How Often Do You Wash Dishes?

[scubamouse]

As soon as the dishwasher gets full, I run it. Usually once a day... maybe every other day, if we haven't been home much. I do handwash most of the big items as soon as I'm finished using them.

This exactly. When it was just the two of us we could run the dishwasher every few days. We rinse everything really well before putting it in the dishwasher regardless of when things will be cleaned.

 

[cornflake]

For the record, I had a dishwasher and noticed no change in my water bill when I went to hand washing. Once you rinsed all the plates and silverware (because there was always grit left behind if you didn't) and wash the pots and pans by hand because they never came close to clean in the dishwasher, I apparently used just as much water as hand washing alone.

Honestly, I think you need a better dishwasher. I don't rinse anything but stuff that has pieces of stuff on it - I'm not putting something with like, actual pieces of pasta or big chunks of whatever stuck on in the dishwasher - but aside from that, it all goes in grotty. Cheese glued on, stuff baked on caked on, etc., and aside from the occasional item, comes out sparkly clean.

 

[Hannathy]

For the record, I had a dishwasher and noticed no change in my water bill when I went to hand washing. Once you rinsed all the plates and silverware (because there was always grit left behind if you didn't) and wash the pots and pans by hand because they never came close to clean in the dishwasher, I apparently used just as much water as hand washing alone.

You didn't notice a difference cause you negated it by rinsingthem!!! You in essence washed them twice wasting a ton of water.

You only need to scrape off the food particles not rinse them. I just use a spatula to scrape them off and into the dishwasher they go. pans to! all comes out clean.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Once a day...sometimes less.

I do rinse plates before stacking.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I voted once a day, but sometimes I do it more then that depending on how much I'm cooking.

But my old roommate was the exact opposite of me. She'd leave dishes piled up for weeks at a time. It was gross and unsanitary, and made me get my own plates and cookware.

ETA - I don't have a dishwasher, and I do them all by hand.

 

[Kathi OD]

Now that it's just DH and I, we wash the dishes about every third or fourth day. I do wash pots & pans after every meal.
When the kids were still living at home, I ran that dishwasher almost as much as the clothes washer...at least twice a day.

 

[njmom47]

I answered other...only because we usually run the dishwasher every other day, but sometimes if there's only a couple of things in the sink, I'll just wash them, dry them and put them away.

 

[metalis4ever]

Do you help with other things? Washing dishes and doing the dishwasher are the only things DH does not do. He will set the table, cook and clean off the table, laundry, etc but he will leave the dishes on the counter to be put in the dishwasher.

I do help out with other things...We made a deal when we first moved in together 7 years ago, I am in charge of cleaning the bathrooms, vacuuming the house, dusting, sweeping/washing the floors and taking out the trash the trade off is DW is in charge of cooking, dish washing and laundry. She loathes washing dishes which is why I should probably help out more with that but a deal is a deal Although I do load the dishwasher and run it, I'm not a jerk haha And if I am home alone and I dirty a dish/utensils I will wash them and not leave them for her, I just don't offer to help wash pots and pans and stuff.

 

[Nancyg56]

I do help out with other things...We made a deal when we first moved in together 7 years ago, I am in charge of cleaning the bathrooms, vacuuming the house, dusting, sweeping/washing the floors and taking out the trash the trade off is DW is in charge of cooking, dish washing and laundry. She loathes washing dishes which is why I should probably help out more with that but a deal is a deal Although I do load the dishwasher and run it, I'm not a jerk haha And if I am home alone and I dirty a dish/utensils I will wash them and not leave them for her, I just don't offer to help wash pots and pans and stuff.

You sound like both of my sons. They do the majority of the cleaning and cooking but both hate dishes. One of my DDIL's hates washing dishes as well as laundry but my son also said a deal is a deal. My other DDIL told me she got off lucky, she will wash dishes all day if she gets out of laundry. You never find a dish in her sink

 

[SaraJayne]

I do help out with other things...We made a deal when we first moved in together 7 years ago, I am in charge of cleaning the bathrooms, vacuuming the house, dusting, sweeping/washing the floors and taking out the trash the trade off is DW is in charge of cooking, dish washing and laundry. She loathes washing dishes which is why I should probably help out more with that but a deal is a deal Although I do load the dishwasher and run it, I'm not a jerk haha And if I am home alone and I dirty a dish/utensils I will wash them and not leave them for her, I just don't offer to help wash pots and pans and stuff.

Sounds like it all evens out.

 

[mombrontrent]

I do help out with other things...We made a deal when we first moved in together 7 years ago, I am in charge of cleaning the bathrooms, vacuuming the house, dusting, sweeping/washing the floors and taking out the trash the trade off is DW is in charge of cooking, dish washing and laundry. She loathes washing dishes which is why I should probably help out more with that but a deal is a deal Although I do load the dishwasher and run it, I'm not a jerk haha And if I am home alone and I dirty a dish/utensils I will wash them and not leave them for her, I just don't offer to help wash pots and pans and stuff.

I would be happy with a husband that helped out as much as you. My husband does yard work and "fixes things". He claims cleaning isn't "his thing" and that I am the cleaner in the family He knows he can get away with it becuase I can't stand a messy or dirty house and will just do it all myself. And yes I do work but less then half the hours that he does.

 

[marmalade]

I wash dishes multiple times a day, we don't have a dishwasher. I do breakfast dishes, lunch dishes, the dishes I use to prepare dinner, and then dinner dishes. I can't stand dishes sitting in my sink waiting to be washed.

 

[2DisPrincesses]

If you are worried about bacteria after you wash your dishes, put a couple of tablespoons of bleach in that final rinse water. Kills more bacteria than just hot water will.


I guess I will be the only one who admits to not washing dishes everyday. My dishwasher is not working so everything is handwashed and some days, my time just runs out. They are rinsed and stacked in the sink but some nights, I am exhausted and dd is busy and we just have to let it go.

The man who installed my mom's new dishwasher said not to "wash" or rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. He said that it's not good for your dishes, as the detergents will eat away at your dishes if you wash/rinse them too well ahead of time.

 

[ilovemk76]

The man who installed my mom's new dishwasher said not to "wash" or rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. He said that it's not good for your dishes, as the detergents will eat away at your dishes if you wash/rinse them too well ahead of time.

It will also etch your glasses. My GF kept complaining about a film on her glasses when they came out of the DW. It was not a film but etching.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

I run my dishwasher every day. If not, it starts to smell. Think about it. All that food waste sitting in an enclosed space for more that 24 hours. Ewww. It smells like the garbage (that goes out at least once a day as well!).

I handwash a few items and we are a family of 6. No way could I go more than a day.