Why Do Dishwashers Recirculate Dirty Water? Man Puts a Camera Inside Dishwasher to See What Happens and Results Scare People

Have you ever wondered what happens inside your dishwasher when you turn it on? How does it clean your dishes with water and detergent? How much water does it use and how does it drain it? These are some of the questions that a curious Reddit user decided to answer by putting a camera inside his dishwasher and recording the whole cycle.

The Camera Inside a Dishwasher Video Had Some Confusing Reactions

The video by povadventures, which was reposted in thread titled “This is what happens inside a dishwasher” by Reddit user Grizzly-Berry in the ‘damnthatsinteresting’ subreddit, shows the different stages of the dishwasher cycle and how the water is sprayed, recirculated, and drained. The video has gained over 20K upvotes in a few hours, many of which express surprise and confusion about how dishwashers actually work.

One of the revelations that shocked people most from the video is that the dishwasher first rinses the dishes without soap by recirculating dirty water for the first phase of the cycle. This means that the same water that is used to remove food particles and grease from the dishes is also sprayed back onto them several times.

The video shows how the water becomes yellow and murky as it collects dirt from the dishes. This is also part of the reason it’s a good idea to wash your dishwasher with vinegar, so this stuff doesn’t build up in the pipes.

The dishwasher then drains the dirty water and allows the soap packet to drop, mixing it with clean water that is also recirculated to wash the dishes. The video shows how the water becomes foamy and white as it dissolves the detergent. The soap helps to break down any remaining dirt and sanitize the dishes.

In the last phase of the cycle, the dishwasher uses clean water to rinse off the dishes, which it doesn’t recirculate. The video shows how the water becomes clear and transparent as it removes any soap residue from the dishes.

The dishwasher then drains the final water, and heats up the air to dry the dishes, if that option is selected. You can save electricity by turning off the heated dry feature, since the dishes will airdry anyway.

This is what happens inside a dishwasher
byu/Grizzly-Berry inDamnthatsinteresting

Why Dishwashers Recirculating Water is a Blessing Not an Issue

Many Reddit users were shocked to learn that dishwashers recirculate the same water they use to rinse dirt and grime off the dishes for the first two parts of the cycle. Some commented that they felt disgusted by this and wondered if their dishes were really clean after using a dishwasher. Others defended this practice and explained that it was necessary to save water and energy, as dishwashers use much less water than handwashing.

According to HowStuffWorks, a typical dishwasher uses about 6 gallons (23 liters) of water per cycle, while handwashing can use up to 27 gallons (102 liters) of water for a similar load of dishes. Dishwashers also heat up the water to a higher temperature than most people can tolerate with their hands, which helps to kill bacteria and germs.

Dishwashers also have filters or disposals that catch or chop up any large food particles that are washed off the dishes, preventing them from clogging up the pipes or spraying back onto the dishes.

Reactions to videos like these show how oblivious the average person can be to how the things they use almost everyday actually work.

Dishwashers are not very complex machines, but they have a systemized process that ensures efficient and effective cleaning of dishes. By understanding how dishwashers work, users can appreciate their benefits and optimize their performance.