We’ve come a long way from washing dishes by hand, with modern appliances that get the job done better and faster. Using less effort and saving time in the kitchen, the dishwasher has become a must-have item in new homes.
Unlike manual dishwashing, which relies heavily on physical scrubbing to remove soils, mechanical dishwashing cleans by spraying hot water on dishes. Water with added detergent is used first for cleaning purposes, then clean water is used to remove detergent residue. More advanced dishwasher models offered by manufacturers such as Bosch Appliance have multiple wash and rinse periods within the full cycle and rinse aid can be added to the rinse cycle. As there is no human contact during the process, strong detergents can be used that would be too alkaline for normal skin exposure. The latest Bosch dishwashers have a heating element for quick drying and sanitation of dishes.
Modern dishwashers descend from Josephine Cochrane’s 1886 invention, also a manual, which she introduced at the 1893 Toronto Fair. Models installed with permanent plumbing arrived in the 1920s. In 1937, William Howard Livens invented a small, dishwasher-safe dishwasher. for domestic kitchens. It had all the features of a modern dishwasher, including a front door for loading, a rack for placing dishes, and a rotating spray head. Electric drying elements were added in 1940, an innovative feature investigated by Bosch. Adoption was greatest at first in commercial settings, but by the 1970s, dishwashers had become commonplace in domestic residences in the US and Toronto, as in the rest of Canada.
Design development and improvement remains an ongoing process among major appliance manufacturers, especially Bosch. Mid- to high-end North American dishwashers often come with hard food disposal units, which behave like miniature garbage disposal units that remove large chunks of food waste from the wash water. One manufacturer known for skipping hard food scraps is Bosch, a German brand; however, Bosch does it to reduce noise.
Dishwashers are slowly approaching a necessity in Toronto and North America, on the same level as other appliances like the refrigerator and oven. Early models couldn’t handle tough jobs, but with steam technology, stronger detergents, and a better overall design, any dishwashing job is done flawlessly thanks to innovative manufacturers like Bosh Appliance.