Automatic Dishwasher question

[Ginevra]

Jumping off from a comment in the Martha Stewart housekeeping poll:

 

How many cycles of dishwashing do you run a day? Do you pack it until it's full, then run it, or do you run it as specific intervalls, full or not?

 

Family size and eating habits will obviously play a roll in the answer, so give that.

 

In our family of five, we almost always run it once a day - after dinner. Empty in the morning and keep to that schedule.

[ChristusG]

I usually run it once a day....it's usually full.

[Mrs Mungo]

I cook breakfast and lunch. So, we usually run it after lunch and after dinner. It is usually full both times.

[elegantlion]

Depending on our meals, we run it once every two to three days. I hand wash all of our pots and pans.

[Belacqua]

Once a day. There are only three of us, but we drink a lot of tea in enormous cups, so it does fill up.

 

We usually set the timer so it runs at night. Emptying the dishwasher is my very least-favorite chore, so the duty was passed onto the kid as soon as he was old enough not to break things.

[Ellie]

When we were all home (family of 4), I'm guessing I ran it once a day. However, I put dishes in it all day long and ran it when it was full, regardless of the time of day, and emptied it when it finished running, regardless of the time of day. I loved being able to do that, as it kept my kitchen clean all day long. :)

[LaxMom]

Jumping off from a comment in the Martha Stewart housekeeping poll:

 

How many cycles of dishwashing do you run a day? Do you pack it until it's full, then run it, or do you run it as specific intervalls, full or not?

 

Family size and eating habits will obviously play a roll in the answer, so give that.

 

In our family of five, we almost always run it once a day - after dinner. Empty in the morning and keep to that schedule.

 

That's the usual for us, too. If I'm baking or doing a lot of cooking, it might be twice.

[TechWife]

How many cycles of dishwashing do you run a day?

Usually one. If we have cooked more than 2 meals that day, twice. Breakfast usually isn't cooked so it doesn't generate as many dishes.

 

Do you pack it until it's full, then run it, or do you run it as specific intervalls, full or not?

We pack it until it is full. We will run it, however, if we have run out of glasses or bowls or something that we use at multiple meals. If it starts to smell when I open it, then I will run it, full or not. That usually happens when we have had fish.

 

In our family of five, we almost always run it once a day - after dinner. Empty in the morning and keep to that schedule.

I set ours to run during the night (it has a timer) and empty it in the morning and fill it during the day. It helps keep the kitchen manageable during the day.

[SKL]

We usually run it only about once a week. That's why we have to rinse the dishes first, or it will stink in there.

 

We do have five people living here - 6 on Sundays. But for myself and my two daughters, I just wash the dishes by hand as I go. It's easier than trying to strategize how to make sure stuff is there when I need it, and also, half of their dishes aren't dishwasher safe anyway.

 

When I lived with my parents and siblings (family of 8), the dishwasher got run once a day - when it worked, ha ha.

[Truscifi]

I run it when it is full. Sometimes that is twice during the day, sometimes once, and sometimes it takes a couple days to fill it. It depends on what I'm cooking that day. But I'm big on one pot meals. And if dh is at work during dinner, I rinse my plate when I'm done and use the same plate to put food aside for him. I hate washing dishes. :tongue_smilie:

[Amy in NH]

 

In our family of five, we almost always run it once a day - after dinner. Empty in the morning and keep to that schedule.

 

In our family of six, we do the same thing. If it doesn't get run after dinner, the whole cycle gets messed up - sometimes for days.

[nukeswife]

We're a family of 5, but many times like now until next summer it's just me and the 3 kids. I run it once a day just before I head up to bed, it's usually full by then, if it's barely got anything in it (because we used paper plates for take out or ate out) then I'll wait until the following night. The kids empty it in the morning and put in any cups etc they took up with them the night before.

[kalanamak]

I run it when it is full. Sometimes that is twice during the day, sometimes once, and sometimes it takes a couple days to fill it. It depends on what I'm cooking that day. But I'm big on one pot meals. And if dh is at work during dinner, I rinse my plate when I'm done and use the same plate to put food aside for him. I hate washing dishes. :tongue_smilie:

 

:iagree: It it is nearly full at bedtime, I'll run it then, pop it open in the morning to finish drying, and hubby usually empties it while I'm at work. It has taken me YEARS to train him, but 95% of the stuff ends up where it is supposed to. Prior to meeting me, I don't know that he'd ever emptied a dishwasher. He still has a hard time getting it set and started.

[kewb]

I run it when it is full. Which is usually every 2 -3 days. I hand wash the pots, pans, and good knives. I also set it to run in the middle of the night when everyone is sleeping and electricity rates are lower and then the kids unload it in the morning.

[nmoira]

We run it five or six times a week, and only when completely full. There are four in our family.

[Laura Corin]

I pack it full and run it once or twice a day.

 

Laura

[annandatje]

Jumping off from a comment in the Martha Stewart housekeeping poll:

 

How many cycles of dishwashing do you run a day? Do you pack it until it's full, then run it, or do you run it as specific intervalls, full or not?

 

Family size and eating habits will obviously play a roll in the answer, so give that.

 

In our family of five, we almost always run it once a day - after dinner. Empty in the morning and keep to that schedule.

 

Excluding holidays, usually we run only one cycle. Household members are expected to hand wash the bigger items like pots and pans and mixing bowls. Currently we have a household of six during week and eight or more on weekends.

[redsquirrel]

There are four in my family

I fill it up and run it once a day. Sometimes I can skip a day, like if we go out for dinner. Sometimes I run it twice, like if we are having company over for dinner.

 

I also cook breakfast and dinner, but I wash the pots after those meals. I need the pots clean for dinner. After dinner the pots go in the dishwasher.

 

DH usually runs it just before we go to bed. The children empty it in the morning. Everyone is responsible for putting dishes in all day.

[Belacqua]

Now I'm curious...do home dishwashers come in sizes? Or do we all have more or less the same sized machines? I guess I always think of them as being pretty uniform, unlike refrigerators (I think mine could fit inside my neighbor's behemoth fridge).

[stansclan89]

We are a family of 7 currently and cook almost everything from scratch.

 

We pack the dishwasher until it is full and run it whenever it's ready. We have at least 2 loads a day and 3 if I've been baking.

[QueenCat]

Usually, once a day... when it's full.

[gardenmom5]

at least once a day, sometimes more. I hand wash pots and pans, and ALWAYS handwash kitchen knives. (the dishwasher pits the blade.) it gets run when it is full. dh gets annoyed if I do rinse cycles between washes (mostly because he thinks it's clean.) however, sometimes it NEEDS a rinse cycle and can't wait.

 

After a big dinner, it can have many cycles in 24 hours.

[cjzimmer1]

We are a family of 7 currently and cook almost everything from scratch.

 

We pack the dishwasher until it is full and run it whenever it's ready. We have at least 2 loads a day and 3 if I've been baking.

 

:iagree:Everything here applies to me. The only time I've ever run a not full dishwasher is when we are leaving for vacation and I want to make sure I don't leave dirty dishes around while we are gone. Otherwise, if it's not full now all I have to do is wait 10-15 minutes and there is a high probability it will be full then.

[Storm Bay]

I run 2-3 full loads per day. I do put some of my pots & pans in there; I have enough to do without handwashing everythingm. I do usually do some soaking & precleaning on some of the pots & pans, though. Once in a while I do run it when it's not full for some important reason, but that's very seldom.

[LaxMom]

Now I'm curious...do home dishwashers come in sizes? Or do we all have more or less the same sized machines? I guess I always think of them as being pretty uniform, unlike refrigerators (I think mine could fit inside my neighbor's behemoth fridge).

 

In the US, they come in sizes from 18-24", I think. I assume they tend toward the smaller end of the spectrum in the UK and Europe, as with most appliances.

 

Ours is a large, formerly portable, model (we bought it before we had a place to put it, then installed it under the counter when we remodeled the kitchen). We generally hand wash pots and pans, and knives. We've switched out anodized aluminum for stainless, though, so the pots and pans will now go in after supper if there's room.

[Ginevra]

:iagree:Everything here applies to me. The only time I've ever run a not full dishwasher is when we are leaving for vacation and I want to make sure I don't leave dirty dishes around while we are gone. Otherwise, if it's not full now all I have to do is wait 10-15 minutes and there is a high probability it will be full then.

 

 

:lol:

 

I remember once seeing the Duggars have a dishwasher that restaurants use; it does a load of dishes in 3 minutes or something like that. :svengo:

[kitten18]

There are 4 of us, the kids and I eat all meals at home and DH is home for dinner every night.

 

I would say I run the dishwasher 6x/week. I don't over-stuff it because when I do, I dread unloading it.

[Chris in VA]

Usually once a day--5 or 4 of us. Sometimes I run it before AND after dinner...I put pots and pans in it, too.

[SweetMissMagnolia]

I try to run it only full but dh has a habit of loading whatever is dirty and running even if it's not a full load..........

[8circles]

I cook breakfast and lunch. So, we usually run it after lunch and after dinner. It is usually full both times.

 

Same here.

[Veritaserum]

We have seven people and typically run it twice per day (once after lunch to do breakfast and lunch) and once after dinner. We run it full.

[gardenmom5]

Now I'm curious...do home dishwashers come in sizes? Or do we all have more or less the same sized machines? I guess I always think of them as being pretty uniform, unlike refrigerators (I think mine could fit inside my neighbor's behemoth fridge).

 

standard dishwasher alloted width is 24". I have seen smaller ones, but they are special order. Usually as a secondary dishwasher in an entertainment bar in another room, or a studio apartment where space is at a premium.

[Laurie4b]

Jumping off from a comment in the Martha Stewart housekeeping poll:

 

How many cycles of dishwashing do you run a day? Do you pack it until it's full, then run it, or do you run it as specific intervalls, full or not?

 

Family size and eating habits will obviously play a roll in the answer, so give that.

 

In our family of five, we almost always run it once a day - after dinner. Empty in the morning and keep to that schedule.

 

Family of 6--we do the same thing. It's full by the time dinner is done and it gets unloaded in the morning.

[Mom-ninja.]

I don't run my dishwasher at all. It's broken and used only as a drying rack. I've been hand washing dishes since it broke three years ago.

 

Dh has dish washing duty on the weekends, and my oldest ds does dishes once on weekends. I do all the dishes during the week.

 

I really need to get the older two boys washing their dishes from breakfast and lunch so I don't have to so many to do all day. It's never ending really, hand washing all day.

[Ellie]

Now I'm curious...do home dishwashers come in sizes? Or do we all have more or less the same sized machines? I guess I always think of them as being pretty uniform, unlike refrigerators (I think mine could fit inside my neighbor's behemoth fridge).

The exteriors are pretty much the same, I'm sure, but the interiors can change depending on how thick the insulation is. My mid-range Whirlpool has more space inside than the Bosch I looked at the other day; I can only assume it was the insulation that made the difference.

[RoughCollie]

I run my dw once a day, and it is full. I wash all utensils, plastics (except for Tupperware tumblers), pots, pans, baking pans and bowls, by hand, because I prefer it that way.

[Serenade]

We're a family of 4, and we use our dishwasher 2 or 3 times a week. I do wash bits and pieces by hand, too, because I HATE emptying the dishwasher. I'd rather do a few bits and pieces here and there, that allow me to go longer between loads. It is pretty full when we finally run it. Everybody gets one glass for the day, and that helps, too. They are usually just rinsed between uses, and then go into the dishwasher in the evening.

[ElizabethB]

Before my food allergies, once a day.

 

Now that I have to cook separate meals for myself, we generally have 2 loads a day. My kids usually empty it, though, that helps!!

[sewingmama]

Depends if my DH is here or not :glare:

 

If DH is away then I run it once a day or every other day.

 

If DH is here then usually 2X a day. DH eats out of oversized bowls and glasses because apparently regular sized ones don't hold big enough portions. He eats his meals out of mixing bowls and salad bowls - so 2 or 3 of those in the dishwasher take up a lot of space -so do all his ginormous cups and mugs or should I say jugs :glare: He also eats many more times a day then any of us do - so he uses double the amount of dishes.

[KungFuPanda]

I run it once or twice a day for a family of four. I'm a particularly messy cook and I do a lot of cooking from scratch. I do set it to run in the middle of the night because it is one of those new models that takes 3 years to cycle. It does have a deep tub, so I can get a LOT in there. Also, my silverware rack can mount on the door if I need that space. I put EVERYTHING in there. The only thing I hand wash is stemware and the rolling pin. If my dishwasher hat that thing that flips down to hold the stems of wine glasses, I wouldn't even hand wash those.