It turns out, removing food from the plates stops the detergent from doing it’s job. 'Enzymes in Cascade detergent are designed to attach themselves to food particles,' the Wall Street Journal reports. With food particles, the detergent washes away before it has a chance to clean anything.
Washing detergent aside, dishwashers today are fitted with advanced spray technology that is more than capable of removing food scraps without the need for a pre-rinse.
Plus, you’ll save water.