Washing Up Methods

misterE_3

Okay, I've been slow, I think I've figured it out after some experimentation.

Here's what I'm doing for "single sink washing up" if it helps anyone. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but I hope this helps other MSErs to save some water which would be great:

1. Clean off any large bits of food from the dishes, etc. into the trash

2. Rinse off any other very messy debris from the dirty dishes, etc.

3. Quickly clean the inside of the sink as you will soon be filling this with cold water and submerging dishes, etc. to rinse them.

4. Get a sponge/scourer all-in-one pad.

5. Add a drop (thats all thats needed, you don't want it too sudsy) of washing up liquid to the sponge side and dampen the sponge.

6. Put the plug in the sink, and turn on the cold water tap.

7. Pick up a dirty item, wipe it clean with the sponge/scourer, then rinse the washing up liquid off the item by submerging it into the water or the running water. (Obviously keep an eye on the running water and turn it off when the sink is full enough). Put the item in the drying rack.

8. Repeat step 7. above for each dirty item!

Good luck saving loads of water!

Ken68

That is what I do Mister E., except use a bowl, the water can then be reused for another job.
Did try to use filtered fresh rainwater but a definate rainwatery smell.
Greasy plates etc, of which there aint many in this house, are treated seperately with WUL then tissued off, then rinsed.

Becles

If you work in a professional kitchen, hygiene rules state you should rinse the dishes, wash in hot soapy water, rinse in clean hot water and leave to air dry if possible.

I rinse anything that's really dirty, like plates with gravy on, but don't rinse things like coffee cups. I start the hot water running slowly and put a squirt of washing up liquid in the bowl. I then wash and rinse under the water that is filling the bowl, starting with less dirty things like glasses and ending with pans. If anything is really caked on like a lasagne dish, I leave that soaking at the end till the baked on bits soften.

I always use piping hot water and wear rubber gloves so I can have the water hotter than hand hot. This should kill most bacteria on utensils that have been used to cut raw meats etc.

Having previously worked in a food microbiology lab, I always err on the side of paranoia where food and kitchen hygiene is concerned!

hb1444

Just use a dishwasher, you don't do the chore, and the temperature (65-70) killa lotta bacteria! :):):):):)

But before the dishwasher, my method wasn't too good, unless jumping in puddles on a non rainy day is what you like after me washing up! Now we have a dishwasher so no more washing!

black-saturn

Wish I could have a dishwasher but my kitchen is only 6ft by 10ft so it wouldnt fit.

Becles

Dishwashers cost too much.

I got a 5L bottle of concentrated washing up liquid in Makro for £2.99 which has been in use for months now.

I've noticed when I'm doing price checks in supermarkets that dishwasher tablets are quite expensive and I understand you have to buy salt and clean it out periodically too, which adds to the costs.

Ken68

Don't know if the hospital way of killing germs is adaptable for washing the dishes. The latest is for nurses to sterilise their hands with alcohol based soap then wipe off with tissues.
Perhaps cheaper than heating water.

HappyShopper3

Well done MisterE. The only difference is I don't have a bowl, and I don't fill the sink with water either. I just leave the cold tap running while everything gets washed.

Edit: I don't have a water meter so I can do it this way. It wouldn't be practical for someone on a water meter.

csarina

I fill my washing up bowl with hot water, and a small squirt of wul, then wash glasses, I then put in plates etc and leave then to soak. Pans get a drop of wul liquid and filled up with hot water and left to soak.

Wash as normal and then boil a kettle of water, pour over pots and leave to drain and dry. tins are NEVER dried with a tea towel but with a dishcloth, and then left to fiinish off in the still warm oven.

I have been doing this for 50 years and no one has ever got food poisoning or anything else from my kitchen.

My XSIL had a back attack of samonella which affected her and her two baby daughters. MIL could not understand why she was still ill. Dr calling everyday puzzled too. I went down to give MIL a break, in the kitchen..... tea towel hanging above nappy bucket with dirty nappies in!!!!!!!!!!!!! Scream rent the air, nappies rinsied out and boiled, tea towel in a poly bag in the dustbin MIL instructed how to wash dishes, nappy bucket removed to bathroom next to toilet. Dr nearly had a fit when he realised what had gone on. My MIL did not believe what I had said but Dr told her I was absolutly right, they were reinfecting themselves from the dirty nappy bucket. It was just pure good luck that MIL and SIL's husband had not suffered as well.

misterE_3

I'm going to turn preachy for a second, so if you don't like being preached to, I'm usually with you, but please skip to the next post...

Okay so if you're reading this you don't mind me being preachy for a short moment.

I agree with this forum being primarily concerned with saving money, I mean we're all MSErs here, but the importance of saving water, a precious resource, needs to be emphasised.

Briefly forget whether you have a water meter or not: if you are one of those people always on the lookout to do your bit for the environment, ask yourself what you can personally do to reduce the amount of water used in your household for washing up, and maybe, when the time is right, you can try to do that.