Video narration
Here’s what’s really happening inside a dishwasher. You load dirty dishes on the racks and add detergent to the dispenser. When you start a cycle, the machine fills with a small amount of water. A pump pushes that water into rotating spray arms, which blast it upward and downward like strong sprinklers. As the detergent dissolves, it mixes into the hot spray, helping break up grease and lift off food. Bits of food get caught in a filter, while the dirty water is pumped out through the drain. Then fresh water comes in and the dishwasher repeats the spraying and rinsing, so soap and loosened grime are carried away. Finally, the dishwasher heats the water and the tub, and then dries the load—either with warm air or by letting the hot dishes evaporate the remaining moisture. Clean dishes, ready to unload.