in order to conserve energy, i like to give my dishes to a guy, who washes them.

By justagirl78 on June 5, 2011 02:43 PM

well i don't know of anyone that would have the water running the whole time,water is not as expensive as the energy required to heat it (water is a good insulator but poor conductor) and no one would do that.

By daplet on May 31, 2011 10:04 AM

maku, I have long eschewed dishwashers because I assumed they were wasteful of electricity and especially water. I recently saw stats on just how much water a dishwasher uses and was shocked--there is no way I can handwash dishes in so little water in my sink!

As to how I handwash--I do it sort've like teep, but often have too many dishes for them all to fit in the sink. I put in a couple things...+READ

maku, I have long eschewed dishwashers because I assumed they were wasteful of electricity and especially water. I recently saw stats on just how much water a dishwasher uses and was shocked--there is no way I can handwash dishes in so little water in my sink!

As to how I handwash--I do it sort've like teep, but often have too many dishes for them all to fit in the sink. I put in a couple things that we've let stuff dry on, add some soapy water, and start washing glasses, rinsing with hot water from the faucet into the same sink where stuff is soaking.
If we don't have anything with caked-on stuff, then I put a squirt of dish soap in a glass, add water to make suds, wash the glass over the sink (with the plug in) dump the soapy water into the next glass, rinse the first one with hot water from the faucet into the sink, etc. By the time the sink's full of water, I'm usually out of dishes. If not, I let out a little water and continue until there aren't any more bubbles.

But really, we've gotta get a dishwasher!-COLLAPSE

By saacnmama on September 1, 2009 12:40 AM

This is what I do for everyday washing. Without filling the sink, put the dirtiest dishes at the bottom. With a sponge dipped in detergent (diluted with water), wash the cleanest items first and rinse them, and let the runoff soapy water fall on the dirtiest items, so by the time I get to them they will be almost clean.

By Teep on June 3, 2009 01:31 PM

When I've got a LOT of dishes, like after a party, I always wash them in one sink and rinse in the other, and stick them in the dishwasher to dry. Once full they're nearly dry and can be quickly wiped and put away, ready for the next batch. Also, our family doesn't run the dishwasher every day, and ours is a builder basic model that doesn't wash well more often than not, so we've begun a new...+READ

When I've got a LOT of dishes, like after a party, I always wash them in one sink and rinse in the other, and stick them in the dishwasher to dry. Once full they're nearly dry and can be quickly wiped and put away, ready for the next batch. Also, our family doesn't run the dishwasher every day, and ours is a builder basic model that doesn't wash well more often than not, so we've begun a new practice to help with flatware: I fill a crockery utensil vase with hot water and a squirt of dish soap, and everyone sticks their utensils (no kitchen knives, please) in there over the next day or two until it's time to run the dishwasher. Because food never gets a chance to dry on them, we always have clean utensils--no more re-washing because of dried on egg, etc..-COLLAPSE

By blaireso on May 20, 2009 03:23 PM

when i first moved to new zealand i was helping a friend wash dishes after dinner. she filled the sink with soapy water and the dishes. then she used the scrub brush to wash each dish off and then rinsed the dish USING THE SAME SOAPY WATER that she washed with. the dishes came out clean and i have been doing it the same way ever since. my australian boyfried did it the same way and so has...+READ

when i first moved to new zealand i was helping a friend wash dishes after dinner. she filled the sink with soapy water and the dishes. then she used the scrub brush to wash each dish off and then rinsed the dish USING THE SAME SOAPY WATER that she washed with. the dishes came out clean and i have been doing it the same way ever since. my australian boyfried did it the same way and so has everyone that i have had the pleasure of washing dishes with. interesting! also, on an separate note, on kcrw, good food, evan k speaks with someone who did a study on hand washing vs dishwasher and the dishwasher ALWAYS came up the winner using less water!! even with all sorts of different techniques!!-COLLAPSE

By makutamonster on April 28, 2009 07:20 PM

I wash stuff in a plugged sink as well like the first poster. This is unheard of? You can also buy eco-friendly dish and dishwasher soaps. The ones at Costco smell marv and they suds up and clean like nobody's biz.

By Sal Vanilla on April 28, 2009 03:11 PM

To A2hungry:
I think we are maybe talking about different-sized sinks because the dishpan that Amy uses in the video would only just fit into (or might even be too big for) most household sinks where I live. If I were to wash glasses, plates, cutlery, pots and serving dishes from a dinner for a family of 4 individually under running water, then yes, I would end up filling up the sink.

I'm a...+READ

To A2hungry:
I think we are maybe talking about different-sized sinks because the dishpan that Amy uses in the video would only just fit into (or might even be too big for) most household sinks where I live. If I were to wash glasses, plates, cutlery, pots and serving dishes from a dinner for a family of 4 individually under running water, then yes, I would end up filling up the sink.

I'm a bit worried how you would end up touching other people's saliva - do the people you live with lick their plates/the handles of their cutlery, coffee mugs, cooking pots/ the outside of their drinking glasses?

The dishes don't SIT in the sink of water, you WASH them in the sink of water. You only immerse eash dish in the water for as long as it takes to scrub it clean.

You are making huge assumptions based on the way YOU would wash dishes in a sink of water and I think you are right - the way YOU would wash dishes in a sink of water is probably not the most environmentally friendly or hygenic.
However, this is how I was taught:
- Scrape food off dishes as soon as you have cleared the plates.
- Water must be hot ONLY (no cold water at all).
- Wash from cleanest to dirtiest (eg glasses, then cups, then cutlery, then plates, then pots etc.).

Also, I don't need to rinse my dishes (more water-saving) because I don't use ridiculous amounts of soap.

Yes, if I am washing one glass or a single knife I will wash it under the running tap, but I do know that my way is definitely more environmentally-friendly for a dinner-load of dishes.-COLLAPSE

By Billy33 on April 28, 2009 04:42 AM

I live in a household with four other people. Germs, illnesses, and bacteria spread quickly in the kitchen if things aren't kept clean. We've found that cleaning things immediately after we use them allows other to use them without A) having to scrape off old food B) touch other peoples saliva or leftovrs C) avoid cleaning someone else's mess. We've also found that we cut back on dishwasher usage...+READ

I live in a household with four other people. Germs, illnesses, and bacteria spread quickly in the kitchen if things aren't kept clean. We've found that cleaning things immediately after we use them allows other to use them without A) having to scrape off old food B) touch other peoples saliva or leftovrs C) avoid cleaning someone else's mess. We've also found that we cut back on dishwasher usage and also cut back on water. It isn't neccessary to let dishes sit in soapy bacteria filled water. It's more efficient and clean to wipe away debris, soap and scrub, then rinse thoroughly and dry. Have you ever actually filled up a sink with soap water by washing dishes individually? I couldn't. If you do, maybe your using too much water. The Point: you're way isn't the only way and just because you think it's the most environmental way doesn't mean it is.-COLLAPSE

By A2hungry on April 26, 2009 07:52 PM