washed dishes drying

The Best Way to Wash Dishes: Top Tips and Tricks

Washing dishes isn’t anyone’s idea of fun. However, it needs to be done. 

Do you hate washing the dishes? You’re not on your own. People really really hate doing dishes, one study found. 

However, you may hate doing the dishes because you’re not doing it quite right.

Ask yourself – does washing dishes always appear to be taking longer than it should? Are you getting soap everywhere? Do the dishes not dry clean?

You just need to know our tips and tricks to get better results. Check out the below blog post to discover the best way to wash dishes. 

1. Always Wear Rubber Gloves

You may be embarrassed to put on a pair of bright yellow gloves to wash up the dishes – but it helps! Looking silly is a small cost for clean dishes.

There are tons of reasons why washing up with rubbers gloves is a great idea. Soaking your skin in hot soapy water isn’t good for your skin’s health.

The natural oils which protect your hands become washed away. You don’t want to develop “dishpan hands” which can cause your skin to decline.

Without gloves, you could accidentally cut your hand in the soapy water. You may not be able to spot the knife in the murky sink.

When you wear gloves, you give yourself an extra layer of protection from cuts and bruises. 

2. Buy a Rack to Dry Your Dishes

Buying a dish rack is a wise investment. They don’t cost much and they’ll save you drying your plates and pots by hand.

And yes, size does matter when it comes to dish racks. You need plenty of space to stack pots after a cooking frenzy.

You don’t want to clutter up your entire counter with drying pots. Get the proper equipment to ensure a job well done.

3. Never Leave for Later

Imagine you have cooked a delicious meal and sat down together to eat it. When you have finished eating, you’re far too tired to wash the dishes.

What do you do now? You just leave them for later, right?

This is always a mistake! If you don’t scrub the dishes immediately, the food will become much harder to remove from the plates and pans.

The moisture evaporates from the food, which also causes the leftover food to dry onto the plate. Enjoy scrubbing this off the next morning.

If you don’t get into the habit of washing dishes straight after eating, they will pile up in your kitchen in no time. Before you know it, you have a mountain of dishes to tackle.

4. Cold Water isn’t Enough

There are two kinds of people in the world. People who wash dishes in cold water and people who wash up correctly.

When you wash your dishes in hot water, the food should break away cleanly from the surface of the dish. This is how you remove the grease.

And yet, if you’re simply bathing your dishes in cold and murky water, you needn’t bother with it at all. 

Do you have any fancy wine flutes? When you wash these hot water, they usually dry without any streaks or marks. 

5. Leave Dirty Pots to Soak

Once in a while, you’ll have a pot which refuses to get clean. You can scrub away for ages without any success. 

Don’t just give up. This is when you need to soak the dish in dish liquid and hot water for a while. Leave it overnight to loosen up.

If that doesn’t work, you may need to get the baking soda out. This will remove anything within an instant.

6. Invest in a Mighty Sponge 

Just as with any other task, a dishwasher is only as good as his or her tools. You need a decent sponge!

You can get your hands on a high-quality sponge for an affordable amount. Ensure that you don’t buy a sponge that scratches dishes. This could make marks in your dishes.

Ensure that your dishes are washed to the max with a booster for detergent. This will remove any stains or grease leftover. 

7. Wash Dishes in the Correct Order

Don’t start washing up by reaching for the greasy pan. This should be left until the final moments.

You need to start washing any glassware, such as wine glasses or cups. These won’t be as dirty and require only a quick wipe.

Follow this by washing the cutlery, such as knives, forks, and spoons. After you’ve finished with cutlery, move onto the bowls and plates.

Only then do you tackle any pots and pans which have a lot more remaining food and grease on them. 

8. Get a Dishwasher 

Around 75 percent of American households have a dishwasher. If you don’t already have a dishwasher, you may consider buying one. 

Around one in five of them doesn’t use the dishwasher than they own. When you know our tips, it can appear like a waste of time.

But, washing dishes in a machine can save time, energy and effort. It’s certainly worth the investment to give yourself extra time to cook and eat.

What is the Best Way to Wash Dishes?

Washing dishes isn’t necessarily much fun. But, unless you can afford to pay someone else to do it for you, then the chore isn’t going anywhere. 

Sure, you can get a dishwasher. But, there are always some pots and pans which are too much for your machine. Follow our best way to wash dishes for better results. 

Did you find this blog post helpful and interesting? You can learn more about DIY on the rest of our website. 

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