Have you ever wondered what happens inside your dishwasher when you close the door? Unlike most washing machines, where you can see the water level rise, suds forming and being rinsed off again, it’s a bit of a mystery. You could compare it with the question of the light inside the fridge (spoiler alert: it goes off when you close the door), but the answer is a bit more complex. Thanks to Youtube users armed with waterproof action cams, we no longer wonder what goes on inside a dishwasher. Their videos capture each step of the wash cycle.
There are so many “inside a dishwasher” videos on Youtube, chances are, you'll find one showing exactly what goes on inside the very model that you own. The success of these videos proves that it's a process a lot of people are curious about. One of the most popular videos in this genre has more than 9 million views! Caution: Youtube comments indicate that watching these videos is strangely soothing, yet also a little addictive.
Other than the curiosity factor, why would so many people watch a video showing what happens inside a dishwasher? We like to think that people are educating themselves. After all, if you see what happens inside the dishwasher, you understand how it works, which in turn makes it easier to load a dishwasher correctly and to fix common dishwasher issues. But first, let's go through the steps documented by these videos and explain what we are looking at.
- The base of the dishwasher fills up with water. Note how little water is needed. The water that runs into the dishwasher may already be hot or it will be heated inside.
- Water is pumped into the spray arms. They begin to revolve rapidly, spraying the entire dishwasher and all its contents.
- The detergent dispenser opens and the tab, powder or gel within is released into the machine.
- Depending on the position of the camera, you can see the detergent slowly dissolving in the warm water. It doesn't form a lot of suds, which is good (as anyone who ever ruined their dishwasher by adding regular dish soap will confirm).
- The dirty water is drained and clean water is pumped in to rinse.
- Finally, the drying stage is … well, a bit like watching water drying, so let's leave it at that.
1. First and foremost, dishwasher videos help debunk some real myths and ruin a few silly fantasies about what happens inside a dishwasher. One of the most common misunderstandings about dishwashers is that they fill up with water the way a washing machine does. Dishes are not immersed in water, nor are they scrubbed by dishwasher fairies armed with tiny brushes and sponges (unless, of course, the fairies go into hiding as soon as they spot the camera? Perhaps we'll never know ;)).
2. Once you've seen the spray arms revolving, powered solely by the force of the water, you'll know how important it is to keep nozzles free from debris and limescale. Use salt and clean your dishwasher regularly to maintain their function.
3. An “inside the dishwasher” video for your exact model can help you load your dishwasher more efficiently.
4. Seeing how little water the dishwasher uses will convince even the most sceptical hand-washer that this is the most economical and eco friendly way to clean your dishes.