00:21:19,535 Eggs are notoriously difficult for dishwashers to tackle, 404 00:21:19,535 --> 00:21:22,805 and sure enough it doesn’t look like much has been accomplished here. 405 00:21:22,805 --> 00:21:24,718 But look closer. 406 00:21:24,718 --> 00:21:29,967 The run with detergent removed much more of the surface residue than water alone. 407 00:21:29,967 --> 00:21:35,635 This is probably thanks to the enzymes in the detergent beginning to break down the proteins in the eggs. 408 00:21:35,635 --> 00:21:40,077 It doesn't look like it at a glance, but to me this is the most compelling evidence 409 00:21:40,077 --> 00:21:42,950 of the benefits of pre-wash detergent. 410 00:21:42,950 --> 00:21:47,487 Remember that these results are after only 15 minutes into the cycle, 411 00:21:47,487 --> 00:21:50,874 and more detergent (and clean water) would be on the way 412 00:21:50,874 --> 00:21:52,665 were the cycle to continue. 413 00:21:52,665 --> 00:21:55,554 The simple addition of detergent to the first fill, 414 00:21:55,554 --> 00:21:57,206 and honestly not all that much, 415 00:21:57,206 --> 00:22:02,007 increased the amount of food it removed in just the first few minutes of washing. 416 00:22:02,007 --> 00:22:04,790 If it can get more out in the first rinse, 417 00:22:04,790 --> 00:22:07,788 it will obviously do better in the main wash. 418 00:22:07,788 --> 00:22:10,044 Not only that, but without detergent, 419 00:22:10,044 --> 00:22:16,303 a disgusting amount of sludge built up at the base of the sprayer arm and pump intake. 420 00:22:16,303 --> 00:22:20,677 Most of that was the butter, I’m sure, because it doesn’t mix well with water alone. 421 00:22:20,677 --> 00:22:24,512 A little detergent, though, greatly reduced that sludge buildup. 422 00:22:24,512 --> 00:22:29,187 And, of course, that means the main wash would have less to deal with. 423 00:22:29,187 --> 00:22:31,742 Again, I know I’m repeating myself here, 424 00:22:31,742 --> 00:22:36,625 but there are two places to put detergent for a reason! 425 00:22:36,625 --> 00:22:38,612 I hope through this you can see why. 426 00:22:38,612 --> 00:22:42,183 No matter how fancy your detergent pack may claim to be, 427 00:22:42,183 --> 00:22:46,771 it will be working harder than it needs to without a little help in the pre-wash. 428 00:22:46,771 --> 00:22:51,417 Except, of course, for the dishwashers that don’t have a pre-wash basin. 429 00:22:51,417 --> 00:22:57,512 It seems Bosch in particular has just given up and conceded that everyone buys detergent packs these days. 430 00:22:57,512 --> 00:23:00,545 They no longer include a spot for pre-wash detergent, 431 00:23:00,545 --> 00:23:04,284 which is particularly odd because they still have a dispenser 432 00:23:04,284 --> 00:23:07,887 and still hold it shut until the second fill. 433 00:23:07,887 --> 00:23:11,419 You would imagine that they would want their dishwashers to perform at their peak, 434 00:23:11,419 --> 00:23:15,807 and I can all but guarantee they could do with a bit of detergent in the first fill, 435 00:23:15,807 --> 00:23:18,970 nevertheless they don’t bother to encourage it anymore. 436 00:23:18,970 --> 00:23:22,703 I suspect this is a reaction to the proliferation of detergent packs, 437 00:23:22,703 --> 00:23:25,428 and not because the pre-wash detergent doesn’t help. 438 00:23:25,428 --> 00:23:28,326 We’ve just seen that it does significantly. 439 00:23:28,326 --> 00:23:33,994 My guess is that Bosch has optimized their wash programs for only one introduction of detergent, 440 00:23:33,994 --> 00:23:37,196 and I’d bet thanks to detergent packs. 441 00:23:37,196 --> 00:23:39,471 However, my new KitchenAid dishwasher, 442 00:23:39,471 --> 00:23:43,622 with such fancy features as a third rack for flatware, mugs, and glasses 443 00:23:43,622 --> 00:23:47,953 and a turbidity sensor which can determine how dirty the wash water is, 444 00:23:47,953 --> 00:23:50,787 still encourages you to add a little extra detergent. 445 00:23:50,787 --> 00:23:53,801 In this case there’s a divot on the sliding dispenser door, 446 00:23:53,801 --> 00:23:57,339 and detergent placed here will just fall into the tub. 447 00:23:57,399 --> 00:24:00,740 But you can’t do that if you buy detergent packs. 448 00:24:00,740 --> 00:24:06,720 I mean, sure, I guess you could just use two with each load but that would be a little silly. 449 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:10,126 And still, some dishwasher manufacturers like LG 450 00:24:10,126 --> 00:24:12,306 say that if you are to use a detergent pack, 451 00:24:12,306 --> 00:24:17,293 you should bypass the dispenser altogether and instead place it directly into the tub. 452 00:24:17,293 --> 00:24:21,085 But that’s horrible advice, particularly since many packs 453 00:24:21,085 --> 00:24:25,375 are nothing more than plain powder detergent in a dissolvable membrane, 454 00:24:25,375 --> 00:24:27,988 with maybe a little extra flair. 455 00:24:27,988 --> 00:24:32,451 It will all be gone after the first drain if you just throw it in the tub. 456 00:24:32,451 --> 00:24:38,228 Really, dishwasher detergent packs just... don’t make sense to me. 457 00:24:38,228 --> 00:24:41,320 One of the great benefits of using an automatic dishwasher 458 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:45,355 is that it greatly reduces the amount of water needed to wash dishes 459 00:24:45,355 --> 00:24:47,157 compared to washing by hand. 460 00:24:47,157 --> 00:24:51,438 This is all the water this model uses in a normal wash cycle, 461 00:24:51,438 --> 00:24:54,267 which can tackle more than 8 place settings! 462 00:24:54,267 --> 00:24:57,692 It only takes 4.2 gallons, or about 16 liters, 463 00:24:57,692 --> 00:25:02,647 precisely because the detergent keeps food particles suspended in the wash water, 464 00:25:02,647 --> 00:25:06,961 allowing the same water to provide cleaning action for almost an hour. 465 00:25:06,961 --> 00:25:11,085 Oh, and it only used 1.2 kilowatt hours of energy! 466 00:25:11,085 --> 00:25:16,623 But you hinder your dishwasher greatly when you only introduce detergent once. 467 00:25:16,623 --> 00:25:21,637 I suspect that a lot of complaints surrounding modern dishwashers not cleaning as well as old ones 468 00:25:21,637 --> 00:25:25,331 have detergent packs to blame, at least in part. 469 00:25:25,331 --> 00:25:27,481 Oh, phosphates you say? 470 00:25:27,481 --> 00:25:32,900 Yeah, quick note, there are a lot of folks out there who are convinced that phosphate-free detergents, 471 00:25:32,900 --> 00:25:38,619 which were introduced to combat the environmental damage caused by phosphates being introduced into the waterways, 472 00:25:38,619 --> 00:25:42,864 just doesn’t work as well as old fashioned phosphate-full detergent. 473 00:25:42,864 --> 00:25:45,675 Personally? I don’t buy that. 474 00:25:45,675 --> 00:25:52,409 I... I just don’t have issues with my dishwasher not cleaning well with really any detergent I've used. 475 00:25:52,409 --> 00:25:56,891 Plus, phosphates were added to reduce limescale deposits from hard water, 476 00:25:56,891 --> 00:25:59,537 not exactly a function of cleaning. 477 00:25:59,537 --> 00:26:03,547 Using a rinse aid product will help, so if you aren’t doing that, 478 00:26:03,547 --> 00:26:05,593 well start doing that. 479 00:26:05,593 --> 00:26:07,279 Here’s an anecdote for you. 480 00:26:07,279 --> 00:26:11,394 This pan was used to make a cheese and bean dip I make every once in a while. 481 00:26:11,394 --> 00:26:17,292 I’ve let it dry out, there’s caked on cheese and oil and in general it’s, uh, well it's kinda nasty, 482 00:26:17,292 --> 00:26:21,450 but I know it will be cleaned just fine by my dishwasher. 483 00:26:21,450 --> 00:26:23,592 It's done it many times before. 484 00:26:23,592 --> 00:26:26,673 Even if I’ve let it sit for days before I clean it. 485 00:26:26,673 --> 00:26:30,385 And for the most part I buy cheap, store-brand detergent! 486 00:26:30,385 --> 00:26:34,402 All I do is put it in both places my dishwasher asks me to 487 00:26:34,402 --> 00:26:36,331 and it cleans excellently. 488 00:26:36,331 --> 00:26:38,393 Even this old one did a great job - 489 00:26:38,393 --> 00:26:41,714 I only replaced it because its control board is starting to get a little loopy, 490 00:26:41,714 --> 00:26:44,582 and sometimes it crashes and doesn’t finish a cycle. 491 00:26:44,582 --> 00:26:47,800 It only happened twice during the making of this video! 492 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:52,164 It might have been an easy fix, but it’s also kinda loud, and so was the perfect candidate 493 00:26:52,164 --> 00:26:54,075 for cutting a hole into. 494 00:26:54,075 --> 00:26:59,114 I never pre-rinse my plates, cookware, even stuff like this skillet. 495 00:26:59,114 --> 00:27:03,123 The first fill, with a bit of detergent, does that for you. 496 00:27:03,123 --> 00:27:05,107 That’s the point! 497 00:27:05,107 --> 00:27:10,103 Granted, I’m no chef, but I just put whatever is dirty in the dishwasher without thinking, 498 00:27:10,103 --> 00:27:14,134 and rarely do I ever find something that wasn’t cleaned perfectly. 499 00:27:14,134 --> 00:27:19,526 Usually it’s just something like a random fork with a stuck on piece of celery or junk like that. 500 00:27:19,526 --> 00:27:25,417 Even this giant skillet, after making something like beef with broccoli with its gross and sticky sauce, 501 00:27:25,417 --> 00:27:28,600 it comes out perfectly clean without any pretreatment. 502 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:30,475 And with cheap detergent. 503 00:27:30,475 --> 00:27:33,413 If you’re constantly underwhelmed by your dishwasher, 504 00:27:33,413 --> 00:27:36,968 well first you should probably buy a dishwasher cleaning product 505 00:27:36,968 --> 00:27:39,605 and run that through it according to its instructions, 506 00:27:39,605 --> 00:27:41,973 also check to see if there are any filters to clean, 507 00:27:41,973 --> 00:27:46,407 but seriously, go buy some basic powder or gel detergent, 508 00:27:46,407 --> 00:27:50,924 and put it in the dispenser AND the pre-wash area (wherever that is) 509 00:27:50,924 --> 00:27:52,328 and see how it goes. 510 00:27:52,328 --> 00:27:58,022 You might find it did a better job than it ever did with the fanciest of packs. 511 00:27:58,022 --> 00:28:03,445 And also, now I get to be grumpy, it’s getting hard to buy plain detergent these days! 512 00:28:03,445 --> 00:28:06,800 Everybody wants packs, and I would be OK with that 513 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:12,951 were it not for the fact that using a single detergent pack is antithetical to the proper function of most dishwashers. 514 00:28:12,951 --> 00:28:18,693 The pre-wash basin would not exist if the manufacturer didn’t think it might be helpful. 515 00:28:18,693 --> 00:28:21,725 And truthfully, I think that adding in a bit of detergent to the tub 516 00:28:21,725 --> 00:28:25,028 even on models that don’t have a specific pre-wash area 517 00:28:25,028 --> 00:28:28,917 would provide a dramatic improvement to cleaning performance. 518 00:28:28,917 --> 00:28:32,522 You might want to give it a try yourself, it really won’t hurt anything. 519 00:28:32,522 --> 00:28:33,820 Now, here’s a caveat. 520 00:28:33,820 --> 00:28:38,170 Pretty much every dishwasher has different programs to choose from. 521 00:28:38,170 --> 00:28:43,539 You may have an express wash option or similar which does indeed open the detergent door 522 00:28:43,539 --> 00:28:44,850 right away. 523 00:28:44,850 --> 00:28:47,234 For these wash programs, if you use them, 524 00:28:47,234 --> 00:28:51,459 it simply makes the first fill the main wash, and so adding pre-wash detergent 525 00:28:51,459 --> 00:28:53,139 wouldn’t make a difference there. 526 00:28:53,139 --> 00:28:56,739 But most “normal” cycles will behave like we’ve seen here - 527 00:28:56,739 --> 00:29:02,455 there’s at least one pre-wash fill before it opens the detergent dispenser to get all the nastiness out quick. 528 00:29:02,455 --> 00:29:07,705 And in that case, you’ll get better cleaning with a little detergent in there from the get go. 529 00:29:07,705 --> 00:29:09,793 I said "get go," not gecko. 530 00:29:09,793 --> 00:29:11,245 Anyway, you’re right. 531 00:29:11,450 --> 00:29:14,810 The main point of this video was for me to tell you about the existence 532 00:29:14,810 --> 00:29:17,231 of the pre-wash detergent basin and show you that, 533 00:29:17,231 --> 00:29:21,540 if you actually use it, your dishwasher will work a lot better. 534 00:29:21,540 --> 00:29:24,909 I want you to experience the full potential of your dishwasher. 535 00:29:24,909 --> 00:29:28,484 So many people seem to think that dishwashers need to be babied, 536 00:29:28,484 --> 00:29:31,298 that you need to rinse anything remotely dirty off 537 00:29:31,298 --> 00:29:35,990 before you load it up, and that’s just never been the case for me. 538 00:29:35,990 --> 00:29:41,139 Either I’m the luckiest person alive, or pre-wash detergent makes a huge difference. 539 00:29:41,139 --> 00:29:46,730 I think it’s the latter - when it has soap from the start, it can work so much better. 540 00:29:46,730 --> 00:29:50,940 Thanks for watching, I’d really love for you to give old fashioned detergents a try. 541 00:29:50,940 --> 00:29:54,669 They’ve never let me down, despite being the value option. 542 00:29:54,669 --> 00:29:59,600 And truthfully that’s not my motivation, I just don’t get how a detergent pack 543 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:01,995 is gonna be a better option because… 544 00:30:01,995 --> 00:30:04,534 that’s not how dishwashers work! 545 00:30:04,534 --> 00:30:09,184 And the popularity of, like, those Finish tabs that are individually wrapped? 546 00:30:09,184 --> 00:30:10,877 Don’t get that at all. 547 00:30:10,877 --> 00:30:14,971 That’s way more annoying than just squirting some gel into a couple of cups. 548 00:30:14,971 --> 00:30:18,065 If you like the convenience or accessibility of packs, 549 00:30:18,065 --> 00:30:20,214 which I can absolutely appreciate, 550 00:30:20,214 --> 00:30:25,227 my advice would be to try the cheapest ones and use two with each load. 551 00:30:25,227 --> 00:30:28,361 Put one in the dispenser and throw another one in at the start. 552 00:30:28,361 --> 00:30:31,990 That is, of course, if your dishwasher behaves like this one. 553 00:30:31,990 --> 00:30:35,586 Which, on a normal cycle, it probably does. 554 00:30:35,586 --> 00:30:38,727 Now, you can usually hear the detergent dispenser open, 555 00:30:38,727 --> 00:30:41,681 and if it does a fill and drain before that happens, 556 00:30:41,681 --> 00:30:46,542 I really think you’ll have better results with basic detergent but twice. 557 00:30:46,542 --> 00:30:48,424 It’s worth a try, anyway, and please - 558 00:30:48,424 --> 00:30:51,437 feel free to come back here and tell me if I was wrong. 559 00:30:51,437 --> 00:30:54,448 My experience may simply be outliery. 560 00:30:54,448 --> 00:30:59,097 And also, I would very much recommend against doing this to your dishwasher. 561 00:30:59,097 --> 00:31:05,264 Despite using gobs of silicone and letting it cure for three days, the seal failed. 562 00:31:05,264 --> 00:31:06,634 Yeah, that was fun. 563 00:31:06,634 --> 00:31:10,937 Nothing quite like fighting a water leak near live electrical connections. 564 00:31:10,937 --> 00:31:15,993 My second attempt worked, but only because I sealed both the inside and outside. 565 00:31:15,993 --> 00:31:20,597 And I can tell that the inner seal has failed, as water’s trapped behind the glass. 566 00:31:20,597 --> 00:31:25,947 It’s almost like dishwashers are designed to clean things using high-speed jets of water or something. 567 00:31:26,417 --> 00:31:27,948 Whodathunk. 568 00:31:29,090 --> 00:31:31,561 ♫ phosphate-free smooth jazz ♫ 569 00:31:32,470 --> 00:31:34,102 Though, so-called portable models, 570 00:31:34,102 --> 00:31:38,795 which really just means they’re on wheels and so don’t require… bo! Not "and so". 571 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:40,373 No! 572 00:31:40,373 --> 00:31:45,152 With most of the real nastiness long gone, it can easily work to clean the stubborn bibts… 573 00:31:45,152 --> 00:31:46,036 mmm! 574 00:31:46,036 --> 00:31:49,319 It, well I think they all do, you may ha 575 00:31:49,319 --> 00:31:50,600 [extremely weird noises] 576 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:52,539 Sounds gross! But whatever. 577 00:31:52,539 --> 00:31:55,238 This dishwasher is of the pulverizing variety, 578 00:31:55,238 --> 00:31:59,550 and it’s actually got a reaaally cleugh I don’t like how this line’s being delivered! 579 00:32:00,429 --> 00:32:04,821 Exactly how this one does, and really that shouldn’t be all to surpri - 580 00:32:04,821 --> 00:32:06,422 [just crashes like a computer or something] 581 00:32:07,565 --> 00:32:11,725 ...acts like a garbage disposo. It shreds… disposal. 582 00:32:13,044 --> 00:32:15,565 I… Disposo the Clown’s coming back! 583 00:32:15,565 --> 00:32:17,837 Remember him? 584 00:32:19,332 --> 00:32:22,942 I imagine the comments are going to be filled with everyone's dishwasher takes. 585 00:32:22,942 --> 00:32:26,825 And I mean, that's fair, that's basically what this entire video is. 586 00:32:26,825 --> 00:32:30,346 One giant dishwasher hot take. 587 00:32:30,346 --> 00:32:34,085 Yes I am grumpy and insufferable, why do you ask?