Let’s just start there. Most people? They don’t even think about it—press a button, done. But me? Yeah… I got into dishwashers way later than I should probably admit. I’ve always been that weird one who, like, genuinely likes hand-washing. Not joking. Something about the hot water, the bubbles, stacking stuff just right on the rack—it’s weirdly calming? Sad, I know. Whatever. Definitely not normal. My sister can’t stand it—she’s obsessed with her dishwasher.
Anyway, a few months ago, we were visiting my husband’s family. One of those long weekends where every surface is covered in coats, and someone’s always yelling about whether the back door is locked. In the middle of all that chaos, I’m in the kitchen getting a glass of water or something, and I see his aunt doing… this thing. She’s running the dishwasher. But it’s empty. Like, fully, completely empty. No rogue spoon. Not a mug.
And I’m just standing there, blinking. I wanted to ask her about it, but I didn’t. Felt like one of those things where asking would’ve outed me as tragically unmodern. Like, “Hi, yes, what’s the function of this common household appliance I clearly don’t understand?” No thanks. So I just nodded like it was completely normal and made a mental note to Google it later.
Which, of course, I did. I went home and immediately fell down a rabbit hole of “Why would someone run an empty dishwasher?” articles, blogs, forums—you name it. And the weirdest part? It actually makes sense. Like, a lot of sense.
So the first thing I found—which I guess is the most common reason—is just basic upkeep. Like, you’re not running it for fun, you’re just… giving it a rinse. Same way you clean out your coffee maker every so often. Or like that time I tried to descale the kettle, completely forgot about it, and then every cup of tea tasted like warm regret for a week. Yeah. Same vibe. You run a hot empty cycle and it clears out all the old food bits, detergent gunk, weird smells—just all the stuff that builds up when you pretend it cleans itself.
And it’s not just about smell. If you’ve got hard water (which we do), all those minerals can build up in the system over time. Running it empty now and then actually helps knock some of that loose before it turns into a full-blown “Why is my dishwasher dying?” moment. It’s like brushing your dishwasher’s teeth, basically.
There’s also this thing I never thought about before: the seals. The rubbery parts around the door that keep everything watertight? Yeah, apparently they can dry out if you don’t run the machine often. And once those things crack, it’s game over. Water everywhere. Sad noises. Expensive repair guy. So if you’re like me and your dishwasher mostly acts as an extension of the lower cabinets—aka dish storage—running it empty once in a while keeps those seals… hydrated? I guess? Appliances need moisture now?
And then there was this little hack I found that made me feel wildly behind: using the leftover heat from a cycle to dry stuff you hand-washed. Like, if you’ve got a few pans you cleaned by hand and you don’t want to towel them off (because who has energy for that), you can toss them in right after an empty hot cycle. The heat’s already there. No extra electricity. Just… bonus drying. Wild.
Testing the machine also came up a lot. Like, if you’re trying to figure out whether it’s working properly, or you just installed it, or you’re suspicious it’s not draining right—makes total sense to run it empty first. See what it does.
Another one that surprised me was this idea of priming the dishwasher. You run an empty cycle with a cleaner before loading it up with a giant post-dinner-party disaster pile. Kind of like stretching before a workout, except instead of muscles it’s… soap residue and lasagna crust.
Oh, and this one was super niche but made sense too: running it during off-peak hours. Even if it’s empty. I guess if your utility plan charges less for electricity at night or on certain days, some people take advantage of that to clean the machine while saving a few bucks. Kind of clever, if you’re into that sort of thing. Which I’m not. Yet.
So yeah, the thing that looked completely bonkers at first—his aunt casually running a cycle with nothing inside—ended up being kind of brilliant. I’ve been side-eyeing my own dishwasher ever since, wondering if I should maybe give it a shot. Empty or not.
Not that I’ve fully crossed over, I’m just saying. Me and the sink, we still have a thing. But … I don’t know, I’m listening now. So it turns out dishwashers are for more than just holding clean plates that I’m too lazy to put away. Who knew?
And honestly? I may ask her next time I see that aunt. Or not. I may just nod gently, or let her know as best I can: Yeah, now I get it. Quiet dishwasher respect. Or something like that.
