You’re Not Bad at Dishes. You’re Just Using Your Dishwasher Wrong.

I’ve been noticing a pattern:

People complain their dishwasher “doesn’t clean.”

But then I see them throw a pod in, close the door, and walk away.

That’s not how this machine was designed to work.

Let me show you.

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1️⃣ You’re Using It Wrong

If you toss a pod into the bottom of the dishwasher:

• It dissolves immediately.
• All the detergent gets used during the pre-wash.
• The dishwasher drains that dirty water.
• The main wash runs with little to no detergent.

And then you wonder why nothing is clean.

The pre-wash gets filthy fast. It’s attacking dried sauce, grease, starch, proteins. That water is meant to be drained.

If your detergent is already gone by then, your “main wash” is just hot water.

Pods encourage this mistake.

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2️⃣ Why Pods Are the Problem

Pods are convenient. They are not optimal.

They:

• Dump detergent all at once
• Don’t support a true two-stage wash
• Remove your ability to control dosage
• Cost more per load

Your dishwasher was engineered with separate compartments for a reason.

Let’s look at mine.

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3️⃣ Here’s How to Actually Do It (Using My Dishwasher)

Your layout might look slightly different — but the principles are the same.

Step A: Identify the Compartments

On mine:

• Left side = Detergent compartment
• Right side (round cap) = Rinse Aid

They are not interchangeable.

Step B: Open the Detergent Compartment

Press the latch and open the rectangular door labeled “DETERGENT.”

Step C: Use Powder — and Use Both Sections

Inside you’ll see:

• A main wash compartment (with fill line)
• Often a smaller open area for pre-wash

Here’s the correct method:

• Add a small amount of powder (about 1 tablespoon) to the pre-wash section, or sprinkle some inside the tub.
• Fill the main compartment to the proper line.
• Close the lid so it clicks shut.

Adjust the amounts of powder in each compartment as needed.

Now your dishwasher has detergent for the dirty pre-wash, and fresh detergent released for the main wash.

Two cleaning stages. The way it was engineered.

Step D: Open and Fill the Rinse Aid

Twist the round cap labeled “RINSE AID IMPROVES DRYING.”

Inside you’ll see a dial (usually 1–3 or 1–Max).

This controls how much rinse aid is dispensed:

• Hard water? Increase it.
• Too much residue? Lower it.

Step E: Fill Until the Indicator Says “Full”

Pour slowly.

There’s a small vertical window next to it labeled “Full” and “Add.”

When it shows full, stop. Wipe up spills. Lock the cap.

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Why This Works

Now your dishwasher:

• Has detergent during pre-wash
• Drains dirty water
• Gets fresh detergent for the main wash
• Uses rinse aid to improve drying and prevent spots

That’s how it was designed.

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The Truth

Most “bad” dishwashers:

• Are missing rinse aid
• Have pods tossed in incorrectly
• Don’t use pre-wash detergent
• Are overdosed or underdosed

The machine isn’t the problem. The method is.