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Tips and Tricks for Hand Washing Dishes

Even if you have a dishwasher, there are times when it’s best to wash dishes by hand. For some, washing dishes is a stress reliever, a time that’s meditative and gets the creative juices flowing. But if you’re not one of those people, that’s okay too – we have tips to help you get the dishes clean with the least elbow grease.

Don’t delay – It won’t come as a surprise that dishes are a lot harder to clean when there’s dried-on food residue. If you’re not planning to wash the dishes right away, scrape off the leftover food to make the dishes easier to clean later. Remember to never pour grease down the drain, as it can cause a clog.

Soak – For more stubborn messes, fill a dishpan with water and dish soap and soak the dishes and cookware for 15 to 30 minutes. This gives the dish soap time to loosen the soil so it’s easier to wash away later. Drain the water when you’re ready to wash the dishes.

Or skip soaking altogether – With a dish spray, just apply the product directly to your dishes and rinse. For heavily soiled items, let the spray sit for a few minutes (so it has time to cut through the grease and grime) before wiping and rinsing.

Go in order – Always start with lightly soiled items then move on to the heavily soiled ones, so you’re not accidentally spreading grease around. Start with glasses, cups and utensils. Then move on to plates, bowls and serving dishes, and end with cookware, pots and pans.

Clean up when you’re done – And make tomorrow’s task easier! Rinse and wipe down the sink, dish drainer and dishpan. Let your dish cloth or sponge air dry. If it’s the end of the day, consider a couple extra steps to close down the kitchen and prepare it for the morning.

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