Why Load Management Matters

Commercial dishwashers and glasswashers are finely engineered systems. Inside the cabinet, precise water pressures, spray patterns, temperatures and chemical dosing all work together to deliver safe, hygienic results. When items are stacked too tightly, positioned incorrectly, or crammed into unsuitable racks, the machine can’t do what it’s designed to do. Water can’t reach surfaces, spray arms can’t rotate freely, and heat distribution becomes inconsistent.

The impact is immediate: cloudy glasses, dirty plates, residues, and the frustration of having to rewash items mid-service. What’s less visible — but just as important — is the long-term effect on the machine itself. Overloading or poor loading allows food debris to accumulate in filters, jets and pumps, increasing wear and shortening component life. Energy and chemical consumption creep up as cycles become less effective. Over time, this leads to breakdowns, higher running costs and even hygiene compliance issues.

The Special Case of Glasswashers

Nowhere is load management more important than behind the bar. Glasswashers are extremely sensitive to how glasses are positioned. A narrow-necked glass placed directly over a spray jet, for example, can block water flow completely. Stacking too many glasses can prevent detergent from reaching inner surfaces altogether.

The cost of poor practice isn’t just operational — it’s reputational. Customers notice cloudy glassware. They notice smudges, lipstick residue and detergent streaks. A glasswasher loaded correctly not only cleans more effectively but dries faster and leaves glasses bright and presentable, exactly as customers expect.

Handling Heavy Loads in Warewashers

In larger kitchens and production environments, warewashers often take on the toughest items — trays, gastronorms, roasting pans and utensils. These items can easily block spray arms or disrupt the wash pattern if they’re placed flat or positioned incorrectly. When a tray or pan is laid horizontally, it acts as a solid barrier, preventing water, detergent and heat from reaching the rest of the load.

Pre-rinsing or scraping heavily soiled items before loading helps reduce debris in the tank, supports consistent washing temperatures and protects pumps and filters from unnecessary strain. This simple step often makes the difference between a smooth service and one where items need to be repeatedly rewashed or the machine needs mid-shift attention.

It’s also worth addressing a common misconception: using a combi oven’s wash cycle to clean roasting pans or gastronorm trays is not a good idea. Combi ovens are engineered to clean the oven cavity — not cookware. The wash jets, spray angles and chemical dosing are designed for large flat surfaces, not for the baked-on residues found on pans. This often results in a poor clean, inconsistent results and residue left on cookware. In addition, running unnecessary wash cycles in a combi oven accelerates wear on pumps, seals and dosing systems, increases chemical consumption and uses far more water and energy than a properly loaded warewasher. In some cases, it can even leave a chemical film on pans that can transfer into food during the next cooking cycle.

The warewasher remains the right tool for the job: purpose-built to remove heavy soils, rinse effectively, disinfect items and handle cookware safely and efficiently.

Choosing the Right Equipment and Sizing It Correctly

Even perfect loading cannot compensate for a machine that is the wrong size or specification for the operation. An undersized dishwasher will always be pushed to its limit, leading to rushed cycles, overloading and excessive wear. A bar using a glasswasher that’s too small for peak demand will inevitably cut corners — double-stacking racks, running half cycles or forcing extra glasses in wherever they’ll fit.

The right equipment choice means matching the machine to the required throughput, understanding cycle times and assessing peak service patterns. For high-volume sites, a passthrough dishwasher with a prewash section may be more appropriate than several small undercounter units. In bars, choosing racks that match the glassware range avoids breakages and improves wash consistency.



A machine correctly sized for the job not only performs better but also allows staff to follow good practice without the pressure of “speed over quality.”

Maintenance: The Invisible Partner in Load Management

Load management and maintenance go hand in hand. Even the best loading habits won’t make up for blocked jets, clogged filters or scale-covered elements. Regular maintenance — daily checks by staff and scheduled servicing by professionals — keeps the wash system working as designed.

Spinning the wash arms to ensure they move freely, emptying filters before they choke the pump, and inspecting nozzles for small blockages are simple tasks that preserve performance. Preventative maintenance, such as cleaning the tank, checking dosing systems, and managing scale build-up, keeps energy and water consumption stable and prevents unexpected mid-service failures.



Proper loading reduces maintenance needs; proper maintenance protects the machine from the consequences of poor loading. They reinforce each other.

Small Changes, Big Gains

When teams understand the “why” behind load management, behaviour changes naturally. The benefits quickly become visible: cleaner, brighter results; faster turnaround; fewer breakdowns; lower operating costs; and compliance with hygiene standards. Good load management requires no specialised tools, no new equipment and no investment — just consistent habits and an understanding of how the machine works.

In a kitchen or bar where every minute counts, it’s one of the simplest and most effective improvements a team can make.