Dishwashers - do you have one?

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Dishwashers - do you have one?
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Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 7:44 pm Post subject:

cab wrote:

You run half a bowl of water, add some washing up liquid, dip in the glasses to rinse, put them to drain. Then the mugs (without dregs!) go in, and then the cutlery is dumped in and the plates go on top. They're washed, and if need be theres space for more water to rinse bits off. And then come the pans... And the whole job is done, the dishes are draining, and it took ten minutes and they're all clean.

I've been trying to get my head round this and spotted the huge problem with the way I wash up, so I've gone back to read the ten minute routine. I could only ever do it that way by pre-heating all the dirty cutlery, pots and pans or the water would be too cold for effective washing by the time the cutlery is in. Plates in particular sap the heat from the water, the only way I could make that work is using just boiling water from the start (obviously I can't). It would be completely cold by the time it came to pans- and if you've had anything at all fatty you need fresh water and heat to cut the grease.

Our busy lives mean that, as much as I'd like to have the time to wash up after every meal, some days I hardly have time for a meal at all! So I may only be able to wash up once per day, or less often and have to tackle it in batches- all the cutlery, all the plates, pans, etc. The milking stuff is one area that has to be washed daily.

I'm guessing the ten minute routine is for two people, one meal? If so three meals in the day would be 30 minutes, if you have a couple of kids that could be an hour per day. As a family of four, depending upon what was being cooked, the dishwasher tended to go on every other day. Some things are best washed immediately (as they need regular use, or putting away after use, or are too bulky for the dishwasher).

Silas

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 6848
Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:12 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

cab wrote:

No.We are a family of four,but more often six with the kids partners almost always around. Cab does exactly what I do and it really is 10 min absolute max.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8598
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:29 pm Post subject:

I wonder how many people who handwash dishes also rinse the soap and dirty washing up water off them?

Items take a few seconds each for a quick wipe and put straight in the dishwasher. No clutter in the kitchen.
When it is full, about once a day, it goes on. Shortest cycle, 30 minutes, open the door when it has finished and they dry quickly by themselves.
Then when they are dry, put straight away in the cupboards, less than 5 minutes.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9714
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:31 pm Post subject:

cab wrote:

You run half a bowl of water, add some washing up liquid, dip in the glasses to rinse,.

you do actually wash them.. don't you? like.. rub at the surfaces with a brush or sponge? - You are doing more than just rinsing them?

Silas

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 6848
Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:36 pm Post subject:

colour it green wrote:

cab wrote:

You run half a bowl of water, add some washing up liquid, dip in the glasses to rinse,.

you do actually wash them.. don't you? like.. rub at the surfaces with a brush or sponge? - You are doing more than just rinsing them?

Jesus Christ. We are talking about washing dishes here, its not f**kin rocket science. People have been doing it for quite a long time before dishwashers were invented, it really is not difficult, time consuming or even a chore, it takes a few minuets after a meal. I really find it difficult to take on board that you 'downsizers' all have dishwashing machines.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:38 pm Post subject:
Not having to do the dishes gives us extra time to self-flagellate in the corner whilst the machine is running, though.

nats

Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 2374
Location: Swindon but not a Swindonian

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:42 pm Post subject:

Silas wrote:

Jesus Christ.

Yes - and what does HE have to do with Dish washing?!

lottie

Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:45 pm Post subject:

Chez wrote:

Not having to do the dishes gives us extra time to self-flagellate in the corner whilst the machine is running, though.

Quite right too

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9714
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:47 pm Post subject:

Silas wrote:

Jesus Christ. We are talking about washing dishes here, its not f**kin rocket science. .

ah now.. my cousin is an actual rocket scientist.. but he never does the dishes...

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:49 pm Post subject:
Anyway, are you still selling cars for a living, Silas?

mihto

Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 3273
Location: West coast of Norway

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:56 pm Post subject:

Silas wrote:

We have stoves as well. Ideally we should gather firewood in the bush for cooking.

Vacuum cleaners. Sure we did not need them if we lived in a cave?

Water boilers. Who needs tea? Modern invention and quite unnecessary to boot.

Electric irons. Our modern forefathers stuffed theirs with hot coals. Before that? furs do not need ironing.

Washing machines. Women should use the river. What else is it for?

Silas, this is a modern world. In many families both parents work. Time-saving household equipment makes the life of modern women bearable. There is zero - and I mean zero - need for anyone to heap more guilt on our shoulders. We have families, we organize the social life of everybody, we do all the stuff that is never credited and that needs a multi-functional brain to get off the ground. Our minds are in constant overdrive to keep the the schedules running.

Sure we use dishwashers and will do so for the rest of our lives. We will greedily grasp any new appliance which will give us space to breathe. We will chose low-power stuff and feel less guilty, but we refuse to go back to the kitchen and do our dishes barefoot and pregnant.

And we are bloody good Downsizers. The world would stop without us.

Jo S

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 5174
Location: Somerset

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:58 pm Post subject:
What mihto said

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18409

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:58 pm Post subject:

I think myself lucky to have a pantry as well as a kitchen.

The kitchen has [ha!] a two and a half bowl sink, but no draining boards. Fat lot of use that is for washing up.
The pantry has a single, large, old stainless steel sink with a draining board on each side, where I have draining racks and a cutlery drainer. This is where the washing up gets done. Items to wash are stacked on a tea trolley by the pantry sink.

In order, into the washing up bowl, washed and drained :
1. Glasses [if done while the bowl is still filling from the tap, are rinsed under the tap]
2. Mugs/cups
3. Bowls and plates
4. Cutlery and utensils
5. Plastic boxes, mixing bowls
6. Easy saucepans [that veg have been boiled in, for instance]
7. Dirty saucepans
8. Roasting tins; anything with food burnt on - often scraped, filled with water and washing up liquid and left to soak for a while, or till next washing up sesh

Everything washed up is left to drain overnight, and put away next morning while I am making a pot of tea.

Like most things, it is easier and faster when you have a routine.

pookie

Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 4984
Location: Mid-Wales

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 9:59 pm Post subject:

bring me sunshine wrote:

What mihto said

Ditto! sisters!

Silas

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 6848
Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 09 10:00 pm Post subject:

Chez wrote:

Anyway, are you still selling cars for a living, Silas?

Hmm....

I don't actually do the selling bit any more, but I am very involved in the motor trade.

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