For the Dishwashers's Sake, Go easy on the Detergent

The No. 1 sin, according to repair people and appliance experts, seems to be adding too much soap to dishwashers.

"Nobody thinks they use too much soap," said Vernon Schmidt, who has been a repairman for almost 35 years.

Dishwashers are made to use far less water now than older models and, therefore, need less soap.And detergents have also become increasingly concentrated. So a little goes a long way.

Following the instructions on the soap container is a good first step. Even little less than what is recommended should be adequate. You do not have to fill up the entire soap container in the dishwasher.

And don't waste too much water on prerinshing. Just scraping the baked on food and large chunks is adequate.

Source: Alina Tugend, New York Times.