How to use less water when washing dishes

There is no doubt that the dishwasher is much more eco-friendly than washing dishes by hand. On the one hand, it’s about the much higher water temperature that our hands can’t really stand, and on the other hand, the efficiency given by the pressure of the water jet. However, many people still cannot afford such a device. I don’t know if necessarily because of the purchase price, but because of the dedicated space. At least this is my major problem, which I dare to generalize a little taking advantage of the context.

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And our mothers and grandmothers washed the dishes by hand. So I had a place to learn from. However, the access we currently have to hot running water and the incredible supply of cleaning and washing products makes us a bit more wasteful with water consumption.

However, there are some tips that we can take into account to use less water when washing the dishes. For those who tend towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle, for those who want to reduce their expenses with the water bill, these tips can prove really useful:

Preliminary stages

1. Install aerators at the sink faucet

You can fit an additional aerator or the battery may already be equipped with one. What is an aerator? A small device located at the end of the faucet that performs several functions: prevents splashing, shapes the water jet creating a uniform flow and increases the perceived pressure, reduces noise and, last but not least, reduces water consumption by creating a mixed water jet with air.

2. Stock up, just in case, with disposable tableware.

It may seem exaggerated, rude to the guests, but sometimes this option is very useful. A cardboard tray or paper plates cannot be recycled. But plastic, if it has no food scraps, can be recycled. Try to wipe the mess left on the plates instead of rinsing them.

3. Clean the plates

Do not use water to remove leftovers from dishes. Remove the remaining solid food with a cutlery or napkin in the waste bin. Careful! Use a bag in the garbage container, otherwise you will also need water to wash it!

The dishes in which you prepared the food, be it pans or trays, let them soak for a few minutes in water. You will make your work considerably easier.

4. Stack the dirty dishes

For maximum efficiency, collect all the dishes you need to wash and build them in one place, as close as possible to the sink. They will all be at hand and you don’t have to interrupt your activity. So, before you get to work, take a tour of the house, maybe you’ll discover a forgotten glass on the desk or an empty coffee cup on the terrace.

5. Prepare the detergent

Well, in our world full of highly effective and highly concentrated dish detergents, rinsing them off washed dishes requires quite a lot of water. Dilute the detergent in a container: 1 part detergent / 3 parts water. The “miraculous drop” from the commercials will also prove its effectiveness in this form.

The actual washing

1. Start washing dishes as soon as possible

The sooner you start washing the dishes after you finish eating, the more efficient and economical you will be. The remains of dry food on the plates need more time and more water to clean.

2. Fill the sink with warm water and detergent

Instead of washing each plate individually under running water, fill the sink with warm water and detergent. Wash several dishes in the water thus prepared and collected. Do not empty and refill the sink unless the water cools or becomes too dirty.

3. Rinse the dishes

a. For rinsing, always opt for water collection in the sink basin. If you don’t have a double sink, you can fill a larger bowl with cold water and rinse the plates one at a time. If the water becomes too foamy, with too much detergent, you will need to change it.

b. For those who do not agree with the above method, stack the dishes in the second tub and give them a quick rinse under cold water, then drain them in the dish rack.

4. Collect the water from the dish rack

If you have a sink with a drip tray, you probably placed the dish rack directly there, and the water drains into the sink. Even in this situation, however, you can put a tray under the stand to collect the water that drains. This water can be re-used for other purposes: cleaning the kitchen counter or other surfaces, for example.

Be Careful!

Do not try to save so much water that the dishes are not washed well. If you have to choose between water saving and proper hygiene, we advise you to choose hygiene. In the long run, it turns out to be a much better choice.

Bonus

Do not store dirty dishes in the sink. Establish a place for stacking them and notify the other members of the house! Always keep the sink bowl empty for optimal organization of dishwashing.