Wash the spoon

[Joggernot]

This is good on so many levels...

From Science Alert.

[darkadams00]

Around our house, this translates into discussions about whether to wash dishes by hand or use the dishwasher (usually by hand) and whether to use a paper towel instead of a clean plate to hold a sandwich (usually a clean plate). Convenience in personal effort--vacuum carpet vs sweep hardwoods, gas clothes dryer vs line dry, disposable vs non-disposable kitchen items, auto car wash vs hand wash--almost always comes at a small cost. However, the marginal cost is so often measured in 1-5 cents per decision, most folks don't even bother. Remember, this is the society that points at coins on the ground but doesn't pick them up.

[AH013]

Around our house, this translates into discussions about whether to wash dishes by hand or use the dishwasher (usually by hand) and whether to use a paper towel instead of a clean plate to hold a sandwich (usually a clean plate). Convenience in personal effort--vacuum carpet vs sweep hardwoods, gas clothes dryer vs line dry, disposable vs non-disposable kitchen items, auto car wash vs hand wash--almost always comes at a small cost. However, the marginal cost is so often measured in 1-5 cents per decision, most folks don't even bother. Remember, this is the society that points at coins on the ground but doesn't pick them up.

Not to dis your mustachianism, but studies have found that with today's energy efficient dishwashers, the energy cost of using a dishwasher is actually less than the energy cost of washing dishes by hand.  This is under an assumption of washing a full load and using a no-heat dry option.  Dishwashers are almost entirely mechanically operated by water pressure, and they generally use less hot water than what someone would use in a 2-tub method for washing by hand (unless you use the most ridiculous pot & pan setting to wash some lightly used glassware).

My MIL washes dishes by hand (despite being provided a working dishwasher in her apartment), and it drives me batty when I visit for dinner and do the dishes by hand myself....everyone's time is worth money, and I don't like wasting 15 minutes of my life doing an unnecessary task a machine could do for me for less expense and a fraction of my time.

[Mississippi Mudstache]

My MIL washes dishes by hand (despite being provided a working dishwasher in her apartment), and it drives me batty when I visit for dinner and do the dishes by hand myself....everyone's time is worth money, and I don't like wasting 15 minutes of my life doing an unnecessary task a machine could do for me for less expense and a fraction of my time.

Ha! We do the same thing at our house. We have a dishwasher, but 95% of the time, everything gets washed by hand. The problem is, there are only 2 adults and 2 kids in our house, and it takes about 3 days to gather enough dishes to run a full load, and by then, the stuck on food is either dried on and won't come off in the dishwasher or starting to rot and getting smelly. And I'm not going to pre-wash my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, because that is stupid - if I have to go to that much effort to use the dishwasher, I might as well handwash. I honestly don't mind it. PLUS, we found that when we were using the dishwasher, we would run out of silverware, measuring cups/spoons, and certain dishes before the dishwasher got run. I knew things were going bad when we actually started discussing whether or not to ask for more silverware for Christmas one year (we have plenty!). I came to my senses and just started handwashing everything one day, without a word to my wife about it. She was really confused at first, but about a month later, she followed suit. Now we only use the dishwasher for company.

BTW, great find, Joggernot!

[soccerluvof4]

I agree with the Dishwasher being the best way to go if you have/own an efficient one. With us being a family of 6 its loaded by the end of every night and ready to be emptied in the morning. Keeps the clutter down as well. But when I was single and owned my first house , even with a guest over I would have the dishes hand cleaned as i cooked and put away before the meal was served.

We reuse or plastic spoons and cups but the saying is so true!

[dragoncar]

Re: Dishwasher being more efficient: I definitely have this argument in reverse.  Often I'm already handwashing something or other that we only have one of, or that shouldn't go in the dishwasher (good knives, for example), and I'm already washing stuff so I really prefer to just wash the two dishes or whatever we used.  But I know that the dishwasher is supposed to be more efficient, so I try to put stuff in there.  But inevitably, before the dishwasher is half full, I end up needing a bowl or plate (we don't have too many) and have to take it back out of the dishwasher to handwash.  I guess it's all pretty stupid (I also refuse to pre-rinse), but the dishwasher makes a pretty good drying rack.

[kyanamerinas]

arg. not the dishwasher/hand wash argument again!

[dragoncar]

arg. not the dishwasher/hand wash argument again!

At least nobody is arguing.

[DollarBill]

Is it bad that I do both...hand wash then put in washer. Maybe I feel that they aren't clean until it goes thru the wash or I don't like drying.

[RetiredAt63]

Sort of relevant to the dishwasher/hand wash discussion: Charles Long, in one of his books (I think How to Live without a salary, but not sure) tells about the time he and his wife almost bought a clothes dryer, because in bad or humid weather the clothes on the line were not dry fast enough and they would run out of clean clothes.  They realized the real issue was not enough clothes - they bought more clothes (thrift store of course) and that meant they had enough clean ones while the rest were on the line.

If you can almost get to a full dishwasher, and only need a few things out of it, maybe a few extras would be appropriate?    I hand-wash my non-stick pans and good knives, but have enough of everything else that I can fully load the dishwasher, and I am only one person.  A quick scrape and rinse means no long-term issues, and I would do the same if I were hand-washing so that my wash water didn't get grotty.

Of course everyone needs to analyze their own situation, YMMV.

[ProfWinkie]

I hand wash. It only takes 5-7 minutes. Like making your bed it rewards you with a sense of accomplishment.