Why do shorter dishwasher cycles and less pre-rinsing take time to become habits?

On September 22, 2026, raw materials and formulation company IFF released an observation on tableware cleaning trends: consumers want to reduce pre-washing and try shorter dishwasher cycles, but daily practices do not necessarily change along with these ideas. It cited consumer data from industry magazines and also reminded R&D personnel to pay attention to water quality, machine types, program durations, and common food residues. For the cleaning industry, the more important question is not which habits are 'backward,' but whether product instructions and actual cleaning experiences can give people confidence to change their habits.

Let's start with the dishwasher. The U.S. Energy Star recommendation is to scrape off food residue from the dishes before loading them, without the need to pre-rinse each piece under water; run the dishwasher only when it's reasonably full. This advice is for automatic dishwashers, assuming proper loading and selecting a program according to the appliance and detergent instructions. If dishes are left overnight, Energy Star also mentions that you can use the dishwasher's built-in rinse function.

Minimal pre-rinsing does not mean arbitrarily shortening the program. IFF points out that water hardness, washing temperature, program duration, and food residues all affect formula evaluation; some people worry that short programs may leave grease or tea stains, and thus might revert to familiar methods. Product development needs to be verified according to the target market and device conditions, while consumers should choose appropriate programs based on the dishwasher manual, the material of the tableware, and the actual stains, rather than interpreting a single trend as a universal operation guide for all households.

Hand washing and machine washing cannot be confused. The American Cleaning Institute explains that automatic dishwasher detergents need to adapt to the machine's water flow and control foaming, and ordinary hand dishwashing detergent cannot be used as a direct substitute. The EU Ecolabel's cleaning product catalog also lists hand dishwashing detergents and household dishwasher detergents as different product groups. The key here is the classification by use, which does not mean that any product without this label performs poorly, nor does it mean that the same bottle of cleaning liquid can be used for both purposes.

EPHYON offers a published 5.0 kg bucket of hand dishwashing liquid, offering an option for hand-washing scenarios that require larger packaging. Its public instructions state to add it to water or apply it to a cloth to wash dishes and cookware, then rinse with clean water. When using a dishwasher, a machine detergent that matches the equipment should be chosen, so that the advantages of both cleaning methods can be applied in the appropriate situations.

This also raises more specific questions for product development and packaging instructions: for people who hand wash, it is necessary to clearly show the dosage, washing, and rinsing steps; for people who use machines, they need to know the compatible machines, programs, and where to dispense the product. Whether cleaning products can help people develop more convenient habits ultimately depends on formulas, clear instructions, and practical experience that match the usage scenarios, rather than relying solely on slogans like 'faster' or 'more economical.'