“At Extreme Pedantry, there was a discussion about the proper way to load dishes into a dishwasher, so I said, 'Yeah, we should create a similar group called Extreme Dishwasher Loading.' I just started the group and a lot of people joined it at that point in 2016,” Hegedus, who lives in Essex, England, told WIRED.
Hegedus, known within the group as Deer Roeder, said there were only a few thousand members in the first few years. Then, like many such Facebook groups, the number of people joining and sharing images of their dishwasher loading skills (or lack thereof) exploded due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. increased to. The group added tens of thousands of new members.
Although dishwasher loading techniques are taken very seriously, the tone of the group is overwhelmingly welcoming rather than mocking, and new members are encouraged to share photos of their dishwashers as soon as they join. It has been.
The group's dozen or so admins ensure that discussions don't escalate or get personal, and that anyone who engages in offensive or abusive behavior is immediately blocked. The result is a corner of the internet that is both friendly and gently mocking.
While the majority of members are based in the UK, with a large US contingent, Hegedus says there are no regional quirks when it comes to dishwasher loading.
Hegedus added that people's reasons for joining vary greatly, but one member who spoke to WIRED said the sense of community made her a part of the group.
“I joined because I was excited to find other people who were as passionate about dishwashing as I was,” Laura Marsh, from Somerset, UK, told WIRED. “I hate hand-washing and can't wash my other hand properly. How much can you put in the dishwasher and still get everything clean? There's definitely an art to it.”
Despite finding company, Marsh also broke rules set by administrators when he posted a photo in response to a question about the strangest thing he put in the dishwasher. “My answer was 'toilet seat.'” It wasn't something you'd always put in there, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. That was an absolute no-no. Not to mention the toilet seat inside the moist box. I thought I was going to get slapped on the wrist. ”
But the key to the group's success isn't just providing a reliable way to properly fill a dishwasher, Hegedus says, but a dual purpose.
“It ended up being a great place to make innuendos,” Hegedus says.
Group members these days seem less interested in posting pictures of perfect cutlery trays or properly tessellated plates, but more interested in who can cram as much wordplay into their comments as possible. there is.
Posts and comments within the group include terms such as “wet box” (a reference to the dishwasher), “dirty luggage” (a reference to the contents of the dishwasher), and “handwork” (a reference to hand washing). It's overflowing. ).
For example, consider a recent comment on a question about intragroup feuds. “We fill our salty holes until they overflow with God’s abundant love,” the poster wrote. “We admire the burgeoning racks and open flaps that Dear Loader has generously given us. With ecstatic enthusiasm, we load as much big, dirty loads as we can into the hot, wet I’ll stick it in the box.”
After all, the “Extreme Dishwasher Loading” group has gained immense popularity not because of the advice it offers, but because it never takes itself too seriously.
“This is a place to get away from everything else, because at the end of the day it's so stupid and unimportant,” says Dear Loader.