washing dishes: by hand vs. dishwasher

[squiqwe]

I really don't care which is more efficient. I have very few creature comforts and the dishwasher is one. I don't own a vacuum cleaner opting to sweep manually or an hd big screen tv which burns more energy than a regular tv. But I'm absolutely not going to even consider giving up my dishwasher.

 

[patandchickens]

It's funny, but as much as I am not keen on washing dishes, I hate loading and unloading a dishwasher MUCH more (We do own one, it came with the house, I believe I've used it twice in going on seven years)

Mind you I might feel differently if there were more than 4 people in the family!

Pat

 

[Aidenbaby]

We do it both ways. When we handwash, we use two sinkfulls and use the dishwasher as a drying rack. I usually put a tiny bit of bleach in the rinse water as well. We usually use the dishwasher when there are more dishes than usual to be done. It isn't just the energy use that discourages me from using the machine but also the soaps used are WAY more expensive than the few teaspoons of dishsoap I use.

 

[paul wheaton]

I feel like I have accomplished something.

Two days ago, my life was riddled with folks insisting that any dishwasher used less water than washing dishes by hand and, to them, it was absolute fact that would never change.

And now, while there are folks that have other reasons why they use one or the other, nobody is making this goofy claim.

Progress!

 

[abifae]

Heh. Yeh. I'm weird. I find washing dishes by hand comforting. A nice quiet chore. >.>

If our dishwasher didn't backspit dirty smelly water, I'd do dishes all by hand and use the dishwasher as a drying rack.

As is, I won't wash any pots & pan and rarely utensils in the dishwasher. Just dishes and the cutting boards I use with raw meat.

Last place there were three of us and I hand washed

(I love doing laundry too!! Washing it and the smell from the dryer or putting it on a line, and folding it!!!)

(Just to reassure everyone, I do NOT like cleaning bathrooms or running the vacuum. I just like a clean house so I do it anyway.)

 

[Farmfresh]

I actually DIS like doing the dishes ..... BUT I actually like what doing the dishes does. Besides clean dishes for us to eat on soaking my arthritic hands in the hot sudsy water (and I admit it I love to fill up the old sink! ) sure makes my hands feel happy.

I CAN do dishes with very little water when I choose to. We haul our own water when we primitive camp so I can wash a lot with a little when I need to.

Also for anyone who needs to learn how to do dishes with a dab of water I can highly recommend my training method. When we remodeled our kitchen and re-did the plumbing there was a period where my sink drain ended in a 5 gallon bucket. You really learn how to shut off that faucet and save water when you are limited to 5 gallons between dumping buckets!!

 

[ducks4you]

We do it both ways. When we handwash, we use two sinkfulls and use the dishwasher as a drying rack.

That's how WE do it, too. You need to bear in mine WHAT you are washing, too. I use a portable dishwasher--that just means it is not built in, and has to be hooked up to the kitchen faucet. It's hard to measure HOW MUCH water you use when you hand wash, but I know that the faucet tends to run, and the dishwasher fills up about 6 times during a full load. I am sure that it uses somewhat less. We run our dishwasher once/day to once/3 days, with 4 adults, who work outside of the home M-F.

Pretty much every DISH, CUP, GLASS and all FORKS, SPOONS and KNIVES (only the butter knives) go into the dishwasher. Though we live in the country we do have chlorinated "city water", that we pay for, and I like to keep our water bill between $40-$50/month, which includes ALL water for washing clothes and showers. (I use well water for gardening, however.)
DO NOT wash your sharp knives in a dishwasher because they will become dull. DO NOT wash pots with handles in your dishwasher because they will become brittle. (I have a stainless steel "Dutch Oven", and I wash the bottom only in the dishwasher.) I also put my removable crock pots AND their glass lids in the dishwasher.
I hand wash pots and pans and ANYTHING else that is NOT dishwasher safe. EVERY DAY, you'll see the hand-washables drying on the left side of my aluminum sink, on a rack.
If you are clever you can do double-duty. For example, we had neglected to wash a number of silverware, and the dishwasher was full this morning. SO, I put all of the pieces in a mixing bowl that needed washing, and put THAT under the faucet to catch the water from the dishwasher cycle. When the dishwasher was done, I just gave them another clear rinse and put them to the left to dry.m I do the same when it's full and I've used one of crock pots.
ALSO, if you can't get to your pots and pans right away, it's time-saving to soak them in dish cleaning soap and water because you won't have to scrub them later on--come on, most of us are SO Busy, I KNOW you've been there!!

 

[abifae]

ALSO, if you can't get to your pots and pans right away, it's time-saving to soak them in dish cleaning soap and water because you won't have to scrub them later on--come on, most of us are SO Busy, I KNOW you've been there!!

I don't believe this rumor. I think it is so fast to wash them still warm (NOT HOT) before the stuff cools enough to stick, that letting them cool and then reheating it in hot water (which loosens it) and then letting THAT cool again so you actually have to scrub is a LOT more work. LOL.

of course, i mostly use cast iron and we just wipe with a wet rag and call it done...

 

[old fashioned]

We have an older dishwasher that is only used for special occaisions when I have lots of dishes to do. Usually I do the dishes by hand. Recently I wondered if there was any way I could save money & water doing it a better way.
And came up with a double (triple?) duty of the water. For the soapy water I use either a large bowl or roasting pan or plastic tub & when done, this is tossed (depending on how bad it is) on the roses or flowers (the soap helps with bug control-or so I've heard )
And the rinse water is then poured into empty milk or soda jugs for WZ's redneck wall o water idea & if neccessary will be used to water the plants they protect-but will have to see how the season goes.
I'm not using as much water as I was before saving it & it's not just going down the drain.
I'm sure it's probably not a great plan for others, but it does work for me & mine.

 

[ducks4you]

ALSO, if you can't get to your pots and pans right away, it's time-saving to soak them in dish cleaning soap and water because you won't have to scrub them later on--come on, most of us are SO Busy, I KNOW you've been there!!

I don't believe this rumor. I think it is so fast to wash them still warm (NOT HOT) before the stuff cools enough to stick, that letting them cool and then reheating it in hot water (which loosens it) and then letting THAT cool again so you actually have to scrub is a LOT more work. LOL.

of course, i mostly use cast iron and we just wipe with a wet rag and call it done...

I wish YOU lived at my house!! Unfortunately, the other 3 people in the household are not motivated to wash pots and pans, and I have to finish farm (animal) chores when I still have light, so, MANY TIMES, they don't get washed immediately. It DOES happen on holidays, because I round everybody up and demand that once it's used it needs to be cleaned. **sigh**