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 Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 2:52 pm
What's the most water-conservative way to wash dishes? We don't own a dishwasher.
Our septic tank is having issues. It's been raining a LOT lately and the septic just can't take it anymore.
We're trying to cut back on our water usage.
EDIT!: My younger sister has celiac's so dishes can't be mixed up when being rinsed(wheat allergy)
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:03 pm
i always worry about using up too much water too o;
the earth's water decent for drinking is 1% D';
3% (i think) is the percent we humans can use..
anyways,beats me! o;
i just try not to put it on full blast or leave it on
while i'm putting them away..
[funny thing,we have a dishwasher but don't use it..o; ]
good luck conserving H2O though <33
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:58 pm
My family doesn't do this, but my grandmother has a plastic basin in her sink which she fills with scalding tap water. This is so she doesn't have to keep the water running the entire time she is washing the dishes.
She washes her dishes in the basin and allows the water to get soapy while she is washing. She then turns on the faucet and rinses each dish in scalding tap water, dries them with a towel and puts them away. Her hands are very tempered and can handle being in scalding water, but I would recommend using rubber dish washing gloves. (Don't use literally boiling water though, just the hottest your tap can put out--if the rubber gloves don't protect you from the heat you can make the water less hot until you can stand it, just be sure you are using enough soap.)
Her dishes are never very messy or greasy after using them because she is really tidy and proper while eating so she doesn't need to use a lot of water for cleaning up. Though if you have saucy food in the dish you should rinse it out right away, even if you don't clean it immediately, so the food doesn't harden in the bowl and you wont have to use as much soap and water. Also quickly rinsing the plates before you put them into the basin of hot water will ensure the water stays cleaner and free of too much food debris, which means fewer refills.
This way is probably a lot better than how I wash dishes (with the water running the entire time). Shame on me. I should change that habit, lol.
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 3:16 am
Thanks girls!
I could prolly combine techniques. =P
Hot basin full of water for scrubbing, and a slower tap flow for rinsing. ;D
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:46 pm
I leave the tap on long enough to get the dishes wet and soapy, then wash them and turn it on low to rinse.
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:52 am
I scrape food off of our dishes into the trash can, then quickly rinse off what I can before putting them in the stack to be washed. When actually washing, I run a sink half-full of really hot water with a dab of dish soap (though I'm paranoid about that because of the triclosan in it), scrub them, dip them again to get most of the soap off, then rinse them in low-flowing cold water. I keep the stopper in the cold side of the sink, too, then dip out the rinse water to water my house plants with (half dish water, half tap water). A lot of soap kills plants, but the small amounts from my dish water never seem to hurt them.
I am curious if there's a better way though. I read somewhere (I think on Care2.com) that a new, energy-rated dishwasher uses less water than all but the most frugal hand washing could.
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:44 pm
Artistic Mystic I scrape food off of our dishes into the trash can, then quickly rinse off what I can before putting them in the stack to be washed. When actually washing, I run a sink half-full of really hot water with a dab of dish soap (though I'm paranoid about that because of the triclosan in it), scrub them, dip them again to get most of the soap off, then rinse them in low-flowing cold water. I keep the stopper in the cold side of the sink, too, then dip out the rinse water to water my house plants with (half dish water, half tap water). A lot of soap kills plants, but the small amounts from my dish water never seem to hurt them. I am curious if there's a better way though. I read somewhere (I think on Care2.com) that a new, energy-rated dishwasher uses less water than all but the most frugal hand washing could. True but my parents would never get a dish-washer unless both my little sister and I move out... For now, her and I ARE the dishwashers(tho I wash more than she does because I'm stuck in doing it as the older sibling >n<). But Perhaps I could convince mom to buy 7th Gen dish soap. ;P
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 5:24 pm
I'd like to get a dish washer, but we don't have the money or a place to put it, so ya gotta do the best you can ^^
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 7:13 pm
I hate dishwashers, unless you have a big family.
So here is how my mum in law taught me to do dishes:
* Make soapy water bucket
* Put dishes in soapy water to soak
* Then use the little scrubber to scrub them
* PUT THEM IN THE DISH DRAIN WITH SOAPY WATER ON THEM!
Seriously, it all drains off into the bottom of the drainer and the dishes come out sparkly. I've been doing it for 2 years *shrugs*
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 8:14 am
That's pretty pro! Of course, I'd have to rinse out my mugs! D: I can't STAND drinking water from a soap tasting glass!(its happened a LOT)
These tips are awesome for when I move out! biggrin
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:50 pm
Well, here's what I do. >3
Scrape/rinse off any dishes before I stick them in the sink, then they all just chill in the sink.
I use a little kitchen cloth thing I put soap on it while it's dry; then add a bit of water to it so it gets super soapy!~
Rub the cloth over the dirty dish; scrub a bit; then rinse off the single plate then turn the water off again.. keep in mind all the soapy hot water runs over all the other dishes in the sink so it makes them cleaner. XD
I've actually plugged the sink up while using this method and the most water I've used was half a sink.. and that was for a lot of dishes!~
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Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 1:33 pm
That's pretty awesome too!
That seems like a plausible idea to try even now! I have a teensy load to wash right now, lol.
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