Few topics are as polarising among housemates and clean freaks as the best way to load a dishwasher. Everyone has their own system, which they believe to be infallible. But in reality, its probably wrong at least a little bit.

We got the lowdown from experts on how to properly load a dishwasher so that everything comes out sparkling clean and undamaged. Read on to find out how to improve your dish stacking skills.

How To Load A Dishwasher The Right Way

Top rack: Glasses, mugs and small bowls should go on the top, upside down. If the bottoms of certain cups or dishes are slightly concave, it helps to lean them at an angle to avoid collecting dirty water.

All plastic items should go on the top rack, too, because the heat comes from the bottom and can warp plastics, said Heloise Blaure, a chef, blogger at Home Kitchen Land and self-proclaimed dishwasher stickler.

Be sure that any small pieces are secured and wont fall through the gaps, potentially blocking the washer arm or landing on the heating element.

Spatulas, ladles, and other large utensils should lie flat on the top level with your coffee mugs and saucers, Blaure said. If you stick them upright with silverware, theyll block the water spray and prevent other things from being cleaned properly.

Bottom rack: Plates, large bowls, pots and pans should go on the bottom. Put the biggest pieces to the sides so they dont block the sprayer.

Utensil holder: Load utensils handle-first so that spoons and the prongs of your forks are facing up. One exception to this rule is knives, which should be placed point-down so that you dont cut yourself when you unload them.

Watch Out For These Common Mistakes

Figuring out where to put dishes is fairly intuitive, but there are many nuances to loading a dishwasher so that everything comes out as clean as possible. Below are some common mistakes to avoid.

Overloading. Good on you for trying to save water, but know that overcrowding the dishwasher means youll end up having to rewash many pieces. According to Whirlpool , crowding dishes and stacking them on top of each other causes nesting and prevents dishes from being cleaned evenly.

Placing large, flat items near the door. Whirlpool also noted that flat pans or platters should be placed in racks away from the door, as placing them near the door can block detergent from reaching other dishes.

Laying large pots and pans face down. Big items should be loaded on their sides, not face down. This is especially important for older dishwashers that do not have an upper spray arm, because whatever pot or pan is blocking the bottom spray arm will act as a shield, preventing water from reaching the top rack, said Aleka Shunk, a food blogger at Bite Sized Kitchen .

Blocking the spray arm. Just because everything fits inside the dishwasher doesnt mean your job is done. Right before you start your cycle, you want to give the arm a quick test spin to see if it spins without obstruction, Shunk said. If it hits a plate or utensil, move that item before you start the cycle, otherwise the dishwasher wont clean properly.

Facing everything in the same direction. Water sprays from the centre of the dishwasher, so you want the dirtiest part of your plates (the faces) pointed toward the spray. When you load your plates all facing to your right, for instance, you block some of them from having full access to the water. Instead, you should face them all toward the middle so they get exposed to the spray, Blaure said.

Leaving a bunch of stuck-on food. You can put un-rinsed dishes in your dishwasher, but you should scrape off any chunks of food before loading. Too many food remnants in the dishwasher can lead to mould and also dishes not coming out clean, said Melissa Maker, host of the YouTube channel Clean My Space .

Cleaning dishes before loading them. Though you should clean off chunks of food before loading your dishes, its possible to go too far. If your dishwasher was made in the past 10 years, theres no need to pre-rinse, according to Blaure. Pre-washing is a serious waste of time, water and heat, she said. If you stop washing your dishes in the sink before they go in the dishwasher, you should see your energy bill drop.