How to Best Wash the Dishes

There’s no wrong way to do it, but oh so many variables.

Washing dishes is like the original chore. You know it’s easy because you’ve been doing it since you were a kid.

Sure, you could potentially break a glass or come across a sharp utensil, but generally, dish duty can be assigned to children because it’s sort of hard to mess up. That being said, there are a few points of interest regarding exactly how to wash dishes:

• Are you pro-sponge or anti-sponge?
• Are you Team-Handwashing or Team-Dishwasher?
• How do you know when to hand-wash items or when the dishwasher’s safe?
• And more!

The Great Sponge Debate
Are these essential cleaning products just festering germ cesspools? It’s unnerving to think about since you use sponges to clean most surfaces, especially dishes. Once you start to meditate on all the moist food residue hanging out on its porous surface, well… ew. Various studies have shown an alarming amount of bacteria growth on sponges, however not necessarily the type that will make you sick. But still.

Pro-Sponge?
If you’re going to use a regular sponge, you should replace it often or clean it regularly. You can clean your sponge by soaking it overnight in a solution of water, vinegar, and salt then wringing it out well and nuking it in your microwave for about two minutes to kill off bacteria. This isn’t a perfect solution, but better than nothing.

Anti-Sponge?
If sponges disgust you (or you just can’t stand the way they make your hands smell after using that, gag!), try a silicone or plastic scrub brush instead. These are more likely to dry out when they’re not being used and have fewer nooks and crannies for bacteria to hide and breed.

• Fill your sink with hot water and a few drops of Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid. Dawn Ultra’s powerful grease-cutting formula is highly concentrated, so less is more. Pile your dishes into the sink, with the dirtiest items on the bottom. (TIP: Best to immediately soak your pots and pans after cooking, while you’re actually eating your meal, but before starting on the rest of the dishes. This way, when you ultimately get to washing them, the food scraps haven’t been just congealing this entire time, leaving much less scraping and chiseling to do.)

• Give all your dishes a once-over scrub with your sponge (or alternative scrubby brush) while submerged in the soapy water to rid them of major chunks and food bits. Drain the sink. Maybe run the garbage disposal again as you do, if the water is especially gross.

• Rinse. Repeat? Choose your own adventure dish game.

  • Run the water as hot as you can handle it and rinse your dishes individually. Some people like to re-soap up their sponge at this point, sort of double washing the dishes before rinsing to ensure maximum cleanliness. Whether or not you need to double-scrub depends on what you’re washing off the dishes (also how long your dishes sat around dirty).
  • If your meal was especially oily or greasy, it’s good to double soap, then rinse. (This also depends on your standards of cleanliness and whether or not you’re in a hurry to just be done with the dishes already.) Turns out, doing the dishes is deeply personal. You do you. Whatever you decide, be sure to fully rinse all of the soap residue off of your dishes before putting them in the rack, or they’ll end up splotchy and streaky.
  • Have a double sink? Lucky you. You can fill one side with soapy water and the other side with clean water. Soak and scrub dishes in the soapy side, then transfer them to the clean water side to rinse. Drain the soapy side once all dishes are on the clean side, run the faucet, and give the dishes a final rinse off with clean water from the tap. Maybe even give clean dishes a once-over with a clean, un-soaped sponge for good measure, if you’re feeling thorough.
  • Load up clean, well-rinsed dishes into a dryer rack. Sometimes this can be the fun, balancing portion of the evening. Piling dishes into the dishrack is a feat in itself. Just be sure all the cups, bowls, Tupperware and lids are facing downwards so they dry completely.

If you’re using a dishwasher instead of washing by hand, be sure you’re loading it properly for best results. How much pre-rinsing should you do? That’s always the question, isn’t it? Well, it depends on the type of detergent that you’re using. Products like Cascade Platinum ActionPacs contain special formulas with built-in rinse aid action to help dissolve burnt-on food and lingering greasy residue, so you can avoid the pre-rinse altogether. However, some soaps and detergents work best when they’ve got some bits of food and such to cling onto.

When To Prioritize Hand Washing Dishes Over The Dishwasher

• Is it wood? Hand wash – and avoid letting those wooden spoons, cutting boards, and bowls soak for too long. Too much moisture for too long can warp the wood.
• Is it glass? Depends. Most common glass items are dishwasher safe these days, but it never hurts to check. Rather be safe than sorry? Wash by hand.
• Is it aluminum pots and pans? Wash them in the sink to avoid darkening.
• Is it cast iron? This one’s a trick question. Avoid the dishwasher, and do not use soapy water on cast iron. Instead, while still warm, use paper towels to wipe your cast iron’s interior to remove oil or any remaining food. Rinse under running hot water, using a softer scrubbing item like a rag or a sponge (avoid anything metal or abrasive).
• Is it china? Wash by hand and be very, very careful. This stuff is antique.
• Is it crystal? While there may be some dishwasher safe crystal items, you should still wash by hand to help keep it clear and shiny longer.
• Is it plastic? This is another trick question. Check to see if it’s dishwasher safe. Most modern-day kids cups, plates, and plasticware can be tossed right into the racks, but it’s worth a double-check or it might melt or warp.

In general, you’ll typically want to hand-wash fragile items like:

• wine glasses
• ceramics
• fine metals
• china
• wood
• baking or serving trays
• large items that could block the water spray
• or anything with sentimental value to avoid potential damage.

When To Prioritize The Dishwasher Over Hand-Washing

• Do you like a clean-looking kitchen? Don’t leave your dishes in the sink where everyone can see them. Drop that plate in the dishwasher (maybe give it a quick rinse, first) before you head out of the door. The dishwasher will hide it for you.
• Are you in a hurry? Press start on the dishwasher before you run out of the door, and let it do the work for you. It’s nice coming home to a load of sparkly clean dishes.
• Do you like to outsource dishwashing? Your dishwasher can be a great substitute for a child or house cleaner.

The winner?

There really is no right or wrong way to wash dishes, as long as the dishes get done! The surest way to sanitize dishes is by using the dishwasher, what with its hot water wash and hot heat drying cycle one-two punch system. And the surest way to make sure you’re taking care of the right item the right way is to do it by hand. As you can see, there’s a lot to learn about washing dishes, even if you’ve been doing it your whole life. But the biggest tip we can give you for doing the dishes? Wash as you go. Even if that means just tossing your dishes in the sink with some soapy water that you’ll eventually get to later, your future self will thank you. Be kind to your future self.