The debate has been ongoing for quite some time: should you rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher?
Some argue that rinsing helps the dishes get cleaner, while others claim that the dishwasher performs better with some food residue left on the dishes.
However, a Norwegian study has finally provided an answer to this question, as reported by TV2 Norge. The study involved preparing identical meals on identical dishes: onion soup as a starter, lasagna as the main course, and crème brûlée for dessert.
After the meal, the dishes were placed in two identical dishwashers running on a standard program for two hours, using the same detergent and arranged in the same manner.
After the cycle, an ATP meter was used to measure the number of remaining microorganisms.
A score below 500 is considered acceptable. The dishwasher where dishes were rinsed beforehand showed a fork with a score of 38, a glass with 9, and a crème brûlée dish with 38—all well within acceptable limits.
On the other hand, the dishwasher where dishes were not rinsed showed a lasagna dish with a score of 3026, a fork with 2338, a crème brûlée dish with 2336, and a glass with a staggering 10290. These scores are far above the acceptable limit.
So, the evidence is clear: rinsing your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher does indeed make a difference.
