How Often Do You Wash Dishes?

[indimom]

I hand wash 2-3X a day. Basically after each meal. Sometimes on the weekend (when we are running a lot), it will get put off into one large load a day.

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.

Maybe it's the types of food we eat of maybe we just bought cheap dishwashers (we had 3 over the years)?? But I can never figure out how dishwashers are considered convenient, efficient or economical.

I find hand washing dishes a relaxing job and love that every dish is back in the cupboards within an hour of the meal. (Something I could never claim with the dishwasher.) So, I will never go back to the dishwasher.

 

[shortbun]

Sometimes twice a day, sometimes not at all during the day. It depends on the day and if I just use one pot and a plate or two, they go in the sink or dishwasher but don't get washed until I have a full load or make another meal. Some days, I totally scour the kitchen and do dishes 3X. Like if we have company or on holidays, cookouts, etc. I clean up after breakfast, clean up after food prep and clean again after everyone goes home....or wait until morning and just clean the whole mess after breakfast/lunch.
I chose 'other.'

 

[cornflake]

There are several things I don't get about the OP's friend - the most confusing is that she's apparently ex-military but doesn't "want to fight with the kids" about doing the dishes so they just don't get done?

Also, she says they put the dirty ones in the dishwasher all week until it's finally run. What in the world is there to argue about? Is there actually an argument about putting in detergent and pushing a button? Because the level of 'no' to someone protesting that one, I cannot even begin.

I run it about once a day (full or not really; not with two things but half full of stuff that's used regularly, yeah) - and do some things by hand (my good pans, anything that'll be reused or be easier to reuse [like easier to wash the medium mixing bowl and reuse than take out the giant one to do something small just because the medium and small ones are dirty] before the dishwasher runs, etc.).

I grew up w/o a dishwasher and when I could reach, standing on a stepstool, I was expected to wash my share of the dishes. Kids complaining about pressing buttons and moving dishes in and out of the dishwasher is ridiculous imo.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Usually we run the dishwasher once/day, but if we're doing a lot of cooking/baking and it's full we'll run it twice/day. Sometimes I'll quickly handwash a few items, too.

 

[Nancyg56]

Right now my dishwasher has a leak so I stopped using it last week. I usually run the dishwasher three times every two days. I will hand wash anything I don't place in the dishwasher when I use it. I cannot stand dishes in my sink. I am washing all by hand now so I wash dishes at least three times a day.

 

[metalis4ever]

At the threat of sounding patriarchal my DW usually takes care of the dishes, I'll wash them every once in a while but I could probably do a better job at helping her out.

 

[scrapquitler]

My general routine is that I empty the dishwasher first thing in the morning while I make coffee, then it is empty to start the day. During the day, each time that I cook or use a dish, it gets rinsed and put in the dishwasher. Pans and things that require handwashing get washed as they are used (i.e. at the end of each meal). As soon as the dishwasher gets full or close to it, I run it. Mostly I start it before bed, so that everything is dry and ready to be empties in the morning. If I happen to be cooking a lot, then I might run it twice in one day (usually when I bake or am making freezer meals or preparing for a holiday or entertaining).

For the OP: how many dishes and how big of a dishwasher does your friend have? For her family of four, even if each person used only one plate, one cup and two utensils per day, that would be 28 plates, 28 cups and 56 utensils per week...I'm certain that I couldn't fit that much stuff in my dishwasher (and if I DID manage to jam all that in there, they wouldn't come out clean because the water wouldn't be able to circulate enough). That doesn't even include any 'extras' or pans....

 

[SaraJayne]

At the threat of sounding patriarchal my DW usually takes care of the dishes, I'll wash them every once in a while but I could probably do a better job at helping her out.

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 load and the kids unload and put away clean dishes (DD does silverware and DS does the dishes, since DD can't reach upper cabinets yet lol).


I'm ok with him not doing that one thing. It isn't a big deal to me, since it takes about 3 mins to load the dishwasher.

Ask your DW, she may not mind doing the dishes.

 

[Princess Dolly]

The stuff in the dishwasher gets washed when it's full; once or twice a week at most. Pots, pans, knives get washed when used.

Same here.

 

[luvmy3]

I hand wash 2-3X a day. Basically after each meal. Sometimes on the weekend (when we are running a lot), it will get put off into one large load a day.

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.

But I can never figure out how dishwashers are considered convenient, efficient or economical.

I never considered the efficiency or economical effects of my dishwasher, for me its all about convenience. And I'll gladly pay the extra money on my gas bill to avoid doing the dishes by hand.

 

[Andtototoo]

We do not have a dishwasher. We have lived in/owned houses with dishwashers and never used them. We bought our current house from the builder and he had not installed a dishwasher and we told him not to bother. (We put a rolling kitchen cart in the space. We'll install a dishwasher when we sell it.) It takes much less time and effort to wash our dishes by hand than to use a dishwasher. I also find it relaxing and our family of three has always enjoyed the time to chat while we do them. My dd recently moved into her first apartment, which had a dishwasher and after two weeks called me up to say, "You were right. It's way easier and faster just to wash the dishes by hand!"

She puts them in her dishwasher. It is her kids' responsibility to make sure they are done. They get washed once a week. She said she would rather they sit in the dishwasher and buy new dishes than argue with her kids.

Then that's not a dishwasing issue, that's a parenting issue. She doesn't need new dishes. She needs a new spine.

 

[popcenturylover]

Yuck! That is just gross! I have to wash at least once if not twice a day and we have a dishwasher!

 

[jrmasm]

The stuff in the dishwasher gets washed when it's full; once or twice a week at most. Pots, pans, knives get washed when used.

Same except my dishwasher is usually full about every other day.

 

[PaulaSB12]

Usually when I have a full dishwasher which is about 2 times a week. I live alone but I cook from scratch every night.

The same here its not worth doing every day when you are on your own.

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

YUCK!

We are a family of 2 adults, DD14 and DS 11. I run the dishwasher once per day after dinner. It has a smart setting, where it determines how full it is and how dirty the dishes are. Leaving dirty dishes in it for more than 24 hours skeeves me out. I always have breakfast before work, usually cereal. DH will make coffee. When I come home in the evening. there are always glasses and bowls in the sink. DS unloads the dishwasher each afternoon, DD loads whatever is in the sink. I wash whatever needs to be washed by hand. I only put dishes, plates, silverware, glasses & Pyrex in the dishwasher. Anything plastic, sharp knives, and pots/pans gets handwashed in the evening. On the weekend, dishes go straight into the dishwasher all day long. Anything that needs to be handwashed will be washed right away. I can't stand the smell of rotting food in the sink.

 

[Minnesota!]

Things get dirty, I hand wash them. In other words, every meal.

My kitchen, I keep it clean.

Ditto. No dishwasher in our house. A messy kitchen is one of my biggest pet peeves...so they are washed at least once a day. Always in the morning - so the previous days' lunch and dinner dishes, plus that morning's breakfast dishes..

I cannot imagine letting them sit for longer than that. Geeee-rooooos!

 

[blana]

When the dishwasher gets full. Usually every 2 days or so. DH is supposed to wash the pots & pans every night, but you never know when that's going to happen.

 

[mvazul]

There are several things I don't get about the OP's friend - the most confusing is that she's apparently ex-military but doesn't "want to fight with the kids" about doing the dishes so they just don't get done?

Also, she says they put the dirty ones in the dishwasher all week until it's finally run. What in the world is there to argue about? Is there actually an argument about putting in detergent and pushing a button? Because the level of 'no' to someone protesting that one, I cannot even begin.

I run it about once a day (full or not really; not with two things but half full of stuff that's used regularly, yeah) - and do some things by hand (my good pans, anything that'll be reused or be easier to reuse [like easier to wash the medium mixing bowl and reuse than take out the giant one to do something small just because the medium and small ones are dirty] before the dishwasher runs, etc.).

I grew up w/o a dishwasher and when I could reach, standing on a stepstool, I was expected to wash my share of the dishes. Kids complaining about pressing buttons and moving dishes in and out of the dishwasher is ridiculous imo.

I don't understand it, either. Our 17 year old is responsible for dishes most nights. There is no argument. There used to be until he realized he wasn't getting away with it. And until 3 months ago, we did not have a dishwasher. Now our issue is that he doesn't tell me he has put them in the dishwasher. some nights, he does them all by hand. Others - like last night - he puts them in the dishwasher and doesn't tell me. So, dishes didn't get done last night. I usually don't have him turn it on. I do that when I go to bed. I forgot to look last night. But, when I went into the kitchen as he was doing dishes, he had a full sink and a full dish rack, so I assumed he was hand washing.

But, yes. Her kids argue with her about everything. I don't understand her parenting. She doesn't understand mine. We've agreed to parent our own kids!

Then that's not a dishwasing issue, that's a parenting issue. She doesn't need new dishes. She needs a new spine.

I completely agree. However, it really does not bother her. Like I said, she was irritated by how often we do dishes. She thinks we should not make our 17 year old do them. She feels that should be my job. She feels kids should not have to do much of anything around the house. I completely disagree. My husband works his butt off, I am trying to run a business and am in school full time. Our kids are part of this family and need to help.

She is also working part time and in school full time. She always tells me she picks her battles. Apparently washing dishes isn't a battle she chooses to fight. And that is fine. Again, it is her house, her rules. It just wouldn't fly here.

 

[Hollymom1229]

I voted every few days, but it's just DH and I. The only meal that requires real dishes at our home is dinner as we usually eat breakfast bars or yogurt, and then lunch at work. But every night we at least rinse the dishes off and load the dishwasher and when it gets full we run it. Growing up though in a family of 5 dishes had to be done daily and occaisionally twice in a day.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

I don't get that the OP's friend has kids, yet the dishwasher isn't full for a whole week! With just DH and me, it is full around every 3 days. Pots and pans that won't fit in the dishwasher get washed every night.