My gripes on houses in London (aside from being expensive)

grizzly1911

wymondham wrote: »

I always just rinse out my mug if i'm having another.... this is ending the year on a low for me now as I feel unclean and lowlife.... and I don't have a dishwasher despite there being four in our family .... I feel so low I need to post on another board now.... ;-(

And we do if it hasn't been left too long, like overnight. Don't stress.;)

We have a dishwasher,(family of four) and it does get used but we also do regular washing up during the day. Always wash up the cooking stuff, saucepans, casserole dishes, utensils etc anyway.

We have a separate tumble dryer that probably gets use less than 10 times a year for essential, forgotten stuff. it is in the garage so out of site out of mind and we also have a big airing cupboard.

Doing family washing and relying on a dryer would just take so long. The main reason we don't use one any more often is it would be a total waste of energy. TDs also make ironing, of some fabrics, more difficult IMO.

silvercar

I don't get the people who rinse their dishes before putting them in a dishwasher.

chewmylegoff

silvercar wrote: »

I don't get the people who rinse their dishes before putting them in a dishwasher.

i do that when i can be bothered, which isn't often. i thought you were supposed to because the dishwasher ends up clogged up with old bits of food and then starts to stink if you don't.

thinking about it, although i have lived in london flats in the past which did not have a dishwasher, most of the places i lived in had one, and i can't think of anyone i know who doesn't have one now. either dishwashers are common, or this is a posh alert.

ILW

I find that most people in smaller household only tend to use a dishwasher when it is full. This means the dirty stuff can sit in there for days getting rather smelly.

Also you tend to find if you have run out of an item like a cereal bowl, will tend to take it out of the washer and rinse it in the sink rather than wait for a whole wash cycle.

Seems more bother than it is worth for the sake of 5 minutes to wash up what you have just used.

kiss_me_now9

silvercar wrote: »

I don't get the people who rinse their dishes before putting them in a dishwasher.

If we don't, when the cycle is finished all the plates and mugs are covered in food (normally brocolli bits or rice) - saves rewashing them!

dacouch

To be fair to the OP and Canada, it's hardly not surprising they need all the labour saving devices as they have no time due to them working all day and sleeping all night.

silvercar

kiss_me_now9 wrote: »

If we don't, when the cycle is finished all the plates and mugs are covered in food (normally brocolli bits or rice) - saves rewashing them!

Think your dishwasher is rubbish. I never have that problem.

silvercar

chewmylegoff wrote: »

i do that when i can be bothered, which isn't often. i thought you were supposed to because the dishwasher ends up clogged up with old bits of food and then starts to stink if you don't.

I wash out the drain thingummy occasionally.

filcanmike

michelle2008 wrote: »

So by OP's logic 39% of canadians are homeless!!

Hmm.... I may have forgotten to take into account those that live in isolated farming communities or very small towns, and First Nations reserves (first nations is what we call the Native population like Inuits, Metis, etc.). But in the urban areas, I am sure it will be closer to 95%.

I have to admit that living outside North America is quite a life-learning experience. It makes me want to go to rural India or China and experience life of squat toilets and no toilet paper. It makes you see that different people from different places have different ideas of what constitute "basic necessities".

abankerbutnotafatcat

I have a dishwasher in both the flat in zone 2 London I rent out and the house in Surrey I live in. A good dishwasher is a good alternative to handwashing in energy/water usage terms.

I don't have a tumble dryer in either. Laundry can be dried easily, environmentally and very cheaply (free or with help from a dehumidifier during wet periods) without one. I had one in Sydney (it's a legal requirement for flats to have them in Sydney City to stop people from using their balconies) and used it about 3 times in 5 years. Admittedly, due to more wet days, If I had one in the UK I'd use it more. If I had children I'd consider getting one but the line/airer would still be first choice. Not only are tumble dryers not very economical but I have it in my mind that they reduce the life expectancy of clothes??

My OH is from Denmark. His biggest 'aren't you Brits old-fashioned?' thing is our love of baths. However, I made the poor boy indulge in that other British obsession, DIY, and when he was all aches and pains he softened to the concept of the occasional soothing, relaxing bath!!

Glad you're enjoying the UK, OP. As others have said, it's the little differences...