You can probably just chalk it up to a life habit that I never gave opportunity… but I have always washed my dishes in a dishwasher. In fact, nearly every day of my life I have used a dishwasher. Go figure. My parents used one. My grandparents used one. It’s been in every home I have lived in…. and when it wasn’t available (broken or kitchen remodelings), it was a source of great stress. Dishwashers get loaded, started, and emptied. End of story. Or so I thought.
Recently, I have begun washing dishes by hand immediately following every meal. Months ago, I read a famous zen story titled, “Wash Your Bowl” (via Leo Babauta) and have considered its meaning ever since.
As a result, I decided to give the mindful practice of “washing my bowl” a literal shot in my life. I began washing every dish following every meal. And since then, I have almost completely stopped using the dishwasher.
I love it. Here are the practical benefits I have seen:
- Less Physical Clutter. How often were dirty plates, bowls, and glassware left on my kitchen counter following a meal just waiting to be loaded in the dishwasher? Far more often than I would like to admit, that’s for sure. Each time, physical clutter was left on my kitchen counter, table, and sink.
- Less Mental Clutter. An unfinished project clutters the mind… always. Even when we were not in the kitchen, the pending responsibility of needing to clean the dishes was always hanging over our evening events. And we were specifically reminded every time we walked into (or even past) our kitchen.
- Seamlessly Transition Between Activities. Once the mind clutter of dirty dishes has been removed, we are freed to move from activity to activity, event to event, and room to room. We are allowed to be fully engaged in the present… however we choose to spend our evenings. There is no need to return to the past and finish the duties of our meal.
- Dishes are Always Clean. Ever need that one mixing bowl, pot, or cooking utensil, only to find out that it’s still dirty sitting in the dishwasher? Yeah, me too. Washing dishes after every meal means the dishes and cooking utensils are always clean and in their drawer.
- Dishes get Cleaner. Perhaps, the age of my built-in dishwasher has something to do with it, but I always hated pulling a bowl or plate out of the dishwasher that didn’t quite get all the way clean. And now I never do. Dishes are cleaned fully, everytime.
- It Takes Less Time. It came as a surprise, but I truly believe that washing our dishes after every meal has taken less time than loading/running/unloading the dishwasher. After most meals, it takes only 2-3 minutes to handwash each item. Cups are a snap. And most plates are a breeze to clean immediately following a meal.
- Example for My Kids. My kids see parents who finish what they start, aren’t afraid to put in a little effort, and leave a room cleaner than they found it. And those are life disciplines that I hope they embrace every day of their lives as they get older.
- It Brings Personal Satisfaction. There is a level of satisfaction in life that accompanies working with our hands and accomplishing a task without the need for mechanical intervention. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against machines. In many ways, they allow us to accomplish and create more than we could without them. I’m just saying there is a simple satisfaction in reminding ourselves that we can still live joyfully without them.
To accomplish the task of washing dishes immediately after every meal, I use three items: a dish wand, a sink rack, and a towel. I wash, dry, and put away. And with every practice in life, I own it – not the other way around. When we entertain or have a large meal that uses a number of cooking pots and pans, we still use the dishwasher.
It’s been a practical step of living intentionally. It’s been a process of choosing to question my life assumptions and live mindfully in all facets. And in that way, maybe it’s more than I just never gave it an opportunity… maybe it’s more honest to say that I never chose to live this intentionally ever before.
Nicole says
I find the plastic plates, bowls and cups that my children like to use are never dry when the dishwasher is finished. This has pushed us into handwashing and now my kids join in and enjoy the responsibility. Better to learn how to actually wash a dish and dry a dish manually then to learn how to press a button.
The satisfaction is always great. I also fill the sink with hot soapy water while I’m preparing tea, so that as I finish using a bowl or wooden spoon or grater I can quickly wash them as I go.
Darcy says
I’m almost the exact opposite – I didn’t grow up with a dishwasher (parents still don’t own one). So for many years I wondered what the fuss was all about, and I too found them more of hassle than hand washing.
Then we had kids, and I realized why it’s become such a modern “necessity.” We are ruthless about making sure that it’s full and we never let dishing stack up to create clutter.
I do plan on returning to handwashing more at some point though. I had Danish host parents who loved the nightly ritual of washing/drying together. It was always so sweet.
Thanks for sharing!
Darcy
Sustainable Family Finances
grumpy granny says
I first remember washing dishes at @ 6 years of age standing on a little green stool my dad made for me for that purpose. It was fun at first but it wasn’t long before I HATED the dreadful chore and did for many many years. I was sooooo happy that for a lot of my children’s growing up years to have a dishwasher because with 3 daughters and a husband there were a LOT of dishes and I still HATED doing them. NOW I am single, the girls are grown and I’m a granny. I have lived in my current very small home for over 15 years now and there is not room for a dishwasher. I have come full circle–I don’t know if I would say it’s fun again to wash dishes–but I don’t mind at all and do find it fulfilling to have a tidy kitchen. I also use a dish wand and drainer–since it’s just me I usually leave my few dishes in the drainer and put them away the next morning. I think the dish wand is just about the best thing invented since tape–makes the chore a lot easier I think. My mom lives next door and she does have a dishwasher so when the kids come for a visit we do use the dishwasher then and I’m happy to have it available.
DMSx2 says
Great post! Me and my wife downsized from a large house to a 2 bedroom apartment. The kitchen/lounge has no room for our tabletop dishwasher so we got rid of it. We also stripped down our kitchen ware as much as possible. Now even if we use everything we have, it takes less than 10 mins to hand wash and dry it all, leaving the room clutter free and looking spacious.
Connie says
I, too, stopped using my dishwasher except for when we have large gatherings. There are four of us at home right now, myself, my husband and two teenage boys who generate a lot of dirty glasses!. I have to agree that, for the most part, washing by hand does not take any longer than using the dishwasher and I am not faced at 9 pm with a dishwasher full of dishes to be put away. Most maddening was the fact that oftentimes, something would not be clean enough as you’ve already mentioned, and many times I would have to dry the tops of cups and glasses with a dishtowel.
Now when I leave the kitchen my work is done.
Melyssa says
I think the newer dishwashers are more energy efficient. Similar to refrigerators, washing machines and dryers, etc etc etc.
Although I do handwash from time to time, I do enjoy having the dishwasher. It is convenient and gives me more time to spend with the fam. Both my hubby and I have hour long commutes which doesn’t leave much family time during the week.
As far as ingredients in the dishwashing detergents, there are eco-friendly/non-phosphate brands out there.
So I definitely think it depends on your preference.
And yes, this turned out to be quite a post with all the attention it’s getting. Who knew a post about using or not using a dishwasher would be so popular?
Jennifer M says
THis is a great article! I grew up with the youngest ones in the family always getting primed and taught to do the dishes after every meal. My grandma taught us that not only should we give thanks for our food before we eat but by washing our dishes after we are giving our praise. We recently bought a house with a dishwasher, but it actually doesn’t work! I was a little disappointed because I though you know, ooo dishes will be easy now. But actually just having a double sink makes it easier. All our other houses only had single sinks. I realized that with how much I am concerned about the environment a dishwasher is a bad idea. Uses far more water than sink washing and uses much more phosphates in the detergents. IN the sink I use vinegar, dishes are always spotless!
Lynn Roberts says
Drying your dishes with a dish towel is a GREAT way to spread around bacteria. Much better to sanitize them in a dishwasher.
dzierzba says
I find it quite amusing, but all the points mentioned could be used as argument for dishwasher, let’s see:
1. dishwasher is a perfect place to put dirty place, when you just don’t wand/have no time to wash right after meal
2. When the task is ‘put the dishes in dishwasher after meal’ the mind clutter is gone
3. 100% agree ;) (see point 2)
4. Maybe it’s time to change filter or choose different washing tabs ?
5. I start dishwasher after last meal, and I don’t cook while I sleep
6. Washing takes my time, dishwasher may be slower, but …I do not have to assist it
7. My kids help me to load/unload dishwasher
8. Oh yes, I feel really satisfied when I am falling asleep and I hear the dishwasher humming its song ;)
Jo says
Well said. I wasn’t at all convinced by the original arguments, either. As I commented above, I’ve lived without a dishwasher for 25+ years; I had to do dishes for my Mom since I was 10. I know all about doing dishes by hand. I love my dishwasher.
hopeinbrazil says
This has been a fun conversation to follow. We area family of four and don’t have a dishwasher in Brazil and never had one until recently when we came to the U.S. What bothers us is that we don’t own enough dishes to FILL a dishwasher and if we wait to run it when it’s full then there isn’t a single clean plate, cup, or bowl in the house. Plus our dishwasher takes nearly three hours to run. That’s a long time to wait when you need a piece of silverware!
We’ve gone back to hand washing. I loved someone’s idea of using the dishwasher as a drying rack to keep the counter clear. I might try it.