Journey into the Dishwasher

On one beautiful, crisp autumn day, a family of five decided to picnic on the serenely dark green grass in a community park near their house. This family consisted of a handsome husband, warm-hearted wife, boisterous boy, gracious girl, and a delightful dog. Young, healthy, and vital, the five of them were often outdoors. Walking, running, hiking, playing, sight-seeing; these are the activities that this active family partakes in. After finding the perfect spot to set their soft, snuggly blanket, the family sat down and took pleasure in observing the vibrantly colorful leaves surrounded by the cool mist. While the family sits, the peaceful wind gently glides past their faces. Sometime later, the family feasts on the food in the large wicker basket they brought with them.

As time flies faster than a fearsome falcon, the family experiences nothing but pleasure. This remains true until some unwelcome black guests arrive to steal their food. Blacks of this sort are never invited to picnics. Having nothing to do with race, the preceding sentence speaks not of humans, but of ants. Yes, ants. While the family attempts to move to another spot, these determined black insects continue to march forth to grab treats to take to their underground nest. In the wild, there is no such concept as personal property. Territory belongs to those who can defend it. Meals belong to those who can take them. This reality is respected by all flora and fauna, except humans. Through the process of becoming civilized, modern man has forgotten about this truth.

After flinging the great majority of the ants, the family more closely inspects the ground in search of a new spot. After some time, they narrow in on a location. They suspect that it lacks potential intruders. The family resets their belongings on the new patch of grass and continues on with their day.

Little did the five family members know, a small number of the ants decided to hide inside the basket. While the family members talked amongst themselves, the ants had ample time to eat a few crumbs in the basket. As the sun begins to set, the normally energetic kids become sleepy at an earlier time than usual. The family takes their blanket, basket, leftover food, and other items and walks back home. As the family pass by their front door, the kids and dog are sent to bed. The parents then complete some remaining household chores.

While cleaning, the maternal mother sets the basket on the family dinner table. As soon as the wicker makes contact with the wood, the tiny black ants feel a swift sensation similar to what humans feel during a strong seismic wave. This is their cue to escape the basket and look for other sources of sustenance. The crumbs in the basket are now scant. A few ants leave the basket and make contact with the table. They finally step from the dark abyss inside the basket. As they enter the light from the darkness, the ants discover the location of leftover scraps on dirty dishes. They travel for what seems like a mile into the dishwasher.

Halfway through the path to the open dishwasher, two of the ants are seen by the mother and promptly squashed on the spot. One hides under the kitchen trash can. Waiting for the decreasing sound of footsteps, it waits until the mother leaves the kitchen to move outside from under the metal. The mother leaves the kitchen to go to the bathroom. Attempting to stay unseen, the ant crawls on the narrow shadow cast by the bottoms of the kitchen counter and sink. Step after step, slowly but surely, the ant makes it to a reusable plastic plate in the dishwasher. Some residual ketchup remains on the plate. The ant helps itself to the condiment.

While the ant chews the ketchup, the mother comes back to close the dishwasher. You know that the ant is in a dangerous situation, but perhaps you are not aware of the sequence of events that occur inside the volatile environment of a dishwasher. Which comes first? The water, heat, or detergent? Guess. Or better yet, ask one of your friends, be it Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or any other browser. You will quickly find out that the water comes first. Then, the liquid is heated. The heating device sits at the floor of the machine. Once the water is hot enough, the detergent is released from the dispenser. More water is sprayed on the dishes, then the icky water is drained away into the deep abyss.

While all this is happening, what becomes the fate of the tiny black ant? It most likely meets its end and gets mixed in with the dirty water, never to be seen by its colony again. What could possibly survive inside a dishwasher? Certain bacteria can if you forget to set the sanitation mode on. Also, believe it or not, certain cameras will remain in working condition if put in a dishwasher. The proof is here.

With the blazing heat of an active dishwasher in mind, you’d think any hand-held electronic device would be ruined. Luckily, that is not the case. Robust recorders allow the inner workings of a dishwasher to be seen. Now, the question is, what factors contribute to making a high-quality dishwasher? The most important factor is performance, obviously. Improperly cleaned dishes will salivate the mouth of a dog or ant. But what sane human wants to eat from a dirty dish? Eww. Cringe. Another important quality involves a lack of sound. With a silent dishwasher, you will be able to enjoy watching your favorite shows on your large HD TV without the distracting noise.

If you have a dishwasher that is noticeably becoming weaker, then you want a new one. You can always get one at Sears or Best Buy.