Operating cycle for a dishwasher comprising: - a load valve controlling the inflow of water from the mains through a load duct to load water into a bottom sump through an inlet; - a wash pump that draws water from said bottom sump through a suction duct and sends it to a plurality of sprayers (10, 11) through a delivery duct and a diverter valve that controls the flow of water to said sprayers (10, 11) through a corresponding plurality of outlets (16, 17, 18); - a drain pump connected to a drain duct so as to discharge water from the bottom sump; - a support mounted on the outlet of the diverter valve towards a lower sprayer, said support having an opening in its lower region and said lower sprayer being engaged through a stem thereof onto the support such that a small gap remains between these two elements at said opening; said operating cycle comprising the following steps: (a) initial loading of water into the bottom sump; (b) performing of the wash phase; (c) discharge of the wash water; (d) closing of all outlets of the diverter valve except the outlet towards the lower sprayer; (e) loading water for the intermediate rinse into the bottom sump; (f) activation of the wash pump; (g) deactivation of the wash pump; (h) discharge of the intermediate rinse water; (i) opening of all outlets of the diverter valve; (j) loading the final rinse water into the bottom sump; (k) performing of the final rinse phase; (l) discharge of the final rinse water; characterized in that the combination of the amount of water loaded in step (e) with the rotational speed of the wash pump in step (f) generates a water pressure P equal to at least a value P1 that allows water to escape from the support through the opening, but less than a value P2 that causes water to be delivered from the lower sprayer; and in that steps (c)-(d) could be swapped, as could steps (i)-(j). - a load valve controlling the inflow of water from the mains through a load duct to load water into a bottom sump through an inlet; - a wash pump that draws water from said bottom sump through a suction duct and sends it to a plurality of sprayers (10, 11) through a delivery duct and a diverter valve that controls the flow of water to said sprayers (10, 11) through a corresponding plurality of outlets (16, 17, 18); - a drain pump connected to a drain duct so as to discharge water from the bottom sump; - a support mounted on the outlet of the diverter valve towards a lower sprayer, said support having an opening in its lower region and said lower sprayer being engaged through a stem thereof onto the support such that a small gap remains between these two elements at said opening; said operating cycle comprising the following steps: (a) initial loading of water into the bottom sump; (b) performing of the wash phase; (c) discharge of the wash water; (d) closing of all outlets of the diverter valve except the outlet towards the lower sprayer; (e) loading water for the intermediate rinse into the bottom sump; (f) activation of the wash pump; (g) deactivation of the wash pump; (h) discharge of the intermediate rinse water; (i) opening of all outlets of the diverter valve; (j) loading the final rinse water into the bottom sump; (k) performing of the final rinse phase; (l) discharge of the final rinse water; (a) initial loading of water into the bottom sump; (b) performing of the wash phase; (c) discharge of the wash water; (d) closing of all outlets of the diverter valve except the outlet towards the lower sprayer; (e) loading water for the intermediate rinse into the bottom sump; (f) activation of the wash pump; (g) deactivation of the wash pump; (h) discharge of the intermediate rinse water; (i) opening of all outlets of the diverter valve; (j) loading the final rinse water into the bottom sump; (k) performing of the final rinse phase; (l) discharge of the final rinse water; characterized in that the combination of the amount of water loaded in step (e) with the rotational speed of the wash pump in step (f) generates a water pressure P equal to at least a value P1 that allows water to escape from the support through the opening, but less than a value P2 that causes water to be delivered from the lower sprayer; and in that steps (c)-(d) could be swapped, as could steps (i)-(j).