Let’s face it – the best part of cooking and enjoying a delicious meal is not doing the dishes afterwards. Washing dishes can be a time-consuming task, not to mention a labor-intensive one if there’s food caked onto those plates and utensils. But, in truth, there are ways to save time and effort on doing the dishes, which can be a godsend, considering just how many dishes the average household uses on a daily basis.
Saving Time When Doing the Dishes
So, how long does it take the average person to do dishes? That’s not so easily answered, as it all depends on the dishes that are being done, how dirty they are, and of course, how many of them need to get done. But, it has been estimated that the average person spends 5 to 5 ½ hours per week just doing the dishes – and that’s a lot of time spent doing a single chore.
But, are we washing dishes as efficiently as we can be? Possibly not. There are all kinds of shortcuts that we can take that get our dishes spotless and sparkling, but save us time as well as elbow grease.
Now, with all that being said, time to cover some of the ways in which you can save time doing dishes each day.
Tip #1: Soak, and Don’t Let Dishes Sit
If you want to know how to do dishes really fast, the first tip is to not let dishes pile up in the first place. That’s because the longer dishes sit without soaking them, the harder those pieces of food debris become, and the more time it takes to scrub that off. If you can, get dishes in the sink and soaking as soon as possible, as this will save you loads of time in the long run.
Tip #2: Use a Spray Faucet
If you don’t have a spray attachment on your faucet, we strongly recommend investing in one. What was once only found in more upscale kitchens has now become an extremely affordable accessory that most would argue is a necessity. Being able to quickly spray down dishes before loading them into the dishwasher saves lots and lots of time, as the spray nozzle can dislodge a lot of debris, and completely rinse out your dishes in record time.
Tip #3: Wipe Down Dishes When You’re Done with Them
If you can, get into the habit of wiping down dishes with your napkin after you’re done eating, and get your family into this habit as well. It takes just a second or two, and means that there’s way less work that needs to go into cleaning the dishes once they’re in the sink. While the food is still soft, a single wipe can leave dishes almost looking clean, so you don’t have anything that you have to scrub away later.
Tip #4: Wipe Grease with a Paper Towel
For greasy dishes, like pans and the like, wipe them down with a paper towel before washing them. A paper towel can soak up almost all of the grease in just seconds. Besides that, pouring grease down your faucet is a bad idea, as it can lead to clogs that become a huge plumbing expense later on. Greasy dishes can otherwise take ages to clean, as grease needs a lot of hot water and soap to break down and rinse away.
Tip #5: Invest in the Right Sponge
If it takes you way too much time scrubbing caked-on food off of your dishes, it might be as simple as needing a new sponge. Today, there are all kinds of innovative sponges that do a lot of the hard work for you, so you don’t need to scrub and scrub for what feels like an eternity, wearing out your arm in the process.
Tip #6: Be Efficient with Loading the Dishwasher
Sometimes, what takes so long is doing multiple loads in the dishwasher. But, have you really considered how efficiently you’re loading it up? Many of us throw in dishes haphazardly, and end up wasting a lot of precious real estate in the process. The next time you have to run a load of dishes, try taking full advantage of the space, and see how many dishes you can fit without over-stacking or overstuffing. Dishwasher shelves are designed to fit a specific number of dishes, so use this to your advantage.
Tip #7: Make it a Family Event
No one loves doing the dishes, but it can go by more quickly if you make it a family event instead of taking on the responsibility alone. Give each person a task, whether it be rinsing, scrubbing, drying, or stacking. If you have young children, try to make it more fun by making it into a game, coming up with a dishwashing song, or offering an incentive for their efforts.
Tip #8: Use Effective Products
Yes, sometimes, it’s the dishwashing products that you’re using that aren’t cutting it. Low-quality dish soap and dishwasher detergents aren’t going to get your dishes really clean, and will require more effort on your part to compensate. Look for higher-quality dishwashing products, but also make an effort to use products that contain clean, nontoxic, and environmentally friendly ingredients, as those factors are just as important as getting your dishes nice and sparkling.
Dishwashing Doesn’t Have to be a Laborious and Time-Consuming Chore
The good news is that there are a number of ways to save time on your daily dishwashing ritual. And, at Grab Green Home, we make it even easier, with highly effective, top-quality dishwashing products for both handwashing and running a dishwashing cycle. Not only that, but our various formulas all contain nontoxic, natural ingredients, that are approved by the EPA for environmental friendliness. This means that while you’re getting those dishes clean quickly and efficiently, you’re not harming the environment or the health of your family.
Explore our selection of dishwashing products today, to save time on dishes and make your life not only easier, but healthier and more eco-friendly as well.