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.
Mel W says
I have never owned or used a dishwasher. My parents never owned one then neither did I. Washing up is therapeutic. I also do not own a freezer or tumble dryer. Manage perfectly well without and proud of it.
Amy Howson says
If you don’t want to use your dishwasher for your dishes do a quick google search to learn about other things in your home you can wash using your dishwasher. This way you can still use and keep your seals from drying out.
Marci says
Dishes should be air dried, not dried with a towel, per my Doctor grandfather.
And if you are not using a fresh clean towel to dry each time you risk spreading bacteria that can grow on the towel in a couple hours.
So 3 dish towels a day? No thank you.
Nancy says
You understand! My husband complains because I get a fresh dishrag out every time I do dishes. I won’t use the same rag that’s been trying to dry for hours or if they did yesterday’s dishes. Not minimalist I guess. But oh well.
Nancy says
Your dad understands, I mean. Oops
Denise says
I got fed up with dishes. 2 young adult children and 2 adults. Each person now has their own dish set and utensils. Everyone washes their own if they want clean dishes. Wish I had done it years ago!
D Souther says
We have a dishwasher that came in our house when we bought it 20 years ago. I have only used it a few times. I didn’t like it. I ran a clean cycle, got it really clean and started using it like a cabinet to store stuff in. I never felt confident that it got my dishes clean in crevices and corners. You can’t use it to wash wood handled knives or spoons. I think it strips the finish off plates, flatware and etches glasses. I use one sink of hot water ( less than 2 gallons) to wash dishes in and one sink of hot water ( less than 2 gallons) to rinse them. With 2 people (3 when my son is home) I can wash dishes faster than running the dishwasher. If something needs to soak it it usually a pan to big to put in the dishwasher any way. I will never use a dishwasher. I don’t like them.
Christopher roark says
Good evening, I am a single man ( now ) but have been in several relationships in households with dishwashers, and love to read anything that can broaden my mind. I have been informed by friends that are chefs, cooks, and have read this before, that it’s mandated by law to run dishes and all utensils thru a dishwasher, in a restaurant setting! here’s why! Bacteria! All bacteria is killed when water temps reach 140 degrees or greater, our water tanks don’t typically heat water to that temp. Or greater, so convenience or health. Hmmmm?so like I’ve stated being single and into conserving water and energy, I wash in the sink! Lol. But you can also guarantee to kill bacteria with a cap full of bleach in a sink full of hot water ( which is what I do) and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Then your all good!! No worries! But they also make a counter top version of a dishwasher for the sole purpose of disinfecting dishes. So to me folks I can do both! Kill bacteria $ save energy , oh and that’s only if you don’t keep the hot water running while your had washing the dishes, lol, thanks for reading, stay safe, god bless!!
Judith Johnson says
Keeping on top of possible bacteria is appropriate in restaurants, but honestly not something you have to continually have to worry about in the average home. And as you said, a little capful of bleach is effective, not to mention cheap.
G says
Yeah, no! Bleach to wash your dishes, oh please.
Cjroark says
Good evening, I am a single man ( now ) but have been in several relationships in households with dishwashers, and love to read anything that can broaden my mind. I have been informed by friends that are chefs, cooks, and have read this before, that it’s mandated by law to run dishes and all utensils thru a dishwasher, in a restaurant setting! here’s why! Bacteria! All bacteria is killed when water temps reach 140 degree or greater, our water tanks don’t typically heat water to that temp. Or greater, so convenience or health. Hmmmm?so like I’ve stated being single and into conserving water and energy, I wash in the sink! Lol. But you can also guarantee to kill bacteria with a cap full of bleach in a sink full of hot water ( which is what I do) and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Then your all good!! No worries! But they also make a counter top version of a dishwasher for the sole purpose of disinfecting dishes. So to me folks I can do both! Kill bacteria $ save energy , oh and that’s only if you don’t keep the hot water running while your had washing the dishes, lol, thanks for reading, stay safe, god bless!!
Naomi May says
I wash all of our dishes by hand. Our house came with a crappy old dishwasher that barely worked. My husband loved having a dishwasher though; he hates washing dishes. I hated it. I hated the fact that him and the kids threw dishes in there caked with food. They would run the dishwasher, and all of the food splattered across all the dishes in the dishwasher. Then the drying cycle baked it on. I was forever scrubbing everything as it came out of that horrible dishwasher. When it finally stopped working altogether, I rejoiced. I now wash everything by hand after every meal. It doesn’t take very long, and everything that I need is now in the cupboard where it belongs instead of sitting in a dishwasher needing to be scrubbed before use. I have been able to get by with less dishes as well, since they are washed clean after every meal. My husband wants to buy another dishwasher and I keep fighting him on it! My dishes are so much cleaner now that I wash them by hand, and I like the fact that everything is put away and clean after every meal.
Gaby says
We make all our meals at home (saves us money and healthier/easier with food allergies). With 6 people in our home…that would be an incredible amount of dishes to let dry on the counter thus creating more clutter lol. I like the idea and I think it could work for a small family or for a simple meal perhaps. But for a regular dinner for 6 of us…I already wash all the pots/pans, mixing bowls, etc. by hand and that totally fills up our little dish dryer. In order to wash plates, cups, utensils, bowls, etc for 6…I would need several hand towels and the whole counter. Unless I used those several clean towels to dry them as we went and then I’d just have a lot of towels to dry as I wouldn’t want to reuse them for sanitary reasons.
I also worry about properly sanitizing dishes while doing them by hand. Sick season, food allergies, etc…I don’t want to spread germs/ allergens. Anyone have a regimen they’d like to share?
Mom says
During flu season we add 5-10 drops of essential oils to our dish water, and sometimes even a splash of alcohol. But as a family of 9, the blessing of large family is having more people to help with the chores- so we also dry and put away the dishes immediately.
Remember that even the experts have told us that the best way to kill germs on our hands is by washing with soap and water, over sanitizing methods! And it also does not kill the good bacteria along with the bad. We do not have a high rate of sickness in our home at all, though I can see the benefit for people with small children to have a dishwasher to be able to sanitize when they are not yet capable of washing in uncomfortably hot water.
mary garvey says
i would not wash pots and pans and mixing bowls by hand. i would not have them handy if they were not dishwasher safe. same with knives.
Sallie R says
We have a friend who is a pathologist. He has noticed a distinct difference in bowel health during autopsies that he attributes to the fat dissolving agents in dishwashing powder used in dishwashers. He believes that constant use of these fat dissolving agents leave a thin film on our clean plates and enter our bowels via the food on our “clean” plates thousands and thousands of times in a lifetime. Our gut health is diminished from within from these fat dissolving products and has serious health effects. He does not find this change in people who wash their dishes by hand using old fashioned washing up liquid. He recommends that if you must use a dishwasher, don’t use the powder. Just wash it hot without any cleanser.
kim yeakel says
How does the pathologist know which bodies used dishwasher versus hand washing dishes??? I don’t think that is ever part of the medical record of decedents.
Peggy says
If you wash by hand, you still need dishwashing soap which would have “fat dissolving” chemicals….
Jenn says
Thank you for sharing Sallie!