Hand Washing Dishes: 3 Simple Dish-washing Tips to Make This Daily Household Chore Easier by 30Seconds Mom

Dish washing is one of the most important chores done in the kitchen, and maybe even the whole house. Why? Because washing dishes is an unavoidable activity – after all, no matter the structure or functionality of the people or the home, food must be made or at least eaten every day. Mealtimes involve the use of utensils like plates, pots, cutlery, cups and similar objects. These utensils get dirty once they are used, and they need to be washed and cleaned before they can be used again.

One characteristic that cuts across every home regardless of its size is that dish washing is highly avoided. Chores in general are usually avoided but still, the avoidance of dish washing is in a league of its own. Not many people like to touch dirty plates, as they can be very messy. Also, washing plates can be time consuming, especially when you are struggling to get out those tough food stains.

As a result of these dish-washing challenges, many people opted for dishwashers. These machines can wash the dishes so people can fulfill their obligation of washing the dishes without getting directly involved. However, soon people began to realize that as convenient as a dishwasher may seem, it could not take away the benefits of the old and trusted method of washing dishes by hand. According to the survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, roughly 68 percent of American households have a dishwasher, but around 20 percent use it less than once a week.

The hand-washing method of cleaning dishes may be a healthier and a more effective option for getting dishes clean. Just be sure to use a clean sponge when washing your dishes. A study in Scientific Reports found that there could be 362 different kinds of bacteria lurking in that kitchen sponge. Replace your kitchen sponges often. 

Simple Dish Washing Tips

In spite of the obvious benefits of washing dishes by hand, a lot of people are finding it hard to revert back to washing by hand because they feel it is quite difficult and time consuming. Fortunately, there are a few tips that when applied can probably make washing by hand faster and easier. Here are three tips for washing dishes by hand:

• Soak dishes as soon as they are used. This is highly recommended when washing dishes because one of the issues that makes washing dishes difficult or time consuming is getting rid of hard, dried-on food from the dishes. If this is taken care of by soaking the dishes immediately after use, washing dishes would be easier on everyone.
  

• Heat up the water before washing dishes. Heating up water before you start washing is highly beneficial for those who want to wash up their dinner dishes faster. Hot water makes it easier to wash oily dishes – especially plastic ones – as removing oily stains can be quite tricky and requires lots of muscle and scrubbing.

• Wipe dishes as soon as they are used. As soon as dishes are used, instead of simply tossing them into the sink, consider using a paper towel or kitchen towel to wipe the surface of the dish. This simple act helps to rid the dish of an overwhelming majority of the dirt on it and makes the actual dish washing easier.

Dish washing cannot be avoided. No matter how much you try, you can't run away from the fact that it is an integral part of life and must continually be done. If these tips are adopted into your dish-washing routine, you may get out of the kitchen faster and have cleaner dishes.

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