Washing dishes might not be rocket science, but it’s also not necessarily as simple as a rinse and run or load and go. If you’ve ever scrubbed until your arm was sore or run the dishwasher multiple times only to still see debris on your dishes, you know how puzzling this everyday chore can become. And if this is a regular occurrence, you’re probably wondering, could I possibly be doing this wrong? The answer is yes.
There is an art to preventing your pots, pans, and plates from accumulating grime and becoming a playground for bacteria, viruses, and mold to thrive. Practicing good kitchen hygiene is essential for maintaining a healthy home. Dirty conditions can allow harmful microbes to thrive, especially on items that come in direct contact with your food.
Whether you wash your dishes by hand or use a dishwasher (which, by the way, is more energy-efficient), there are certain steps you should follow, like not clumping cutlery together in the dishwasher basket.
To get the secrets on how to properly clean and disinfect bowls, blenders, and baking trays, we spoke with Morgan Eberhard, a home care scientist at P&G. The cleansing whiz gives tips on how to correctly load your dishwasher, the benefits of “cleaning as you go,” and ways to wash that’ll help prevent an expensive visit from the plumber.
The most common dishwashing mistake that spreads germs
One of the most common causes of an unsuccessful dishwashing cycle is overcrowding the dishwasher. “The water source, which is typically in the center of the machine, needs to be able to reach and spray each dish,” says Eberhard. If you shove every last dish you own into this limited space, the water jets can get blocked, and your items will not be fully cleaned.
How to load your dishwasher for maximum cleanliness
According to Eberhard, there is a right way to load your dishwasher. But first, it’s important to make sure everything you’re putting into your dishwasher is dishwasher-safe — some materials, like certain plastics, wood, or nonstick coatings, can warp or degrade during the cycle.
• Remove excess food: Using a wooden spatula, scrape off as much stuck-on food as possible from your dishes and discard it into the garbage. Put a little elbow grease into it.
• Skip the pre-wash: When using a premium auto-dishwashing product like Cascade Platinum Plus, it’s not necessary to pre-wash items you’re putting into the dishwasher. Just scrape, load, and you’re done. That’s because its powerful enzymes break down tough, baked-on messes during the cycle, so you don’t have to soak or scrub.
• Loading the bottom rack: Place plates and dirty pots and pans on the bottom rack, facing the water source. Typically, the water source is in the center of the machine.
• Loading the top rack: Place cups, mugs, and bowls face down on the top rack between prongs to prevent rattling and help them dry better. Load wine glasses and other delicate items a finger-width apart, using the stemware holder if available. Keep plasticware on the top rack, where cooler temps help prevent melting.
• Be careful with fragile items: Fragile items, such as wine glasses, should typically be reserved for the top rack of a dishwasher.
• Loading the silverware basket: Mix up the silverware compartments by distributing different types of utensils evenly to prevent nesting. You don’t want your spoons to spoon.
• Save your skin: Always load sharp cutlery and utensils face down. Knives are meant for cutting cheese, not your fingers.
How to wash dishes by hand
There are best practices to follow for handwashing your items. According to Eberhard, the first thing you’ll want to do is gather a few materials: a sponge, a drying rack, and for best results, a concentrated dish liquid, like Dawn. Some people also prefer to wear dish gloves to avoid irritating their skin or to withstand the hot water. For extra grease-cutting power when washing a full sink of dishes, consider using Dawn PowerSuds. It’s designed with proprietary Trap & Lock technology that keeps grease from transferring between items, so whether you’re cleaning plates, greasy pots, plastic containers, or BBQ tools, you can trust each item will come out grease-free.
“You’ll want to save your drain and prevent an expensive visit from the plumber by scraping leftover food into the trash and transferring used cooking oils and grease into a separate container for disposal,” explains Eberhard. “Liquid grease congeals when it cools, blocking drains and pipes.”
Next, you’re ready to wash. Dampen your sponge with warm water, then wring it out and add a few drops of dish soap directly onto the soft side of the sponge. Scrunch the sponge a few times to disperse the soap evenly throughout and create suds. Then you’re able to scrub, rinse, and place in a drying rack.
Why your dishwasher might be better than handwashing
If you’re lucky enough to have a dishwasher, you’re not just saving time, you’re likely getting a more hygienic clean. Dishwashers use high temperatures and typically less than four gallons of water per cycle, while a running sink can use four gallons every two minutes. “Dishwashers are also designed to clean efficiently at high temperatures, and sanitize through heat,” says Eberhard. “In fact, even if a dishwasher isn’t completely full, it’s still more water and energy-efficient than washing dishes by hand .”
Tips for maintaining a clean kitchen and sink
One of the easiest ways to stay on top of your dishes when you’re cooking more at home is to use the “clean as you go” method. “Cleaning up prep dishes while your meal is still cooking not only saves time but prevents your dishes from piling up in the sink to tackle later,” says Eberhard. This means less time cleaning after you eat, and more time lounging on the couch as you digest. “In fact, this is such a popular dishwashing method (more than 60 percent of people in the U.S. say they clean as they go) that we created a product at P&G specifically to make that easier — Dawn Powerwash Dish Spray. It’s a spray foam that cleans dishes on contact, with no need for water until the final rinse.” So if you’re cleaning as you go, there’s no need to fill up a sink with water. You can just spray, wipe, and rinse to get out of the kitchen faster.You can also use Dawn to clean more than just dishes. “Use your dish soap and warm water to clean down the sink and the surrounding countertops after each use,” says Eberhard. “If you have a garbage disposal, you can freshen it as well by pouring a squirt of Dawn into the drain and letting it sit for 30 seconds. Then run the disposal with water in it for a few minutes until all suds have disappeared.”
The risks of leaving dishes in the sink for too long
“Food on dishes sitting out for a while can attract flies, ants, and other insects, and, if left out for long enough, can start to mold,” says Eberhard. “It’s recommended to clean dishes as soon as you can. Not to mention, the longer dishes sit with food on them, the tougher it can be to remove the food later.”
