Home Care Series Doing The Dishes

Not so many of us like to do the dishes, we just do them because we don’t have a choice!

I was discussing with someone the other day, and she mentioned that sometimes, her dishes remain slippery [sort of oily] after rinsing. She felt it may be her brand of washing liquid. So, I decided to try the same washing liquid, and realized that the washing liquid was not to blame!

It is often assumed that as we grow older, washing dishes will come naturally to us. Yes, it is true that anyone can do the dishes, but doing them well is another kettle of fish.

How Can You Make Dish Washing Easier?

• Wipe Plates to clear food off immediately after eating. This will help to keep the sink tidy so that even if you’re not ready to do the dishes, your kitchen sink won’t look too bad

• PreSoak the dishes. This will make it easier to wash and to save you scrubbing time.
• Don’t Put off doing the dishes. In fact, I do the dishes immediately after my meal as I drop my plates. I find it easier to do then than later. Putting it off won’t take the chore away or reduce the burden. In fact, it only adds one more thing to your to-do list.
• You want to wash your dishes from least greasy to most greasy, usually in this order:

– first wash your glassware and any drinking vessels,
– then wash your cutlery,
– then wash your plates and bowls and such,
– then wash greasy stuff like serving dishes and any really greasy items, and finally
– wash your pots and pans.

• As opposed to filling the sink or a tub with water to rinse your plates, I actually prefer rinsing one item at a time. I find that better because each item gets to use fresh clean water. Or if you do want to fill a tub to rinse, you can add vinegar to the water, it helps to break through grease. It’s up to you to use what method works better for you though.

• When it comes to washing burnt Pots and Pans, you can soak your pots overnight. Add some salt or Baking soda [I keep a pack handy for stubborn pot stains] to help. You can also slowly put some water in the pot, and boil it slowly, this will help to remove the stubborn stains. If there’s till some food residue, gently scrape with a plastic spoon. Don’t use a metal spoon as this will gradually remove the protective covering on your pots and even make them to burn food more.

• Drain your Dishes or Wipe Your Plates Dry to be arranged in your plate cupboard. If you have the space, use a Dish Cupboard. This will help to keep things tidy and organized, encouraging you to do dishes even better.

How Can You Tell That Your Dishes Are Clean?

• Water should run off clean dishes. When you see water marks or ringlets on your dishes, it shows that there’s still some oily residue on the item. You may want to wash with soap a second time till you get the clean effect you want
• It should feel squeaky to the touch, if it feels oily, you know it’s not clean
• The smell of liquid wash should not be overpowering after rinsing. If that smell is still very strong, the item may not have been properly rinsed.

Handwashing dishes is not likely to be a delightful chore, especially for some of us, but it can be easier with these tips.

Do You Have Some of Your Dishwashing Tips you’d like to add?

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Oluseye Ashiru

This Post was first published on www.strivingnigerianmom.com