Which way do you put silverware in the dishwasher?

[Ragnrok23]

I selected "other" because with most silverware (forks, spoons, butter knives, etc) I put them in handle down, because I think they get cleaner that way. But, with sharp knives, I put them in blade down, handle up, because I'd rather not take a chance with someone getting stabbed.

This is also what I do and never realized it till I just read this thread

 

[nowellsl]

I heard this story too. I always do handle up for this reason. Even an adult could trip and fall over an open dishwasher. Scares me to death.

Thanks for posting this. Someone may read it and it may help another not to be injured in this way.

I saw this episode on Emergency 911 where the child fell on the open dishwasher! It was awful! I always put my knifes blade down - the rest go up.

 

[diznygirl]

Blades down - it's just safer, and safer comes before cleaner. Tho with my dishwasher I've never noticed them not getting clean.

 

[Poohgirl]

OK I may be strange but I put other...blades down, so you dont get cut obviously. More important when children help you unload the dishwasher. And I put handles down, so the tops of the forks and spoons get cleaned really well and dry non spotted (without the drops of water running down the handle)...see strange...

 

[cats7494]

I have always put all silverware in handles up, blades down. The silverware always gets very clean with our dishwasher and it is safer, IMO.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I do handles up on the knives, but I mix up the spoons, because on don't want them "spooning" and then they don't get clean.

 

[mickman1962]

According to the NYS Department of Health all handles go down. Also if you have a sharp knife it shouldn't even be in the silverware tray, it is the quickest way to ruin the sharp edge.

 

[AnaheimGirl]

I'm another knife blades down and fork/spoon "blades" up person. That's the only way they'll fit into the little slots in my dishwasher. Sharp knives get handwashed, though.

I also heard a story a year or two ago about a child falling onto the open dishwasher and getting cut by the knives. It could have easily happened to us as kids. My mom used to leave it open all the time and we'd always bang our shins on it. Even if knives are put in blade down, a blade up fork could do some damage, or even a spoon if it caught you in the wrong spot.

So I always keep the dishwasher closed if I'm not actually putting something in or emptying it right at that moment. Then, when I unload it, the first thing I do is take out the silverware basket, and bring it over to the silverware drawer to empty it.

 

[Bashful2]

I always do blades up. That's the way my mom taught me years ago. I do put the sharp knives in separate compartments though. Also, I keep the door closed unless I'm loading or unloading. When DD was little, I never let her near the dishwasher if it was open.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Blades up.

 

[disykat]

Blades down. I rinse the silverware pretty well anyway and make sure to mix each section so the spoons can't spoon. I don't think getting clean is an issue. I worry more about staying clean. I don't want to touch the eating surfaces as I remove them from the dishwasher.

 

[ZachnElli]

I put all knives handle up and everything else handle down. I put the knives in different compartments so as not to get cut.

This is what I do too. Except for peanut butter covered butter knives, they go in blade up, they really don't get clean blade down!

 

[N.Bailey]

If it has a point to it, I always put the knife in with the blade up. If it's a rounded tipped knife, I do the opposite (many of our steak knives are rounded). I do this so that I never have any silverware, including knives combining (like a spoon effect) so they get cleaner. I do the same with all the silver. In one compartment, the spoon will go down and if I have enough spoons to fill all the compartments, I then put the next in that compartment the opposite way. The same goes for every other type of silver too.

 

[Chicago526]

I put other. For sharp knives, I put the blade down. For all other utensils, including forks and butter knives, it's handle down (pointy end up). If I stab myself on a fork or butter knife, it won't do nearly the damage of a steak knife. So I get 90% of my silverware "cleaner" but still protect my poor little hands from the really dangerous stuff!

 

[N.Bailey]

BTW, I am the ONLY one in my entire family who will put a dish in, or take a dish out of our dishwasher, so I have no fears of anyone BUT me getting hurt.

 

[MerryPoppins]

All silverware goes handle down. Spoons and things are less likely to "nest" and seem cleaner. Sharp knives go handles up or in a basket on their sides.

So I guess I'm half and half. My mom did handles up on everything, BTW.

 

[rt2dz]

As an ex-restraurant manager, I'll tell you the way the health department wants it done--and the way I do it at home.

Handles up on spoons. Handles down on forks and knives. And try to mix up the spoons, forks, and knives. If you put the same thing in all the same little compartments they run the risk of "mating" together and not getting as clean.