UmMusa Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My dishwasher is broken again (4th time in 3 years), so I'm handwashing till we get things figured out. Two questions: 1. Those of you who handwash by choice just because you like to... why??? :lol: I've met a few ladies who just don't use their dishwashers b/c they just handwash. I never got that. 2. Those of you who handwash to save money on water or to save water as a resource, in general, then do you really think handwashing uses less water? Maybe I need a tutorial b/c even though I try to use little water, it feels like it is on/off/on/off/on/off a zillion times before I'm done! I do not put all the dishes in a sink full of water... is that the most efficient way to do it? Help an old lady out this Monday night! (ok, I'm not really old, I'm 36) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I totally cannot answer your first question. I cannot even imagine *wanting* to wash dishes! I have, however, gone periods of time where I handwashed the dishes due to a broken dishwasher. Here's how I did it... Remove dishes from both sides of sink & scrub the sink. fill one side of sink with hot, soapy water, and load the cleanest dishes first. Wipe/scrub and then place the dishes into the empty side of the sink. When I had a pile of cleanly scrubbed, soapy dishes, then I'd quickly rinse them and set them aside to dry. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat....:svengo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 How about those of us who handwash because we do not own a dishwasher but have fantasies about the sleek shiny washer that are done in 45 seconds, or that play a little tune when done. Since leaving home at 18 I have never had a dishwasher. I don't really give a carp about the water usage either :tongue_smilie:It is better to rinse in running water and I like getting it to the temp I want and leaving it there until the load is done. Likely I am wasting water. But I don't care :tongue_smilie: When I wash I wash in hot soapy water, rinse on other side, leave to air dry. With 5 of us plus a daycare kid, often I have to let the load air dry, put it away and then go back and finish the next load to get it all done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I had a period of five months before we moved that I had no dishwasher. It stunk. I TOTALLY do not get how anyone could WANT to wash dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher, but to each their own I suppose. I washed them the same way Julie does. I only had one dish drainer to dry them on, but there were plenty of times I thought of getting a second one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 We haven't had a dishwasher in 2 years!!!! It is a nightmare...but I don't want to buy one until I re-do my kitchen.... Who washes the dishes is the biggest bone of contention around here...We just do them together now...and it HAS led to some nice conversations...once we get done arguing about who is soaping...who is rinsing...who is drying and who is putting away...Grrrrr... Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Our house doesn't have a dishwasher. I hated doing dishes when we had one. Only now do I realize how good I had it. My "method" is to fill one side of our sink with hot soapy water, and put in a pile of things. I scrub a bunch, then rinse them as a batch and put them in a drying rack. I keep adding and washing until I need to change the water. I soak and scrub pots and pans in that nasty water before I drain it, then give the pots another quick cleaning in a new sink of water. It takes a while, but it doesn't use as much water. I feel silly giving dishwashing advice when I have a full sink staring at me. I probably ought to get to work on that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 While we did not have a dishwasher, dh did the dishes:lol:. I didn't have a dishwasher for 18 months. Because part of the hold up was dh renovating the kitchen ( still working on it now), most of our dishes were put away. So, we had just enough dishes out for everyone to have 1 dish. Same with cups and utensils. This cuts down on people carrying dishes off and then collecting a big pile in the sink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myeightkiddies Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I wash by hand because I can't bend over to load/unload a dishwasher. Though, I enjoy washing by hand more than I do loading/unloading a dishwasher, so it works out fine for me. Usually I rinse all the dishes then scrub out and disinfect the sinks before starting. I fill one sink with hot water and soap and get a clean wash rag. The other sink I fill with hot water and a bit of vinegar (I have hard water and it helps with build-up on glasses). In the soapy water I put in glasses and silverware and let soak for a few. Then I wash and rinse. If the rinse water looks good still I will wash bowls and plates. If rinse still looks clean I will wash serving bowls, spoons, etc. By now I will empty the rinse water. Now I wash pots and pans one-by-one and rinse with just running hot water. Empty the sinks and scrub sinks clean. Put wash rag into dirty clothes and put a clean one on the edge of the sink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I've always washed dishes by hand, and it's never bothered me. I get my dishes cleaner than any dishwasher ever will. A dishwasher can't feel a plate and tell whether or not there's tiny bits of stuck on food left. Plus, they're so hard on some kinds of dishes. I buy really good dish soap- the kind with essential oils and all that good stuff- and bring my laptop with me into the kitchen so I can watch Stargate Universe while I do it. Once you've done it for years, you get a routine down and it doesn't take long. Of course, if I had ten children instead of just one, it might be a different story. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanna Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 How about those of us who handwash because we do not own a dishwasher but have fantasies about the sleek shiny washer that are done in 45 seconds, or that play a little tune when done. Since leaving home at 18 I have never had a dishwasher. I don't really give a carp about the water usage either :tongue_smilie:It is better to rinse in running water and I like getting it to the temp I want and leaving it there until the load is done. Likely I am wasting water. But I don't care... :tongue_smilie::thumbup1: I hear ya! I've never owned a dishwasher. If I didn't have a double sink, I used a dishpan (like a bucket for the sink) filled it with dishwashing liquid and hot water, soaped the dishes, put them in the empty sink, and then rinsed them. Yes, I turn the water off and on during washing and rinsing. We have a single handle faucet which makes this easy to do. I have a double sink in my current dwelling so the left side sink serves as my dishpan (although I don't fill it w/soap and water) and the right side is my rinsing area. I wear gloves so I can keep the water hot as possible. We have a few pairs of gloves and the 5 of us share the responsibility of keeping the sink free of dirty dishes throughout the day. As a matter of fact, we "pay" our children to wash the breakfast and dinner dishes. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I'm quite sure I use a lot less water when I hand wash, although my husband probably doesn't. I got used to washing in a small amount of water when we didn't have running water in the kitchen and I didn't really want to bring in and heat more water than necessary. Or carry too much dirty water back out. Anyway, now that I have running water again, I start with very little water in the sink (I don't have a double sink) and rinse the soapy dishes directly into the dish water. By the time I've done the silverware and cups and plates, there's enough water for pots. After the no plumbing year, hand washing in a sink is not a big deal. In fact, I delight in hand washing my dishes in a sink with a drain. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't delight in putting all my dishes in a dishwasher, pushing a button, and walking away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 I wash by hand because I can't bend over to load/unload a dishwasher. Though, I enjoy washing by hand more than I do loading/unloading a dishwasher, so it works out fine for me. Usually I rinse all the dishes then scrub out and disinfect the sinks before starting. I fill one sink with hot water and soap and get a clean wash rag. The other sink I fill with hot water and a bit of vinegar (I have hard water and it helps with build-up on glasses). In the soapy water I put in glasses and silverware and let soak for a few. Then I wash and rinse. If the rinse water looks good still I will wash bowls and plates. If rinse still looks clean I will wash serving bowls, spoons, etc. By now I will empty the rinse water. Now I wash pots and pans one-by-one and rinse with just running hot water. Empty the sinks and scrub sinks clean. Put wash rag into dirty clothes and put a clean one on the edge of the sink. Oh, you are SO GOOD!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 I'd love to reply to each and every one of you!! I loved reading your replies, and it soothed my spoiled soul this evening. Thank you for the suggestion of wearing gloves. I'll get some during this little handwashing spell. Also, the methods were great to read. I'm going to try out what most of you said which is to clean the sinks first. Fill left one with soapy hot water. Wash them in there then rinse all in the right sink. Some of you rinse under running water; some with the vinegar water. I think this will all help me. So far the past few days I've been washing or at least rinsing the dishes as soon as they come in, so I haven't had any nasty dried up dishes to contend with. Tonight I even dried and put away all the cooking pots and dishes, and it didn't feel like it took too long. I was really quite pleasantly surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS in LA Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I've only used a dishwasher for 1 of our 12 yrs. of marriage. Sometimes I feel sorry for myself, usually not. Here are the reasons I handwash: Like pp, I don't think they get dishes as clean as I can (unless I "wash" them all first before putting into the dishwasher). And I've watched my parent's dishes, esp. glasses and silverware, get weird-looking from years of dishwasher exposure. My everyday dishes are old. They were my Grandmother's and are very good quality (ie sturdy enough for everyday use). I love using them and am willing to wash them by hand to keep them looking beautiful. I have visions of great conversations with my children while we work together at washing the dishes. So far, this is just a vision. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I often wash dishes by hand because the hard water is hard on our dishes and the bending over bothers my back from time to time. It's not difficult unless you let them sit and have to do more than one meal at a time. Ask me how I know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 It's been three years since my dishwasher broke. I just don't want to spend the money to get a new one. It's not a priority. The boys usually do the lunch dishes. I do breakfast dishes and usually dinner dishes. Sometimes DH does the dinner dishes. I use the dishwasher as my drying rack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 When we moved in here almost 2 years ago it wad determined that the dishwasher sucks. And I'm not picky. I could put in clean dishes and they come out so covered with soapy grim they are sticky. It was determined to expensive to fix. (We would also need to buy a water softener on top of fixing or replacing dishwasher) I have gotten to like washing by hand. They never pile up. I don't have to put up with the noise of running a load. I don't have to bend down and load and empty the dishwasher. I dont' have to worry about what needs to be pre rinsed. I can listen to a audio book with the kids when I wash. I can wash dishes while my dh cooks. I also have a headless phone set so I can talk and 'visit' with friends while I wash. I have a list, much to short in my opinion that lists who I can call and when. I still think way to many people have day jobs. EVERYONE should just be sitting at home hoping for one of my dishwasher calls. :) (I am a bit predictable. I called my aunt last week and she said something along the lines of, "Oh, another load of dishes I guess) Even if we had a dishwasher I'm not sure I would go back to using it. It's just so much easier to do it by hand, and nicer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 When I have a dishwasher, I don't use it. It seems faster to me to just wash by hand. Why? Because you pretty much have to wash them before you put them in the dishwasher. Why not just take a second more and finish the job. Then you don't need to be loading the dishwasher, and then unloading it, etc. It's just too much work and bother to use the machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I hand wash because I have no choice. They don't really have automatic dishwashers here. I hate it and would go back to a dishwasher in a heartbeat. But it does save money on electricity and electricity is expensive here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I use the dishwasher as my drying rack. I have a nice drying rack, so that leaves my dishwasher free to be used as a strange giant bread box. It also holds cutting boards and potato chips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I have a functioning dishwasher, but I rarely use it. Why? Because I don't want soap residue on my dishes, and it really doesn't save me that much time (except after a party or the like). I find that if I hand wash, I keep using the same few dishes over and over, right out of the dish drainer. It seems to fit in with my "less is more" attitude. Mostly I wash dishes right away before anything has a chance to "dry on." I usually don't even use soap, unless it's greasy. It just takes a few seconds per dish. If a dish isn't going to be super easy to wash, I'll soak it first - fill it up with hot, soapy water and let it sit a while. If there are multiple such dishes/pots, I stack them before filling in order to save water. If I have to wash a lot of dishes together (which is rare), I'll use the "fill one basin with hot soapy water" method. But I don't scrub out the sink first (assuming it isn't gross). Assuming I know how to wash and rinse a dish properly, no dirt from the sink basin is going to make it to the dish drainer. I do wash the dirtiest dishes last, so clean dishes don't end up sitting in greasy water. As for rinsing, if the rinsing basin is clean enough, I'll collect several washed dishes to rinse at one time and hopefully save a bit of water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) My dishwasher is broken again (4th time in 3 years), so I'm handwashing till we get things figured out. Two questions: 1. Those of you who handwash by choice just because you like to... why??? :lol: I've met a few ladies who just don't use their dishwashers b/c they just handwash. I never got that. I have a brand new beautiful dishwasher and I rarely use it. I can wash them faster by hand. When I used the dishwasher, it meant rinsing dishes, putting them in the DW, running a load, waiting till it was done and putting them away. I would forget to empty it and then had to do it before I could load it again. Too many times of having to touch the dishes, and then of course I needed to wash my larger pans by hand anyway. 2. Those of you who handwash to save money on water or to save water as a resource, in general, then do you really think handwashing uses less water? Maybe I need a tutorial b/c even though I try to use little water, it feels like it is on/off/on/off/on/off a zillion times before I'm done! I do not put all the dishes in a sink full of water... is that the most efficient way to do it? I don't do it to save money, or water, but time. The sink is a regular double sink with the garbage disposal in the side where I wash. The other side of the sink holds my dish drainer. I basically keep a sink going all day an never have a messy kitchen. It takes 5 mins or so during the day in between doing whatever, and just a bit longer after dinner. As I walk in to get a drink I notice the dishes are dry and they go into the cabinets. I notice there are a few cups and I wash them. We clean up as we go. And all the kids know to do it for themselves now if it isn't meal time. It probably does save water, since it is quick wash, and rinse as there are going quickly into the drainer. Help an old lady out this Monday night! (ok, I'm not really old, I'm 36) Hope that helps Edited to add I don't worry about really hot water. I use Dawn DW liquid for greasy dishes, and I have an empty that I filled with a bit of bleach and water to sanitize the water. I squirt a bit into the water and that will take care of that worry. Edited January 17, 2012 by In2why Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Mostly I wash dishes right away before anything has a chance to "dry on." I usually don't even use soap, unless it's greasy. It just takes a few seconds per dish. . Wouldn't that jsut be rinsing and not actually cleaning them? :ack2: The thought of eating off dishes that were merely rinsed and not actually cleaned with hot soapy water seems icky to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellers Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I can't stand washing dishes by hand but I really have no choice. I have a dishwasher but it's broken. I don't see the point in fixing it since we have hard well water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy in Australia Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I've been married 20 years & never had a dishwasher. Yes, occasionally I feel sorry for myself :tongue_smilie: but it's not so bad. My method is to fill one side with hot soapy water, and the other with clear water with a dash of vinegar. No, you can't smell/taste/anything the vinegar when the dishes are dry. It cleans the last traces of any soap off the dishes. You asked about those who had a dishwasher but didn't use it; my friend has 3 kids who are now mostly adults. When they were in their teens, she would make each one take turns washing dishes WITH HER. She said they had the best conversations. No one else was around to eavesdrop, they had mum's undivided attention and they were doing something while they talked (which certainly seems to help boys open up, rather than an eyeball-to-eyeball talk which causes them to get the "deer in the headlights" look) I have found this to work for me too - but I'm still pining for a washer :toetap05: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I only have a single sink, as is common here. I hated washing dishes for years as I didn't like to put soapy dishes in the dish drainer & dry with a tea towel immediately as dh's family does. A few months ago I decided to make changes to do dishes MY way. I scrape the dirty dishes into the compost bin or the dog food bin & stack the dirty dishes beside the sink. I fill the sink with hot soapy water. I fill a plastic dishpan with hot water as a rinse bucket & place it on the built in drainer. I place the cultery in the soapy water to soak while I wash the glasses, then dishes. I wash, rinse, & put in my plastic dishdrainer. Then I wash the soaked cultery. Last I wash the pots & pans. Everything is carefully balanced in the dish drainer, except the bigger pots/pans that are placed on the built-in drainboard. I drain the soapy water & use the rinse water to rinse out the sink. Then the plastic dish pan is drier & placed beside the sink to hold future dirty dishes until the next wash. I only use the equalivant of 2 sinkfuls of water each wash, much less than a dishwasher uses I believe. Clean dishes are put away before I prepare the next meal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 1. Those of you who handwash by choice just because you like to... why??? :lol: I've met a few ladies who just don't use their dishwashers b/c they just handwash. I never got that. Because rinsing and loading the dishwasher is almost as much work. Of all the chores, dish washing is one that doesn't bother me. During the winter, I like the hot water on my hands to warm me. During the summer, I tend to use cold/nearly cold water on really hot days. Shhh, don't tell anyone. To be honest, I only do the dinner dishes a couple times a week. That's DH's chore when he's home. Breakfast and lunch dishes only take 5-10 minutes to wash, and I have to wash them because I don't have enough dishes for more than one meal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Wouldn't that jsut be rinsing and not actually cleaning them? :ack2: The thought of eating off dishes that were merely rinsed and not actually cleaned with hot soapy water seems icky to me. Well, if you are hand washing the same dish with water (and rubbing with fingers or sponge, then rinsing well) several times per day, what is the risk, really? To me, it seems healthier than eating dishwasher soap film with every meal. It's also easier on the hands and the environment. For example, we use cereal bowls and then immediately hand wash without soap. You would have a problem eating off that bowl later? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Wouldn't that jsut be rinsing and not actually cleaning them? :ack2: The thought of eating off dishes that were merely rinsed and not actually cleaned with hot soapy water seems icky to me. Most of the cleaning comes from the scrubbing. The soap just helps the particles lift off easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I'd love to reply to each and every one of you!! I loved reading your replies, and it soothed my spoiled soul this evening. Thank you for the suggestion of wearing gloves. I'll get some during this little handwashing spell. Also, the methods were great to read. I'm going to try out what most of you said which is to clean the sinks first. Fill left one with soapy hot water. Wash them in there then rinse all in the right sink. Some of you rinse under running water; some with the vinegar water. I think this will all help me. So far the past few days I've been washing or at least rinsing the dishes as soon as they come in, so I haven't had any nasty dried up dishes to contend with. Tonight I even dried and put away all the cooking pots and dishes, and it didn't feel like it took too long. I was really quite pleasantly surprised. Left or right to wash/rinse depends on where you can place your dish rack. You may have a choice or just a preference depending on the layout of your kitchen. You may not have a choice as it will only fit on one side. Washing, rinsing, and putting in the dish rack should flow in one nice line. At least that's how I like to do it. I do not like to rinse on the right side if my dishrack is over on the left side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Well, if you are hand washing the same dish with water (and rubbing with fingers or sponge, then rinsing well) several times per day, what is the risk, really? To me, it seems healthier than eating dishwasher soap film with every meal. It's also easier on the hands and the environment. For example, we use cereal bowls and then immediately hand wash without soap. You would have a problem eating off that bowl later? I would in fact. Maybe it is due to the food safety course I took. (You know the one put on by the health department for those that will be serving food for profit in commercial kitchens, I was sent there for work though I was merely preparing snack for the daycare and not cooking for profit) I run my home kitchen to an extent as if I was running a commercial kitchen. Though I do not have a santizer or dishwasher to blast my dishes at high heat. I don't have a dishwasher at all so no soap film on the dishes, but any dish that has been used for any purpose (or not used but out on the surfaces, for example an unused butter knife will still get washed in hot soapy water, or the measuring cup that was used to only measure water will still get washed. I am paranoid about contamination etc) Now the fact that I run a home daycare I am sure the parents appreciate my paranoia in this department. We also have the added dynamic of food restrictions due to sensitivities and allergies so I would not want my son that is on a dairy free diet to eat out of a bowl that someone had dairy in earlier but only rinsed, there is potential for dairy protein to be left on the bowl, etc. Every family does what they want with their family but I admit it icked me out, and I would not eat off dishes that someone just used water to wipe out after eating from. But to each their own. I have less concern with the environment at large (as per the mention of using no soap being better for it) than with my concern with the over all health of my family with unsanitary dishes. The risk might be 1 in a million that they get sick from a contaminant that way, but I would rather be safe than sorry. There is eco friendly dish soaps if that is a concern. Don't get me wrong I am not saying you have to do things my way. I am just icked out by it that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Most of the cleaning comes from the scrubbing. The soap just helps the particles lift off easier. hmm, I thought that the soap was killing off the bacteria and contaminants that are on the surfaces of the dishes, not just making it easier to wipe. Otherwise why bother using soap to wash your hands? Well whatever the function of the soap I feel safer using it with hot water than to not use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Like pp, I don't think they get dishes as clean as I can (unless I "wash" them all first before putting into the dishwasher). Me too. I haven't had a dishwasher since I was a kid, and haven't missed it. Wouldn't that jsut be rinsing and not actually cleaning them? :ack2: The thought of eating off dishes that were merely rinsed and not actually cleaned with hot soapy water seems icky to me. You don't put your dishes out in the sun do you? That'd kill more ickies than soap. My aunt is a nurse and says sunlight is the only thing that kills Golden Staph. Are you sure you don't want to play things safe and put the dishes out to dry on top of the car for a bit? :tongue_smilie: (Smilie there to show I am just teasing!) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonaroo Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Oh great, now every time I visit someone's house, I'll be wondering if they are "rinse only" people. Before today, I had no idea rinse only people even existed. I'll take the risk of a soap film any day over dishes that weren't even washed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I've had a lot of problems with it, but my Bosch dishwasher uses very little water. I use way more when washing by hand, especially since my hands break out and crack easily so I use my sprayer for rinsing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 We hand wash our dishes due to a lack of a dishwasher. One thing that makes it easier for me is to turn off the lights in the kitchen and light candles. I put the candles on the window sill that is right behind my sink. Yes, I can tell if the dishes are clean or not even in candlelight. I also agree with a PP that it is nice in the winter to hand wash because it warms me up on cold days. Summer, not so much. I have to add that I would love to have a dishwasher. Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Tbog, our dishwasher leaves a film, too. We just can't afford the higher end detergents that supposedly prevent that since the nation went phosphate-free. I use the dishwasher as a drying rack for handwashed dishes now, since it is right by the sink. Argh. I didn't know there were people who only rinsed dishes. That grosses me out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustybug Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 How about those of us who handwash because we do not own a dishwasher but have fantasies about the sleek shiny washer that are done in 45 seconds, or that play a little tune when done. Since leaving home at 18 I have never had a dishwasher. I don't really give a carp about the water usage either :tongue_smilie:It is better to rinse in running water and I like getting it to the temp I want and leaving it there until the load is done. Likely I am wasting water. But I don't care :tongue_smilie: :iagree:I have only owned a dishwasher for a few months of our entire marriage. I leave the water running the whole time and don't fill the sink with water. I apply soap to the rag/sponge, wash, rinse under the hot water and place in the drying rack. I don't know why, but a sink full of hot water grosses me out. I'm weird though. lol I will say that not using soap skeeves me out even more though. I noticed my mom doing this one time when we were visiting her and so I prerinsed WITH soap any dish I used for the remainder of our stay there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 With the dishwasher we bought 3 years ago, we use a rinse agent in addition to the little detergent pellet. My dishes come out sparkling clean, no bits or pieces, and no discoloration or wear and tear. If the rinse agent gets low, I'll start seeing stuff on the dishes. After reading some of your replies I do remember a time when the dishes wouldn't come out clean (older model dishwasher). I think environmentally speaking, that rinse agent is BAD probably. And I've wondered if we're drinking it up when we use those shiny mugs and glasses. (are we?) Well, to be honest, the handwashing hasn't been as bad as I had expected it to be. Probably because nothing's been sitting out getting crusty and crunchy. I almost feel like continuing doing it.... :$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 For a small part of the year, I don't have regular plumbing, so doing dishes with running hot and cold water seems easy. If I want to save water, I use a dish pan and a rinse pan, changing the rinse water when it gets soapy, and drying. The rest of the time, I use the method most of the rest of you do and leave them to air-dry. I grew up with a dishwasher. It seems yuckier and more of a chore to me to rinse the dishes and load the dishwasher than it does to do the dishes by hand. If I am going to be touching all those dirty dishes, I'd rather it involved having my hands in lots of hot soapy water GRIN. When I have no running water, I put a kettle of water on to heat, scrape the dishes, wipe them with a bit of paper napkin or towel left over from doing something else, wipe the counter, and lay down a dish towel. If I can, I rinse the dishes with a non-drinkable source of water. Then I put a dribble of soap (not too much because it takes too much water to rinse it off again) in the basin, put in the silverware, and pour boiling water over it. Then I add enough cold that I can stand to touch it and wash the dishes with a very small dishcloth (a big one sucks up half my wash water). When I get to the pots and pans, I pour the dishwater into the pan and wash it that way, pouring from cleanest to dirtiest. As I wash the dishes, I lay them on the dish towel. Next, I rinse the basin with a tiny bit of water, put the silverware in the bottom, and pour some water from the kettle into a cup, I rinse by pouring the water from cup to cup, turning the cup so the water runs out over the whole inside. Finally, I rinse the outsides by pouring from the last cup over the other cups into the basin where the silverware is waiting. I do the plates in a similar way, pouring directly from the kettle into something needing rinsing and then pouring that onto a plate. Usually I have some sort of serving spoon that I am rinsing, so I scoop up the water and pour it over the next plate. Once you have the system down, it doesn't seem bad and it is very water-efficient. If possible, I put the dishes in the sun to dry. I was taught that when you are doing dishes, physically removing the food particles and germs and killing any remaining germs with hot water or by letting them dry up is what keeps you healthy. I was taught that sunlight helps to sterilize things, and that the soap is just to help dissolve the grease so that it can be removed and so the germs can't hide in it to stay hydrated and to stick in the scratches. I also was taught that it is next to impossible to get things totally clean in a home kitchen and that if you really want something sterilized, you either need to use lots of chemicals or you need to boil it for 10 minutes. I scald (pour boiling water over) anything wooden from time to time, scald anything I've used to store milk (like a thermous), and if I put milk in a baby's bottle, I boil it 10 minutes. I'm really careful with meat, especially chicken. I keep it away from my nice wooden cutting boards both raw and cooked, and I clean the whole sink area, including faucets and the dish soap container after I've dealt with it raw, and I use a rag or paper towel to do it and then throw that away. In general, we don't use paper, but this is one place where I do. I do the same thing if I am dealing with food that has gone bad. Usually, I try to eat it or compost it before it goes bad in my kitchen. I don't keep a super-clean kitchen and I don't worry very much, but part of that is because I don't deal with things that are too yucky in the first place. Sick people aren't allowed in the kitchen. If someone has the flu or a throwing up bug, I'm more careful. The rest of the time, I rely on our immune systems - sigh. Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I do both, but prefer the dishwasher. I never feel like the dishes are as clean if they are run through the dishwasher :) Especially plastic stuff. Never gets as clean. As for dishwashers not working well and/or leaving film on things... First - the bottom of the dishwasher needs to be cleaned out every once in a while. Second - you can't use cheap soap. I finally gave up trying to use the cheap stuff, and went with the Cascade Tab things - they work wonders, no film, no spots, dishes get clean. The cheap soap is horrible. Third - you still have to rinse dishes, and if they have been left out to get icky and crusty - you have to basically clean them before they can go in (in which case I usually just hand wash them). We have a relatively decent dishwasher, about 6 years old, and the dishes always look great.... I also use FAR less water using the machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 No, you can't smell/taste/anything the vinegar when the dishes are dry. It cleans the last traces of any soap off the dishes. Now that several people have mentioned this, I might give it a try. We have much softer water than I grew up with, and it seems like sometimes I can still smell the soap after the plates have dried. It doesn't help that even the low-scent ones are really flowery and that I have a very sensitive nose. Maybe I'll have to make room for a bottle of vinegar under the sink. I use it for nearly everything else around the house, but I've never used it for dishes before. As for the no-soap thing...mentally I know that the scrubbing is what gets most of the germs off your hands or anything else. I know that. I can't imagine not using at least some kind of rinse if I didn't use regular soap. I'm generally lax on housekeeping and cleanliness to the point of concerning my extended family. I don't think I could do this though! We are looking at a house with a dishwasher. I'm not sure yet if it has a working bathroom, but the brand new dishwasher and kitchen have me sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My dishwasher is broken again (4th time in 3 years), so I'm handwashing till we get things figured out. Two questions: 1. Those of you who handwash by choice just because you like to... why??? :lol: I've met a few ladies who just don't use their dishwashers b/c they just handwash. I never got that.Our new place doesn't have a dishwasher and I was stressed about it. DH said he'd get me a portable one. But I've discovered that it's actually less work to do them by hand and they're cleaner too! I can wash a sink full of dishes in very hot water, set them to dry and come back put them away 15 minutes later. My dishwasher's cycles were much longer and there was usually a few I'd have to wash by hand or rewash. Washing dishes is always going to be a chore. It's over quicker when I do them by hand. 2. Those of you who handwash to save money on water or to save water as a resource, in general, then do you really think handwashing uses less water? Maybe I need a tutorial b/c even though I try to use little water, it feels like it is on/off/on/off/on/off a zillion times before I'm done! I do not put all the dishes in a sink full of water... is that the most efficient way to do it? I just leave the tap on while I wash. I don't leave it on high. I prefer not to use a sink full of water. I don't like the floaties. :D DH uses the usual sink of water and then rinses. Help an old lady out this Monday night! (ok, I'm not really old, I'm 36) :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 :lurk5: I use a scotch bright dishwand. It keeps my kids from over using the soap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Wow, a lot of you folks put an enormous amount of faith in soap. This is largely psychological (or blindly following what your mama taught you). Soap actually has zero beneficial effect on most of the stuff we wash. It's water that does the cleaning. Obviously there are exceptions - greasy foods, etc. I started doing the no-soap thing when I became a mom, as I knew that eating soap residue (hand soap or dishwasher soap) can cause health issues. My kids were almost never sick, and I really mean that. Actually one of my kids literally never had a fever or needed a doctor visit before she went to preschool at 2.5. The other one had a couple of fevers (treated at home without meds), but that's it. They continue to be very healthy kids. I could see the concern if there were someone in the home with extreme food sensitivities. We don't have that issue here. You would probably also be grossed out to hear that I didn't usually use soap when bathing my babies, either. (Their skin is very healthy, thank you.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) Broken -beyond -repair dishwasher here for about 6 mos. I don't want to spend the money right now for a new one. I wash dishes as we go, and the children are responsible for their own during the day. My oldest dd is on charge of putting away the dry dishes when she wakes in the morning. At supper, I fill the sink with hot soapy water and once you finish eating, you put your items in the water. Dh usually washes those. Honestly, I pretty much have dishes in a soapy sink most of the day. I can't stand dishes on the counter, but I don't mind them in soapy hot water for a bit. The water warms me up, and in an odd way, it's a comforting task. On the soap note, I use Mrs Myers lavender exclusively now. It does seem to be a help, in an aromatherapy kind of way. ;) Edited January 17, 2012 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 You would probably also be grossed out to hear that I didn't usually use soap when bathing my babies, either. (Their skin is very healthy, thank you.) See, this doesn't bother me at all. In fact, it's rare for me to bathe my children at all. Unless they are visibly dirty, we don't do baths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Wow, a lot of you folks put an enormous amount of faith in soap. This is largely psychological (or blindly following what your mama taught you). Soap actually has zero beneficial effect on most of the stuff we wash. It's water that does the cleaning. Obviously there are exceptions - greasy foods, etc. I started doing the no-soap thing when I became a mom, as I knew that eating soap residue (hand soap or dishwasher soap) can cause health issues. My kids were almost never sick, and I really mean that. Actually one of my kids literally never had a fever or needed a doctor visit before she went to preschool at 2.5. The other one had a couple of fevers (treated at home without meds), but that's it. They continue to be very healthy kids. I could see the concern if there were someone in the home with extreme food sensitivities. We don't have that issue here. You would probably also be grossed out to hear that I didn't usually use soap when bathing my babies, either. (Their skin is very healthy, thank you.) We don't eat soap residue! We actually thoroughly rinse our hand-washed dishes. And our kids are way healthier than the national average, too. My babies and toddlers never had ear infections, etc. I always chalked that up to breastfeeding, a whole-foods diet, a properly-cleaned home, and good genetics. Having their dishes (and faces and bottoms) washed hasn't hurt them a bit. I feel I've fallen down the rabbit hole. You are not cleaner or healthier because you don't use soap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I feel I've fallen down the rabbit hole. You are not cleaner or healthier because you don't use soap. I was afraid someone was going to take it that way. I am not saying soap is making all soap users' kids sick (though it is a toxin and can cause problems). Just saying that NOT using it is NOT making my kids sick. You know, reacting to the fact that a half-dozen posters here wanted to barf on my original comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 hmm, I thought that the soap was killing off the bacteria and contaminants that are on the surfaces of the dishes, not just making it easier to wipe. Otherwise why bother using soap to wash your hands? Well whatever the function of the soap I feel safer using it with hot water than to not use it. Soap, and detergent, is an emulsifier. The only thing it does is allow oils to mix with the water to be washed away easier. That said, I do use dish soap because it makes it easier to clean the oily residue from some foods off dishes. You would probably also be grossed out to hear that I didn't usually use soap when bathing my babies, either. (Their skin is very healthy, thank you.) I have very sensitive skin and haven't used body soap or body wash (other than on my face when it is oily) for several years. My skin is much happier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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