Having a dishwasher is a wonderful luxury, especially if it's one of the best dishwashers on the market. I know because I spent a few years with young kids living without one - and then it changed my life. But I didn’t realize that I could be wowed again, until I was scrolling on TikTok and came across this hack.
Not being elbow-deep in dirty dishes on a daily basis is lovely, but then loading and unloading the dishwasher starts to become a new chore to dread. Especially if you’ve got little ones who like to try and start pulling out cutlery and plates onto the floor. Or maybe you’re just tired of leaning over and hurting your back with the constant grab, reach, and repeat.
It can become a bit of a daily struggle, but this TikTok hack made my life so much easier - so easy in fact, that it felt rude not to share. Learning how to load a dishwasher the right way is often a hot debate in homes, but you certainly won't argue about this one. Here’s how it works:
@purewow ♬ I'm a Fool (for U) - Rebecca Mardal
With over half a million followers, @purewow shows how you can unload the dishwasher with the words: "When I remember I have free will" on the screen. The user then lifts the dishwasher rack that she's emptying from the dishwasher and places it onto the kitchen counter instead, at a much more convenient height. It's such a simple idea, but one that's literally never crossed my mind.
In the comments, one user even shared an extra hack: “put the silverware thing in the sink so you can fill it up as you use utensils.” I’m clearly not the only one guilty of dumping the cutlery in the sink until an overwhelming pile up needs loading.
Pros and cons of using this TikTok hack
While this hack feels like something we all should’ve been doing already, there are some pros and cons that are worth diving into. When it comes to pros, you’re saving time, energy, and your back, by lifting the dishwasher rack up, rather than individual items. You can also move it around the kitchen, dropping off clean pieces of cutlery and cookware as you go. For this, it feels pretty genius.
When it comes to cons though, you have to be extra careful that you’re not going to scratch or damage your worktops. Dishwasher racks usually come with wheels and while they’re also super clean, you don’t know if there’s anything that can scrape your surfaces when placed down. Plus, there’s always at least one piece of tupperware or wrongly laid pot that ends up dumping a load of water back into your dishwasher when you empty it. If the dishwasher rack is on the side, you might pour water all over the sides. One handy tip would be to place a dishcloth or towel underneath the rack - protecting it from scratches and spillages.
