It’s all about Safety First
The dishwasher door is open, the lower tray is out, and the knives are pointing upwards is a recipe that can lead to disaster. Being in the dishwasher repair industry for over 30 years, we have seen it all, and falling on dishwasher doors happens more than you think. Instead of a phone call to the ambulance, you should be making a phone call to your home insurance company — yes, some insurance companies in Australia cover this type of mishap – that’s usually where we come in.
Another common issue we see is young children that manage to open the dishwasher door and pull the bottom try out – everything on wheels at that age is fun. Falling on knives is never a something we want to risk. Although some manufactures have put stoppers in their trays, not all do, so if you are concerned, try pulling your tray out all the way and see if it stops.
Save yourself from the blood and gore – put the knife blades downwards!
Makes stacking the cutlery basket easier
Loading and uploading knives in a cutlery basket is much easier when you are holding the handles.
Although an extension of the safety aspect, it’s quicker and easier to load and unload using the handles.
Pointing Downward Adds More Shine
Giving the water every opportunity to run off your knives will prevent those water spots drying on your blade. For the best results for a shiny finish make sure to use a rinse aid and as you remove your knifes “holding the handle” you can run a tea towel over the blade if you want perfection!
Prevent the spread of the nasty bugs and germs on your fingers
Most households will empty the dishwasher when they notice it is full. So let’s assume you are working in the kitchen and think it’s time to unload the dishwasher. What are you doing at the time wiping a dirty bench, eating a sandwich, cooking or handling raw food? Guilty of not washing or sanitising your hands before unloading the items?
In the world we live in, we are always washing and disinfecting our hands! Just because we are taking clean items out of a dishwasher doesn’t mean the clean items in the dishwasher will automatically sanitise our hands. Taking knives out by holding the blade is just another way to pass on those nasty micro bugs.
Dishwasher Manufacturer Recommendations
Almost all manufactures will have some literature indicating knives down. We don’t always follow manufacture’s recommendations, but at Perth Dishwashers we think this is one you should.
BIG TIP FOR THE DAY!
Mix up your knives with other utensils when stacking in the cutlery basket – this allows the spaces around the blade for the water to get around and wash them for you.
If you need further help, you can contact us, Perth Dishwashers, on 0894562166 or email us at info@perthdishwashers.com.au
Also, you can check out our other helpful articles for Dishwashers: