WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:01.976 These things… 00:00:01.976 --> 00:00:03.154 annoy me. 00:00:03.154 --> 00:00:05.286 This is a dishwasher detergent pack, 00:00:05.286 --> 00:00:08.996 actually one of two that came with my new dishwasher. 00:00:08.996 --> 00:00:12.742 Detergent packs have become wildly popular lately, and ya know what? 00:00:12.742 --> 00:00:13.606 That’s cool. 00:00:13.606 --> 00:00:14.174 I get it. 00:00:14.174 --> 00:00:16.354 No mess, pre-dosed, convenient. 00:00:16.354 --> 00:00:18.208 Those qualities are worth a premium! 00:00:18.208 --> 00:00:21.112 Just don’t eat them. 00:00:21.112 --> 00:00:23.374 I can’t believe that ever needed to be said… 00:00:23.374 --> 00:00:28.268 Trouble is, these fly in the face of the way most dishwashers are designed to operate. 00:00:28.268 --> 00:00:30.760 Including the one this came with! 00:00:30.760 --> 00:00:36.551 I have a feeling these guys are responsible for a lot of dishwasher dissatisfaction these days. 00:00:36.551 --> 00:00:38.512 See, if you use them exclusively, 00:00:38.512 --> 00:00:42.688 you may be significantly limiting your dishwasher’s ability to clean. 00:00:42.688 --> 00:00:46.307 Now, have no fear, your Tide pods are fine. 00:00:46.307 --> 00:00:49.683 This problem affects dishwashers specifically. 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. 00:00:53.827 --> 00:00:57.055 Luckily, I have one! 00:00:57.055 --> 00:00:59.952 Riiiighhht here. 00:00:59.952 --> 00:01:01.954 [various shuffling and struggling] 00:01:02.628 --> 00:01:04.150 [struggling intensifies] 00:01:08.753 --> 00:01:09.753 Hi. 00:01:09.753 --> 00:01:14.487 This is a fairly typical and basic household dishwasher built for the US market. 00:01:14.487 --> 00:01:17.991 Cue the comments about how European models are different. 00:01:17.991 --> 00:01:21.036 Actually, yes, before we go too far - 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. 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, 00:01:31.170 --> 00:01:33.318 but I could be wrong and in any case 00:01:33.318 --> 00:01:37.160 I’m sure there are lots of particulars that will seem odd or different. 00:01:37.160 --> 00:01:40.195 Please do comment about them, it boosts engagement! 00:01:40.195 --> 00:01:42.577 On that note - before we get into the main point, 00:01:42.577 --> 00:01:46.175 there’s a bit of advice I want to give to North American viewers specifically. 00:01:46.175 --> 00:01:47.518 Our dishwashers... [audio fades] 00:01:47.518 --> 00:01:49.702 [voiceover] OK I spent way too much time on this. 00:01:49.702 --> 00:01:51.747 Basically, because it’s always been this way, 00:01:51.747 --> 00:01:54.293 North American dishwashers are hooked up to hot water. 00:01:54.293 --> 00:01:57.494 Now, because of this, they don’t expect to heat the water for the first rinse. 00:01:57.494 --> 00:02:01.151 But, since you probably don’t get hot water right away at your kitchen sink, 00:02:01.151 --> 00:02:05.808 it might start washing with cold water and that alone will really affect performance. 00:02:05.808 --> 00:02:07.548 If you aren’t already in the habit of doing so, 00:02:07.548 --> 00:02:10.475 you should run your kitchen faucet until you get hot water 00:02:10.475 --> 00:02:12.237 before you start the dishwasher. 00:02:12.237 --> 00:02:14.784 Since the dishwasher’s almost always hooked into the kitchen sink, 00:02:14.784 --> 00:02:17.299 this ensures it starts washing with hot water. 00:02:17.299 --> 00:02:18.824 Yes, this wastes a bit of water, 00:02:18.824 --> 00:02:22.455 and the entire practice of hooking it into hot water is questionable in the first place, 00:02:22.455 --> 00:02:23.793 but that’s just the way it is 00:02:23.793 --> 00:02:25.490 and if you think your dishwasher sucks 00:02:25.490 --> 00:02:27.724 you should really try this if nothing else. 00:02:27.724 --> 00:02:29.014 Anyway... 00:02:29.014 --> 00:02:33.985 Being a more basic model, this dishwasher is constructed mostly out of plastic. 00:02:33.985 --> 00:02:36.015 Normally it’s installed under the countertop 00:02:36.015 --> 00:02:39.020 which is why they only bother to give it good looks on the one side, 00:02:39.020 --> 00:02:41.208 though so-called portable models 00:02:41.208 --> 00:02:44.891 (which really just means they’re on wheels and don’t require permanent installation) 00:02:44.891 --> 00:02:48.762 as well as countertop models are available if uncommon. 00:02:48.762 --> 00:02:52.814 Also, comes with this nice blanket to keep it warm! 00:02:54.397 --> 00:02:56.525 Or maybe it’s for sound-deadening. 00:02:57.375 --> 00:02:58.918 Probably that. 00:02:58.918 --> 00:03:04.147 Dishwashers are actually very simple appliances and they haven’t fundamentally changed since, 00:03:04.147 --> 00:03:07.047 well, since they were invented, actually. 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] 00:03:09.767 --> 00:03:12.435 patented all the way back in 1886 00:03:12.435 --> 00:03:15.735 and considered to be the first modern automatic dishwasher, 00:03:15.735 --> 00:03:20.261 worked more or less exactly how this one does. 00:03:20.261 --> 00:03:22.345 And really, that shouldn’t be too surprising 00:03:22.345 --> 00:03:27.345 because it’s not like the physics of washing dishes have changed from then to now. 00:03:27.345 --> 00:03:29.932 Speaking of, how does one wash dishes? 00:03:29.932 --> 00:03:33.009 Great question! First, you get some dishes. 00:03:33.009 --> 00:03:36.324 Then, you use them to help you prepare and consume a meal. 00:03:36.324 --> 00:03:38.996 After that’s done, now ya got dirty dishes! 00:03:38.996 --> 00:03:41.961 To clean them, all you’ll need is some hot water, some soap, 00:03:41.961 --> 00:03:43.742 and something to scrub with. 00:03:43.742 --> 00:03:46.502 Fill your sink up with some hot water, add some soap, 00:03:46.502 --> 00:03:48.130 and go all scrubby scrubby. 00:03:48.130 --> 00:03:49.946 The mechanical action of your scrubbing 00:03:49.946 --> 00:03:53.404 combines with the cleaning actions of the soap and the heat of the water 00:03:53.404 --> 00:03:56.340 to break food residue apart and release it from the dinnerware. 00:03:56.340 --> 00:04:00.248 Now just give it a good rinse and you have a clean plate or whatever. 00:04:00.248 --> 00:04:03.976 And if you work in a commercial kitchen, don’t forget to fill the third compartment 00:04:03.976 --> 00:04:07.181 of your three compartment sink with an approved chemical sanitizer solution 00:04:07.181 --> 00:04:09.358 or extremely hot water. 00:04:09.358 --> 00:04:12.035 Remember: Wash. Rinse. Sanitize! 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:13.845 But here’s the thing - 00:04:13.845 --> 00:04:17.675 you don’t actually need something to scrub with to wash dishes. 00:04:17.675 --> 00:04:21.576 Scrubbing with a towel, sponge, what have you imparts mechanical force 00:04:21.576 --> 00:04:25.352 on food grime releasing it from plates, silverware, et cetera. 00:04:25.352 --> 00:04:28.489 Water by itself can accomplish the same thing, though. 00:04:28.489 --> 00:04:32.910 Ask any canyon and it’ll tell you just how abrasive water can be. 00:04:32.910 --> 00:04:35.453 Well, OK we’re not talking about erosion here 00:04:35.453 --> 00:04:37.411 but water is heavy stuff. 00:04:37.411 --> 00:04:39.799 A jet of water can impart a fair bit of force 00:04:39.799 --> 00:04:43.698 simply because it’s moving at high speed and has a substantial mass. 00:04:43.698 --> 00:04:46.756 You’ve sprayed dirty boots with a garden hose before. 00:04:46.756 --> 00:04:49.702 Or something like that anyway, so you’ve seen this first hand. 00:04:49.702 --> 00:04:52.049 Dishwashers use this same principle. 00:04:52.049 --> 00:04:57.274 Combine it with a bit of soap and time, and you’ve got automatic dishwashing. 00:04:57.274 --> 00:05:00.223 Now, you could simply use the water in your home’s pipes, 00:05:00.223 --> 00:05:03.093 send it through nozzles to create jet streams from the pressure, 00:05:03.093 --> 00:05:06.406 and spray the dishes but that would be very wasteful. 00:05:06.406 --> 00:05:10.760 So instead, dishwashers fill themselves with some quantity of water 00:05:10.760 --> 00:05:15.098 and use an electric motor to drive a pump which creates its own pressure. 00:05:15.098 --> 00:05:19.556 The same water will be recirculated through the dishwasher for long periods of time, 00:05:19.556 --> 00:05:23.451 which also means that any detergent that’s added stays in the water 00:05:23.451 --> 00:05:25.825 and doesn’t get flushed away immediately. 00:05:25.825 --> 00:05:30.424 How and when detergent gets added to the water is important. 00:05:30.424 --> 00:05:32.817 Foreshadowing. 00:05:32.817 --> 00:05:37.022 When necessary, a second, smaller pump is used to drain the water, 00:05:37.022 --> 00:05:40.829 although the mechanical particulars there vary from model to model. 00:05:40.829 --> 00:05:45.519 Inside the dishwasher are a series of sprayer arms which, you guessed it, 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:47.692 are armed with sprayers. 00:05:47.692 --> 00:05:51.589 The main pump sends the water it moves into these arms which, 00:05:51.589 --> 00:05:54.600 by restricting the flow from the pump and causing a build-up in pressure, 00:05:54.600 --> 00:05:58.782 create a series of waterjets to be directed at the items to be cleaned. 00:05:58.782 --> 00:06:01.401 The jets are pointed in all sorts of different directions, 00:06:01.401 --> 00:06:03.745 a definitely deliberate design decision, 00:06:03.745 --> 00:06:06.358 distributing a deluge of detritus decongestant 00:06:06.358 --> 00:06:08.447 directly at dirty dishes. 00:06:08.447 --> 00:06:10.768 Importantly, the spray nozzles are arranged 00:06:10.768 --> 00:06:14.281 so that the reactive force produced by the water exiting the nozzles 00:06:14.281 --> 00:06:18.169 causes the arms to rotate for more complete cleaning coverage. 00:06:18.169 --> 00:06:21.560 Let’s now take a look at the various components of this dishwasher. 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:25.747 The large plastic box which forms the bulk of its structure is called the tub. 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, 00:06:30.993 --> 00:06:33.338 but it is the tub nonetheless. 00:06:33.338 --> 00:06:35.988 A small cavity at its bottom known as the sump houses 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. 00:06:40.688 --> 00:06:43.961 When cleaning, the pump takes in water through these filter screens 00:06:43.961 --> 00:06:47.471 and forces it through a pair of pipes which lead to the sprayer arms. 00:06:47.471 --> 00:06:50.062 One pipe leads directly to the bottom sprayer, 00:06:50.062 --> 00:06:53.443 and in this case there’s a suspended sprayer arm below the top rack 00:06:53.443 --> 00:06:56.759 as well as an adowable wittle one at the very top; 00:06:56.759 --> 00:07:01.573 those two are fed by a pipe traveling up the rear of the tub’s exterior. 00:07:01.573 --> 00:07:05.452 All of the mechanical bits of the dishwasher hang from the bottom of the tub, 00:07:05.452 --> 00:07:08.072 and you might be surprised at how few there are. 00:07:08.072 --> 00:07:10.899 Only four things need to be controlled here. 00:07:10.899 --> 00:07:14.842 First there’s a solenoid valve which allows clean water into the tub. 00:07:14.842 --> 00:07:17.523 Second there are the two electric motors that drive the pumps - 00:07:17.523 --> 00:07:21.678 the large one provides the pressure for cleaning and discharges through the sprayer arms, 00:07:21.678 --> 00:07:24.809 and the smaller one discharges to this hose for draining. 00:07:24.809 --> 00:07:27.052 And finally there is the resistive heating element, 00:07:27.052 --> 00:07:30.199 with its terminals protruding through the tub here. 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:31.560 And that’s it. 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:33.522 Since this is a modern dishwasher 00:07:33.522 --> 00:07:35.180 there is a microprocessor at the helm, 00:07:35.180 --> 00:07:36.978 and it monitors a few sensors. 00:07:36.978 --> 00:07:41.289 This one here is a mechanical float switch which signals that the tub is full. 00:07:41.289 --> 00:07:43.886 However, this is a backup input. 00:07:43.886 --> 00:07:46.852 It doesn’t actually fill the tub anywhere near this full - 00:07:46.852 --> 00:07:50.131 instead, there is a second, hidden sensor here. 00:07:50.131 --> 00:07:53.766 I suspect the float switch is there mainly to guard against overfilling 00:07:53.766 --> 00:07:57.588 in case the main sensor fails or the solenoid valve gets stuck open. 00:07:57.588 --> 00:07:59.190 Or some other thing. 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. 00:08:03.870 --> 00:08:06.594 Oh, and of course there is also a door switch 00:08:06.594 --> 00:08:09.204 so it can tell if the door is open or not. 00:08:09.204 --> 00:08:10.434 Speaking of the door, 00:08:10.434 --> 00:08:12.090 now let’s talk about the door! 00:08:12.090 --> 00:08:14.199 This is where the brains of the operation are, 00:08:14.199 --> 00:08:16.686 including the logic board and user input panel, 00:08:16.686 --> 00:08:20.385 as well two more things the dishwasher has control over. 00:08:20.385 --> 00:08:24.418 Built into the door at the top is a vent that opens when drying, 00:08:24.418 --> 00:08:28.456 and about midway up the door on the inside is the star of the show: 00:08:28.456 --> 00:08:30.538 the detergent dispenser. 00:08:30.538 --> 00:08:32.796 See, because of how dishwashers work, 00:08:32.796 --> 00:08:36.502 it would be best for it to be able to release detergent into the tub 00:08:36.502 --> 00:08:39.335 at a specific point in the cleaning cycle. 00:08:39.335 --> 00:08:43.528 That is after all the entire point of having a detergent dispenser. 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. 00:08:49.133 --> 00:08:50.925 And this is where, in my opinion, 00:08:50.925 --> 00:08:54.874 dishwasher detergent packs are making things worse for all of us. 00:08:55.230 --> 00:08:58.120 Well, those of us with dishwashers, anyway. 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:01.477 To explain what I mean, we need to observe the dishwasher in action 00:09:01.477 --> 00:09:04.730 and uncover its sequence of operations. 00:09:04.730 --> 00:09:07.642 When a cycle is started, after running the drain pump for a while 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, 00:09:11.187 --> 00:09:14.858 the water inlet valve is opened and water is let in. 00:09:14.858 --> 00:09:19.123 Once it’s full, it runs the main pump and starts cleaning in earnest. 00:09:19.123 --> 00:09:21.980 Remember that this water isn’t being heated by the dishwasher, 00:09:21.980 --> 00:09:26.550 so unless you ran your kitchen tap this may be stone cold. 00:09:26.550 --> 00:09:29.259 Because the dishwasher has filled itself with so little water, 00:09:29.259 --> 00:09:32.240 hardly even a gallon (or 4-ish liters) 00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:35.806 it can’t run the bottom and top sprayers at the same time. 00:09:35.806 --> 00:09:38.797 So, it periodically switches which ones are cleaning. 00:09:38.797 --> 00:09:42.891 I believe it accomplishes this simply by reversing the direction of the pump motor, 00:09:42.891 --> 00:09:45.296 as I don’t see any sort of valve anywhere. 00:09:45.296 --> 00:09:49.742 When it’s not cleaning the bottom rack, water is redirected out the rear supply pipe 00:09:49.742 --> 00:09:51.781 and sent into the top sprayers. 00:09:51.781 --> 00:09:56.138 This does have the unfortunate side-effect of making the wash cycle much longer, 00:09:56.138 --> 00:09:59.351 but comes with the benefit of reduced water usage. 00:09:59.351 --> 00:10:01.688 In many dishwashers, including this one, 00:10:01.688 --> 00:10:05.279 the impeller of the main pump acts something like a garbage disposal. 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. 00:10:10.515 --> 00:10:14.808 This isn’t universal, though - some dishwashers, notably models made by Bosch, 00:10:14.808 --> 00:10:20.219 instead use filter screens to trap particles, and these require periodic cleaning. 00:10:20.219 --> 00:10:22.819 Sounds gross, but whatever. 00:10:22.819 --> 00:10:25.637 This dishwasher is of the pulverizing variety, 00:10:25.637 --> 00:10:28.600 and it’s actually got a really clever design feature. 00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:32.356 The bottom sprayer arm shoots jets of water along the bottom of the sump 00:10:32.356 --> 00:10:37.184 to push solids into the main pump intake where they will be shredded into gloop. 00:10:37.184 --> 00:10:38.463 Neat! 00:10:38.463 --> 00:10:41.553 This first fill of water is responsible for… 00:10:41.553 --> 00:10:43.495 well, a lot. 00:10:43.495 --> 00:10:46.913 The dishes are as dirty as they’ll ever be when you first start the dishwasher, 00:10:46.913 --> 00:10:49.988 and there’s a lot of grime to take care of. 00:10:49.988 --> 00:10:52.889 That means this fill of water gets filthy… 00:10:52.889 --> 00:10:53.714 fast. 00:10:53.714 --> 00:10:56.218 So it doesn’t spend much time with this water. 00:10:56.218 --> 00:10:57.937 Only about fifteen minutes. 00:10:57.937 --> 00:10:59.263 It then drains it away. 00:10:59.263 --> 00:11:02.281 And it fully expects this water to be friggin’ nasty. 00:11:02.281 --> 00:11:05.743 The next step in its program is to fill with just a bit of water, 00:11:05.743 --> 00:11:08.149 and run the pump in a few short bursts. 00:11:08.149 --> 00:11:10.435 This dilutes whatever’s left of the nastiness 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) 00:11:14.347 --> 00:11:17.195 and probably helps ensure the pump doesn’t clog. 00:11:17.195 --> 00:11:19.992 It then drains this small quantity of water. 00:11:19.992 --> 00:11:22.446 Now, notice that this entire time 00:11:22.446 --> 00:11:25.786 the detergent dispenser has remained closed. 00:11:25.786 --> 00:11:29.169 Because the first fill is the nastiest and also the shortest, 00:11:29.169 --> 00:11:32.378 it doesn’t make sense to release the detergent right away. 00:11:32.378 --> 00:11:38.100 Again, that is the entire reason the dishwasher has a mechanism to hold and release detergent. 00:11:38.100 --> 00:11:40.177 It has to get the nasty stuff out first, 00:11:40.177 --> 00:11:42.474 and if it had released the detergent, 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. 00:11:47.514 --> 00:11:49.122 That’s no good. 00:11:49.122 --> 00:11:51.076 But wait, you say. 00:11:51.076 --> 00:11:55.831 Isn’t detergent, like, there to help it clean? 00:11:55.831 --> 00:11:58.629 Wouldn’t it be good to have some in the first fill 00:11:58.629 --> 00:12:01.488 to help it get more gunk off faster? 00:12:01.781 --> 00:12:02.838 Why yes! 00:12:03.190 --> 00:12:04.385 It would! 00:12:04.385 --> 00:12:09.655 And this is why many dishwashers, and in fact every single model I’ve encountered personally, 00:12:09.655 --> 00:12:11.633 have not one... 00:12:11.633 --> 00:12:14.918 but TWO places for you to put detergent. 00:12:14.918 --> 00:12:17.233 One of which, the pre-wash compartment, 00:12:17.233 --> 00:12:20.843 is open to the tub to release detergent immediately for the first fill 00:12:20.843 --> 00:12:23.040 (in this case through these little vents) 00:12:23.040 --> 00:12:24.723 and the other, the main wash, 00:12:24.723 --> 00:12:28.169 is sealed until the dishwasher’s program calls for it. 00:12:28.169 --> 00:12:30.992 Are you starting to see why I don’t like detergent packs? 00:12:30.992 --> 00:12:34.992 Quick note, for those of you with dishwashers that don’t have a pre-wash basin, 00:12:34.992 --> 00:12:37.985 hold your commenting fingers because we’ll get to you. 00:12:37.985 --> 00:12:43.804 So, this dishwasher like many, many others out there is designed with the expectation 00:12:43.804 --> 00:12:46.413 that some detergent will be in that first fill, 00:12:46.413 --> 00:12:50.383 and that *more* detergent will be available to it when it wants it. 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, 00:12:55.538 --> 00:12:58.400 it fills up with fresh water, this time completely, 00:12:58.400 --> 00:13:00.293 so it can start cleaning again. 00:13:00.293 --> 00:13:03.829 Shortly after it begins, it opens the detergent dispenser. 00:13:03.829 --> 00:13:07.730 It spends a long time with this water: nearly an hour. 00:13:07.730 --> 00:13:10.001 With most of the real nastiness long gone, 00:13:10.001 --> 00:13:15.470 it can really work to clean the stubborn bits with very soapy and mostly clean water. 00:13:15.470 --> 00:13:19.060 This is also where it turns on the heating element to heat the wash water further, 00:13:19.060 --> 00:13:20.175 if needed. 00:13:20.175 --> 00:13:25.370 Which, since 15 minutes has passed since the last fill, is almost a given. 00:13:25.370 --> 00:13:28.219 Again, we might want to rethink this whole 00:13:28.219 --> 00:13:30.372 “dishwashers are hooked up to hot water” business 00:13:30.372 --> 00:13:33.782 because I think it might be more harmful than helpful. 00:13:33.782 --> 00:13:37.573 Your water heater ends up heating a bit of water that gets cold again 00:13:37.573 --> 00:13:39.841 by the time the dishwasher actually needs it. 00:13:39.841 --> 00:13:41.401 It’s not great. 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. 00:13:47.040 --> 00:13:51.059 To do this using as little water as possible, this dishwasher takes special care 00:13:51.059 --> 00:13:53.620 in the draining of the main wash. 00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:56.749 It adds a bit of water while the drain pump is still running 00:13:56.749 --> 00:13:59.092 to dilute what’s left in the sump. 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. 00:14:04.173 --> 00:14:06.459 This further dilutes what’s left. 00:14:06.459 --> 00:14:09.376 And to be extra extra sure the detergent’s gone, 00:14:09.376 --> 00:14:14.000 it again lets water in at the same time it drains the purge water. 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:17.425 Finally, it fills completely and pumps the rinse water around 00:14:17.425 --> 00:14:20.629 for about a half hour while also heating it. 00:14:20.629 --> 00:14:23.779 If you have a sanitize option, this is when that happens. 00:14:23.779 --> 00:14:27.660 In the US, the rinse water will be heated to at least 150°F 00:14:27.660 --> 00:14:31.337 per the NSF specification on residential dishwashers. 00:14:31.337 --> 00:14:35.569 After the final rinse, it drains this water away and runs the heating element 00:14:35.569 --> 00:14:38.035 to dry the dishes, if desired. 00:14:38.035 --> 00:14:39.829 Let’s step back a moment. 00:14:39.829 --> 00:14:42.180 What do we need detergent for in the first place? 00:14:42.180 --> 00:14:43.779 What does it actually do? 00:14:44.277 --> 00:14:45.738 Well, a number of things. 00:14:45.738 --> 00:14:49.908 Dishwasher detergents are concoctions of various chemical surfactants and enzymes 00:14:49.908 --> 00:14:53.897 with three particularly useful properties for washing dishes automatically: 00:14:53.897 --> 00:14:56.308 it helps break down proteins in food, 00:14:56.308 --> 00:14:59.289 and it acts as an emulsifier and a dispersant. 00:14:59.289 --> 00:15:00.898 They also don’t produce suds, 00:15:00.898 --> 00:15:04.903 an absolute necessity when pumping water around in a machine. 00:15:04.903 --> 00:15:09.299 This is why you can’t use plain dish soap in a dishwasher - otherwise, 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:11.576 this happens. 00:15:11.576 --> 00:15:12.543 Fun. 00:15:12.543 --> 00:15:14.751 Except, not at all. 00:15:14.751 --> 00:15:19.793 Oh, and dishwasher detergent is the main reason some things aren’t dishwasher safe. 00:15:19.793 --> 00:15:24.712 It’s more aggressive than just plain soap, and so can harm certain items or finishes. 00:15:24.712 --> 00:15:27.718 Anyway, you know that oil and water don’t mix, right? 00:15:27.718 --> 00:15:30.016 This presents problems when cleaning dishes 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. 00:15:35.174 --> 00:15:38.682 Emulsifiers can ease the tensions between oil and water. 00:15:38.682 --> 00:15:41.542 Dishwasher detergent, and in fact soap more broadly, 00:15:41.542 --> 00:15:43.459 is an emulsifier. 00:15:43.459 --> 00:15:48.598 It allows oil and water to mix by encapsulating tiny oil droplets in structures called micelles 00:15:48.598 --> 00:15:50.798 which then become suspended in the water. 00:15:50.798 --> 00:15:55.946 The emulsifying action of the detergent thus allows you to clean oily things using water. 00:15:55.946 --> 00:15:57.157 Fun fact! 00:15:57.157 --> 00:15:58.841 Egg yolks are an emulsifier, 00:15:58.841 --> 00:16:02.108 which is why eggs are often called for in recipes for baked goods 00:16:02.108 --> 00:16:05.090 where oil or butter is to be mixed with flour and water. 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. 00:16:10.204 --> 00:16:13.139 Which leads us to the dispersant properties of detergent. 00:16:13.139 --> 00:16:15.411 Dispersants, also known as dispersing agents, 00:16:15.411 --> 00:16:17.540 are used to keep you in suspen - 00:16:17.540 --> 00:16:20.056 I mean keep things in suspension. 00:16:20.056 --> 00:16:23.069 I will now read this amazing sentence from Wikipedia: 00:16:23.069 --> 00:16:28.263 “Dispersants are widely used to stabilize various industrial and artisanal products, 00:16:28.263 --> 00:16:30.590 such as paints, ferrofluids, 00:16:30.590 --> 00:16:32.466 and salad dressings.” 00:16:33.316 --> 00:16:37.037 The main benefit of having a dispersing agent in the dishwasher detergent 00:16:37.037 --> 00:16:40.681 is that it helps keep oil droplets, food particles, what have you 00:16:40.681 --> 00:16:43.325 in suspension so they don’t settle out of the water 00:16:43.325 --> 00:16:45.513 and form a nice buildup of residue. 00:16:45.513 --> 00:16:46.778 ‘Cause that’d be gross. 00:16:46.778 --> 00:16:49.787 Plus, it keeps them from redepositing on the dishes, 00:16:49.787 --> 00:16:51.901 as that would be counterproductive. 00:16:51.901 --> 00:16:54.593 So basically, detergent helps break down food things 00:16:54.593 --> 00:16:57.278 and helps them mix with the water which makes the water more effective 00:16:57.278 --> 00:16:59.972 at getting food things off plates and stuff. 00:16:59.972 --> 00:17:03.144 That’s a really simple way to put it but it’s more or less correct. 00:17:03.189 --> 00:17:04.268 And so I ask you, 00:17:04.268 --> 00:17:08.542 would it not be beneficial to have some detergent from the beginning? 00:17:08.542 --> 00:17:12.990 After all, if the point of the first fill is to remove and pulverize the biggest, 00:17:12.990 --> 00:17:18.479 nastiest, grossest food bits and get them out of the wash water quickly, 00:17:18.479 --> 00:17:21.174 would we not want it to be able to emulsify oils 00:17:21.174 --> 00:17:22.508 and break down proteins, 00:17:22.508 --> 00:17:24.680 remove more food particles as a result, 00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:28.034 and keep those particles in suspension until it can drain them away 00:17:28.034 --> 00:17:31.847 by adding a little bit of detergent to the water from the start? 00:17:31.847 --> 00:17:33.074 Personally? 00:17:33.074 --> 00:17:35.490 Yes. I want that. 00:17:35.490 --> 00:17:40.229 And these little buggers have taken this away from me and you and everyone you love. 00:17:41.050 --> 00:17:42.781 Well, OK, that’s not strictly true, 00:17:42.781 --> 00:17:46.974 but their popularity has caused most consumers to bypass the very helpful 00:17:46.974 --> 00:17:50.096 and in my opinion necessary addition of detergent 00:17:50.096 --> 00:17:52.168 in the first pre-wash fill. 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. 00:17:59.513 --> 00:18:03.920 You really shouldn’t need to pre-rinse the stuff you put in a dishwasher because 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:05.733 that’s what the first fill does! 00:18:05.733 --> 00:18:09.827 Without detergent in it, though, it can’t do nearly as good a job. 00:18:09.827 --> 00:18:14.376 And now that detergent packs are the de facto form of detergent, 00:18:14.376 --> 00:18:17.549 your dishwasher simply doesn’t work as well as it should. 00:18:17.549 --> 00:18:21.522 I mean, look, this box of Cascade powder even says 00:18:21.522 --> 00:18:27.281 “For best results, fill both the pre-wash and the main wash cups completely.” 00:18:27.281 --> 00:18:30.792 How am I supposed to do that with one of these, Cascade‽ 00:18:30.792 --> 00:18:32.909 Let’s do some experiments, shall we? 00:18:32.909 --> 00:18:37.425 I’ve prepared a few pairs of dirty plates soiled with various grossness. 00:18:37.425 --> 00:18:39.856 Here we have baked-on pasta sauce. 00:18:39.856 --> 00:18:42.705 This bowl is filled with remnants of pancake mix. 00:18:42.705 --> 00:18:45.524 We have a plate on which scrambled eggs were eaten. 00:18:45.524 --> 00:18:47.898 And finally, there’s 2 tablespoons of butter 00:18:47.898 --> 00:18:51.808 and about a quarter cup of shredded cheese microwaved to make this mess. 00:18:51.808 --> 00:18:55.820 And, these have been sitting undisturbed for about 3 days. 00:18:55.820 --> 00:18:57.008 Yummy! 00:18:57.360 --> 00:19:00.485 I’ll be running them through a normal cycle on this dishwasher, 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. 00:19:06.348 --> 00:19:10.314 The water entering the dishwasher will be as hot as the tap allows. 00:19:10.314 --> 00:19:13.945 For one run no detergent will be added to the pre-wash basin, 00:19:13.945 --> 00:19:16.248 and for the next run there will be. 00:19:16.248 --> 00:19:20.852 And it’s nothing special, just this Great Value lemon scented gel. 00:19:20.852 --> 00:19:22.515 Let’s see how it goes. 00:19:22.515 --> 00:19:24.109 Here’s the first attempt. 00:19:24.109 --> 00:19:26.610 Remember, there’s no detergent in here at all; 00:19:26.610 --> 00:19:28.746 it’s cleaning with water only. 00:19:28.746 --> 00:19:32.254 It’s doing surprisingly well at getting the pasta sauce off. 00:19:32.254 --> 00:19:36.041 That water’s looking pretty gross… and here it comes. 00:19:36.041 --> 00:19:37.379 Look at that deliciousness. 00:19:37.379 --> 00:19:39.487 Mm-mm good! 00:19:40.161 --> 00:19:43.025 Now, let’s do this again but this time with some detergent. 00:19:43.025 --> 00:19:46.678 It’s been placed in the pre-wash area and you can see it oozing out. 00:19:46.678 --> 00:19:48.941 Actually, it doesn’t need to be here at all, 00:19:48.941 --> 00:19:52.094 in fact I think it would be better just to squirt some into the tub, 00:19:52.094 --> 00:19:54.680 but I’ve done it because it’s prim and proper 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). 00:20:01.544 --> 00:20:05.724 Alright, and washing… washing… done! 00:20:05.724 --> 00:20:10.887 Or, well, no… 15 minutes of a two hour cycle but now let’s compare! 00:20:10.887 --> 00:20:15.187 I’ll admit that I was surprised just how much water alone was able to accomplish, 00:20:15.187 --> 00:20:17.164 particularly with the pasta sauce. 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. 00:20:22.276 --> 00:20:26.863 But the devil is in the details, and there are some important and significant differences. 00:20:26.863 --> 00:20:29.169 While the difference looks slight at first glance, 00:20:29.169 --> 00:20:33.104 more pasta sauce was removed and more completely when there was detergent, 00:20:33.104 --> 00:20:36.698 particularly in the areas it had been burned onto the plate. 00:20:36.698 --> 00:20:41.382 There are many more flecks that stuck behind when there wasn’t detergent in the water. 00:20:41.382 --> 00:20:45.796 Next, notice that a fair bit of butter remained on the buttery cheese plate. 00:20:45.796 --> 00:20:50.154 With detergent in the water, all the butter had been dissolved into the wash water. 00:20:50.154 --> 00:20:53.386 Thanks to the emulsifying action of the detergent, of course. 00:20:53.386 --> 00:20:56.144 There doesn’t seem to be much of a difference when it comes to the cheese, 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. 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, 00:21:07.986 --> 00:21:09.641 which will make it less effective, 00:21:09.641 --> 00:21:14.096 whereas when there was pre-wash detergent it was all gone. 00:21:14.096 --> 00:21:16.498 Last but certainly not least, the eggs. 00:21:16.498 --> 00:21:19.535 Eggs are notoriously difficult for dishwashers to tackle, 00:21:19.535 --> 00:21:22.805 and sure enough it doesn’t look like much has been accomplished here. 00:21:22.805 --> 00:21:24.718 But look closer. 00:21:24.718 --> 00:21:29.967 The run with detergent removed much more of the surface residue than water alone. 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. 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 00:21:40.077 --> 00:21:42.950 of the benefits of pre-wash detergent. 00:21:42.950 --> 00:21:47.487 Remember that these results are after only 15 minutes into the cycle, 00:21:47.487 --> 00:21:50.874 and more detergent (and clean water) would be on the way 00:21:50.874 --> 00:21:52.665 were the cycle to continue. 00:21:52.665 --> 00:21:55.554 The simple addition of detergent to the first fill, 00:21:55.554 --> 00:21:57.206 and honestly not all that much, 00:21:57.206 --> 00:22:02.007 increased the amount of food it removed in just the first few minutes of washing. 00:22:02.007 --> 00:22:04.790 If it can get more out in the first rinse, 00:22:04.790 --> 00:22:07.788 it will obviously do better in the main wash. 00:22:07.788 --> 00:22:10.044 Not only that, but without detergent, 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. 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. 00:22:20.677 --> 00:22:24.512 A little detergent, though, greatly reduced that sludge buildup. 00:22:24.512 --> 00:22:29.187 And, of course, that means the main wash would have less to deal with. 00:22:29.187 --> 00:22:31.742 Again, I know I’m repeating myself here, 00:22:31.742 --> 00:22:36.625 but there are two places to put detergent for a reason! 00:22:36.625 --> 00:22:38.612 I hope through this you can see why. 00:22:38.612 --> 00:22:42.183 No matter how fancy your detergent pack may claim to be, 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. 00:22:46.771 --> 00:22:51.417 Except, of course, for the dishwashers that don’t have a pre-wash basin. 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. 00:22:57.512 --> 00:23:00.545 They no longer include a spot for pre-wash detergent, 00:23:00.545 --> 00:23:04.284 which is particularly odd because they still have a dispenser 00:23:04.284 --> 00:23:07.887 and still hold it shut until the second fill. 00:23:07.887 --> 00:23:11.419 You would imagine that they would want their dishwashers to perform at their peak, 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, 00:23:15.807 --> 00:23:18.970 nevertheless they don’t bother to encourage it anymore. 00:23:18.970 --> 00:23:22.703 I suspect this is a reaction to the proliferation of detergent packs, 00:23:22.703 --> 00:23:25.428 and not because the pre-wash detergent doesn’t help. 00:23:25.428 --> 00:23:28.326 We’ve just seen that it does significantly. 00:23:28.326 --> 00:23:33.994 My guess is that Bosch has optimized their wash programs for only one introduction of detergent, 00:23:33.994 --> 00:23:37.196 and I’d bet thanks to detergent packs. 00:23:37.196 --> 00:23:39.471 However, my new KitchenAid dishwasher, 00:23:39.471 --> 00:23:43.622 with such fancy features as a third rack for flatware, mugs, and glasses 00:23:43.622 --> 00:23:47.953 and a turbidity sensor which can determine how dirty the wash water is, 00:23:47.953 --> 00:23:50.787 still encourages you to add a little extra detergent. 00:23:50.787 --> 00:23:53.801 In this case there’s a divot on the sliding dispenser door, 00:23:53.801 --> 00:23:57.339 and detergent placed here will just fall into the tub. 00:23:57.399 --> 00:24:00.740 But you can’t do that if you buy detergent packs. 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. 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:10.126 And still, some dishwasher manufacturers like LG 00:24:10.126 --> 00:24:12.306 say that if you are to use a detergent pack, 00:24:12.306 --> 00:24:17.293 you should bypass the dispenser altogether and instead place it directly into the tub. 00:24:17.293 --> 00:24:21.085 But that’s horrible advice, particularly since many packs 00:24:21.085 --> 00:24:25.375 are nothing more than plain powder detergent in a dissolvable membrane, 00:24:25.375 --> 00:24:27.988 with maybe a little extra flair. 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. 00:24:32.451 --> 00:24:38.228 Really, dishwasher detergent packs just... don’t make sense to me. 00:24:38.228 --> 00:24:41.320 One of the great benefits of using an automatic dishwasher 00:24:41.320 --> 00:24:45.355 is that it greatly reduces the amount of water needed to wash dishes 00:24:45.355 --> 00:24:47.157 compared to washing by hand. 00:24:47.157 --> 00:24:51.438 This is all the water this model uses in a normal wash cycle, 00:24:51.438 --> 00:24:54.267 which can tackle more than 8 place settings! 00:24:54.267 --> 00:24:57.692 It only takes 4.2 gallons, or about 16 liters, 00:24:57.692 --> 00:25:02.647 precisely because the detergent keeps food particles suspended in the wash water, 00:25:02.647 --> 00:25:06.961 allowing the same water to provide cleaning action for almost an hour. 00:25:06.961 --> 00:25:11.085 Oh, and it only used 1.2 kilowatt hours of energy! 00:25:11.085 --> 00:25:16.623 But you hinder your dishwasher greatly when you only introduce detergent once. 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 00:25:21.637 --> 00:25:25.331 have detergent packs to blame, at least in part. 00:25:25.331 --> 00:25:27.481 Oh, phosphates you say? 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, 00:25:32.900 --> 00:25:38.619 which were introduced to combat the environmental damage caused by phosphates being introduced into the waterways, 00:25:38.619 --> 00:25:42.864 just doesn’t work as well as old fashioned phosphate-full detergent. 00:25:42.864 --> 00:25:45.675 Personally? I don’t buy that. 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. 00:25:52.409 --> 00:25:56.891 Plus, phosphates were added to reduce limescale deposits from hard water, 00:25:56.891 --> 00:25:59.537 not exactly a function of cleaning. 00:25:59.537 --> 00:26:03.547 Using a rinse aid product will help, so if you aren’t doing that, 00:26:03.547 --> 00:26:05.593 well start doing that. 00:26:05.593 --> 00:26:07.279 Here’s an anecdote for you. 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. 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, 00:26:17.292 --> 00:26:21.450 but I know it will be cleaned just fine by my dishwasher. 00:26:21.450 --> 00:26:23.592 It's done it many times before. 00:26:23.592 --> 00:26:26.673 Even if I’ve let it sit for days before I clean it. 00:26:26.673 --> 00:26:30.385 And for the most part I buy cheap, store-brand detergent! 00:26:30.385 --> 00:26:34.402 All I do is put it in both places my dishwasher asks me to 00:26:34.402 --> 00:26:36.331 and it cleans excellently. 00:26:36.331 --> 00:26:38.393 Even this old one did a great job - 00:26:38.393 --> 00:26:41.714 I only replaced it because its control board is starting to get a little loopy, 00:26:41.714 --> 00:26:44.582 and sometimes it crashes and doesn’t finish a cycle. 00:26:44.582 --> 00:26:47.800 It only happened twice during the making of this video! 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 00:26:52.164 --> 00:26:54.075 for cutting a hole into. 00:26:54.075 --> 00:26:59.114 I never pre-rinse my plates, cookware, even stuff like this skillet. 00:26:59.114 --> 00:27:03.123 The first fill, with a bit of detergent, does that for you. 00:27:03.123 --> 00:27:05.107 That’s the point! 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, 00:27:10.103 --> 00:27:14.134 and rarely do I ever find something that wasn’t cleaned perfectly. 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. 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, 00:27:25.417 --> 00:27:28.600 it comes out perfectly clean without any pretreatment. 00:27:28.600 --> 00:27:30.475 And with cheap detergent. 00:27:30.475 --> 00:27:33.413 If you’re constantly underwhelmed by your dishwasher, 00:27:33.413 --> 00:27:36.968 well first you should probably buy a dishwasher cleaning product 00:27:36.968 --> 00:27:39.605 and run that through it according to its instructions, 00:27:39.605 --> 00:27:41.973 also check to see if there are any filters to clean, 00:27:41.973 --> 00:27:46.407 but seriously, go buy some basic powder or gel detergent, 00:27:46.407 --> 00:27:50.924 and put it in the dispenser AND the pre-wash area (wherever that is) 00:27:50.924 --> 00:27:52.328 and see how it goes. 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. 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! 00:28:03.445 --> 00:28:06.800 Everybody wants packs, and I would be OK with that 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. 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. 00:28:18.693 --> 00:28:21.725 And truthfully, I think that adding in a bit of detergent to the tub 00:28:21.725 --> 00:28:25.028 even on models that don’t have a specific pre-wash area 00:28:25.028 --> 00:28:28.917 would provide a dramatic improvement to cleaning performance. 00:28:28.917 --> 00:28:32.522 You might want to give it a try yourself, it really won’t hurt anything. 00:28:32.522 --> 00:28:33.820 Now, here’s a caveat. 00:28:33.820 --> 00:28:38.170 Pretty much every dishwasher has different programs to choose from. 00:28:38.170 --> 00:28:43.539 You may have an express wash option or similar which does indeed open the detergent door 00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.850 right away. 00:28:44.850 --> 00:28:47.234 For these wash programs, if you use them, 00:28:47.234 --> 00:28:51.459 it simply makes the first fill the main wash, and so adding pre-wash detergent 00:28:51.459 --> 00:28:53.139 wouldn’t make a difference there. 00:28:53.139 --> 00:28:56.739 But most “normal” cycles will behave like we’ve seen here - 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. 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. 00:29:07.705 --> 00:29:09.793 I said "get go," not gecko. 00:29:09.793 --> 00:29:11.245 Anyway, you’re right. 00:29:11.450 --> 00:29:14.810 The main point of this video was for me to tell you about the existence 00:29:14.810 --> 00:29:17.231 of the pre-wash detergent basin and show you that, 00:29:17.231 --> 00:29:21.540 if you actually use it, your dishwasher will work a lot better. 00:29:21.540 --> 00:29:24.909 I want you to experience the full potential of your dishwasher. 00:29:24.909 --> 00:29:28.484 So many people seem to think that dishwashers need to be babied, 00:29:28.484 --> 00:29:31.298 that you need to rinse anything remotely dirty off 00:29:31.298 --> 00:29:35.990 before you load it up, and that’s just never been the case for me. 00:29:35.990 --> 00:29:41.139 Either I’m the luckiest person alive, or pre-wash detergent makes a huge difference. 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. 00:29:46.730 --> 00:29:50.940 Thanks for watching, I’d really love for you to give old fashioned detergents a try. 00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:54.669 They’ve never let me down, despite being the value option. 00:29:54.669 --> 00:29:59.600 And truthfully that’s not my motivation, I just don’t get how a detergent pack 00:29:59.600 --> 00:30:01.995 is gonna be a better option because… 00:30:01.995 --> 00:30:04.534 that’s not how dishwashers work! 00:30:04.534 --> 00:30:09.184 And the popularity of, like, those Finish tabs that are individually wrapped? 00:30:09.184 --> 00:30:10.877 Don’t get that at all. 00:30:10.877 --> 00:30:14.971 That’s way more annoying than just squirting some gel into a couple of cups. 00:30:14.971 --> 00:30:18.065 If you like the convenience or accessibility of packs, 00:30:18.065 --> 00:30:20.214 which I can absolutely appreciate, 00:30:20.214 --> 00:30:25.227 my advice would be to try the cheapest ones and use two with each load. 00:30:25.227 --> 00:30:28.361 Put one in the dispenser and throw another one in at the start. 00:30:28.361 --> 00:30:31.990 That is, of course, if your dishwasher behaves like this one. 00:30:31.990 --> 00:30:35.586 Which, on a normal cycle, it probably does. 00:30:35.586 --> 00:30:38.727 Now, you can usually hear the detergent dispenser open, 00:30:38.727 --> 00:30:41.681 and if it does a fill and drain before that happens, 00:30:41.681 --> 00:30:46.542 I really think you’ll have better results with basic detergent but twice. 00:30:46.542 --> 00:30:48.424 It’s worth a try, anyway, and please - 00:30:48.424 --> 00:30:51.437 feel free to come back here and tell me if I was wrong. 00:30:51.437 --> 00:30:54.448 My experience may simply be outliery. 00:30:54.448 --> 00:30:59.097 And also, I would very much recommend against doing this to your dishwasher. 00:30:59.097 --> 00:31:05.264 Despite using gobs of silicone and letting it cure for three days, the seal failed. 00:31:05.264 --> 00:31:06.634 Yeah, that was fun. 00:31:06.634 --> 00:31:10.937 Nothing quite like fighting a water leak near live electrical connections. 00:31:10.937 --> 00:31:15.993 My second attempt worked, but only because I sealed both the inside and outside. 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. 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. 00:31:26.417 --> 00:31:27.948 Whodathunk. 00:31:29.090 --> 00:31:31.561 ♫ phosphate-free smooth jazz ♫ 00:31:32.470 --> 00:31:34.102 Though, so-called portable models, 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". 00:31:39.440 --> 00:31:40.373 No! 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… 00:31:45.152 --> 00:31:46.036 mmm! 00:31:46.036 --> 00:31:49.319 It, well I think they all do, you may ha 00:31:49.319 --> 00:31:50.600 [extremely weird noises] 00:31:50.600 --> 00:31:52.539 Sounds gross! But whatever. 00:31:52.539 --> 00:31:55.238 This dishwasher is of the pulverizing variety, 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! 00:32:00.429 --> 00:32:04.821 Exactly how this one does, and really that shouldn’t be all to surpri - 00:32:04.821 --> 00:32:06.422 [just crashes like a computer or something] 00:32:07.565 --> 00:32:11.725 ...acts like a garbage disposo. It shreds… disposal. 00:32:13.044 --> 00:32:15.565 I… Disposo the Clown’s coming back! 00:32:15.565 --> 00:32:17.837 Remember him? 00:32:19.332 --> 00:32:22.942 I imagine the comments are going to be filled with everyone's dishwasher takes. 00:32:22.942 --> 00:32:26.825 And I mean, that's fair, that's basically what this entire video is. 00:32:26.825 --> 00:32:30.346 One giant dishwasher hot take. 00:32:30.346 --> 00:32:34.085 Yes I am grumpy and insufferable, why do you ask?