And what about pre-rinsing and its impact on the environment?
"We've found consistently that dishwashers are far more water and energy-efficient than washing by hand," says Mr Iredale.
In fact, one study found that handwashing dishes uses 80 per cent more water than the dishwasher.
As for those who leave their dishes in the sink for hours until the food scraps have crusted over? You might be the exception to a pre-clean.
But before you head straight for the tap, consider wiping a crusty plate with stale bread, then tossing it straight into the compost!
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