SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/kid-scrape-dont-rinse

Before loading a modern dishwasher, what should you do with food scraps?

Scrape off food instead of rinsing every dish under the tap.

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  1. Scrape them off ✔
  2. Leave large scraps
  3. Rinse for ten minutes

Why: Scraping keeps food pieces out without wasting rinse water. Today's dishwashers and detergents are designed to do the washing.

Huh, didn't know that: The dishwasher's rinse feature uses less water than hand-rinsing dishes one by one.

The dad joke
Why did the colander take a day off? It was feeling strained.
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References

Answer: Scrape them off. Scraping keeps food pieces out without wasting rinse water. Today's dishwashers and detergents are designed to do the washing.

  1. Dishwashers www.energystar.gov/products/dishwashers
    Save yourself the rinsing - just scrape food off dishes.
    Checked 2026-10-11.

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Test yourself in the game

Home & YardThe dishwasher is half empty. When should it usually run?Home & YardWhile brushing your teeth, what should you do with the tap?Home & YardYou hear a toilet running long after flushing. What should you do?

That's stuff everyone should know.