How should I position bowls and plates so water can reach them?

Use the rack diagram for your exact dishwasher model as your layout guide. Rack arrangements can vary, so don’t assume a picture for another model shows the right positions for yours. [S1]

As general guidance, face soiled surfaces down and inward toward the spray. Keep bowls and plates from overlapping, and make sure dishes do not touch. [S1] The aim is to avoid one dish covering the surface of another while following the positions shown for your rack.

Start by checking that the illustration matches the rack you are loading. Use it to identify the positions and orientations shown for bowls and plates on that rack. [S1]

Then check the actual arrangement: a larger bowl should not overlap a neighboring plate, and the dishes should not touch. If a bowl’s position is unclear, use the general guidance—keep its soiled surface facing down and inward toward the spray—while checking that the placement fits your model’s diagram. The reference guidance does not give exact slots or spacing measurements for every model, so avoid treating another dishwasher’s layout as a precise fit. [S1]

Try this short check, then compare any uncertain placement with your dishwasher’s diagram:

1. Match the diagram: Is it for this dishwasher and the rack you are loading?
2. Check facing: Are the soiled surfaces down and inward toward the spray, as general guidance recommends? [S1]
3. Check clearance: Do bowls and plates avoid overlapping, and are dishes not touching? [S1]
4. Resolve doubts: If a dish blocks another or its placement differs from the illustration, adjust it to a position the diagram shows.

For example, if a bowl’s rim sits over the face of a plate, reposition one so the dishes no longer overlap. Then check that neither touches another dish. This illustrates the spacing rule; it does not prescribe a particular slot for every model.

Check the manual for your dishwasher model and use its rack illustrations to determine orientation and spacing. The recommended arrangement can vary by model, so a diagram for a different dishwasher may not apply. [S1]

Until you can check a matching illustration, follow the general guidance where it fits: face soiled surfaces down and inward toward the spray, and avoid overlapping or touching dishes. [S1] Those principles do not establish one universal rack arrangement. If the model-specific picture gives different placement details, use it to guide how items fit in that rack.