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.
kris says
A few thoughts . . .
(1) Why not use a combination method: hand wash knives, wooden spoons, mixing bowls, i.e. anything that shouldn’t go in the dishwasher as well as anything you might need before you run the dishwasher. Use the dishwasher for tabletop items: glasses, cereal bowls, plates, knives, forks, and spoons.
(2) For the items that you hand wash, have a dish rack, as Joshua recommends. But instead of using a towel, let the items air dry. Easier and more sanitary. And if you have an attractive dish rack and attractive kitchen equipment, seeing these items air drying can be pleasant (not visual clutter).
(3) Consider using this method for hand washing dishes: In the morning, fill a mug or a bowl with some dishwashing soap and hot water. Then dip your sponge, dishcloth or dish wand in the mug or bowl. (This tip comes from a book about living on a boat where water is in short supply.)
(4) If you’re concerned about dishes that go through the dishwasher and not getting clean, rinse them first. You’ll still be using less water than if you hand washed everything. Also, this means that you can run the dishwasher on the quickest setting.
(5) If you use a sponge, an easy way to sanitize it is to get it damp, put it in a bowl, and then put the bowl and the sponge in the microwave for a couple of minutes. (I use a bowl that also doubles as a container for food scraps that I later compost.)
(6) Make it a point to use dishwashing soap with a fragrance that you like.
Volker says
Unclutterer had this story: http://unclutterer.com/2010/11/09/range-oven-dishwasher-a-perfect-unit-for-a-small-space/
I’m always looking for a small dishwasher :)
Maggie says
I failed ! Tried to use just one plate, bowl, cup and glass…..failed !
Tried hand washing ….only 3 days….failed !
Found out I am a dishwasher person.
Nicki Savantes says
We went the opposite way and bought a dish washer just a couple of years ago. Part of me still wishes we hadn’t, but with 4 adults and two kids and everyone drinking several cups of tea or whatever a day and not remembering which was theirs, so taking a fresh cup, spoon, plate etc. every time, we had LOADS of dishes and two of us grudgingly spent more than an hour every day doing the dishes.
In hindsight we could have opted for a really simple solution and given everyone their (distinguishable) cup and spoon to take care of themselves, but we were into other things at the time, not very much into creative solutions, not very much in the moment either, and it just never occurred to us.
Meanwhile our family is down to two adults and one kid, living ever more mindfully, or so we believe, so you would think we wouldn’t get a full dishwasher every day, but we still do, because the three of us have completely different and pretty irreconcilable eating habits.
This is not the way I would wish it, but I tell myself it’s a process, and we make small adjustments every day towards the goal of a better/simpler/more ecological lifestyle, and we are (generally) headed in the right direction.
For the dishwasher we use ecological completely biodegradable tablets (three products in one, no salts or other stuff needed) and we add 100ml of eco-friendly rinsing product once every 3 months or so, the wastewater goes back into our terrain and feeds the trees in the orchard. I fill it in the evening (5 minutes), my husband empties it in the morning (5 minutes). We couldn’t for the life of us wash all that stuff in 10 minutes, so for us having the machine is still a useful gain of time – at the point where we are in life. Perhaps it will change… I can see us go back to being a no dishwasher family at some point (my husband can’t, not yet anyway: too many unpleasant associations).
Meanwhile I’m planning to etch names in all our glasses and paint designs on all our cups and plates, so everyone can easily pick out their favourites and stick with them for the day. Should be fun, to drink from a glass called Anastasia and stir with a spoon named Squirt, or eat from a plate decorated with autumn leaves or little hearts… I haven’t gotten around to that though. Sigh – it’s a process…
marie says
Every apartment so far that I have had has not had a dishwasher and it hasn’t been a big deal.
For the towels, just make sure that they are dried properly between every meal that way bacteria won’t spread.
As for getting the water hot enough, it doesn’t matter for most things, and if you are worried about lets say the water bottle and coffee mug you use everyday during cold season you can just boil some water in the kettle and pour it in/over it once you are done washing so that it rinses everything off. I wouldn’t really worry about it though.
We do have a rack to air dry though.
kcar1 says
@Volker, yes, dishwashers save a lot of water, energy (hot water heating), and soap over hand washing in the US as well. Particularly the newer ones can really cut down on all the above — but they do that by a combination of adding capacity (more dishes per load) as well as reducing water and soap per load.
We have a fairly new one with TONS of capacity and we are very vigilant about not running it unless FULL but that does mean pulling out the to-be-washed spatula from time to time. For me I work at being very conscious of energy/water usage… so the dishwasher wins.
MSmith says
Thats a blanket statement. Every individual will waste different amounts. There is a proper way to wash dishes, typically done on ships to conserve water. This involves filling the sink with some sudsy water, to the point the dishes are submerged in atleast luke warm water to loosen the grit. Then scrub for 5 minutes or until all items have been scrubbed where crum is removed. If you are doing it right the water should look pretty filthy. Then run the faucet a little bit, enough to get some flow over the dish as you pull it out of the suds and wipe a few times-bare hands yes. This will physically remove the bacteria and surface material. Dry and put away. Repeat for each item in the sink. Very little water is used and no one ever gets sick. Thats the last thing you want on a boat. Germs are a side thought. I guess if you have teeny tots or granny mannies you might take care to dry the plates well with a clean cloth. Otherwise, healthy adults fearing germs is a bit silly. When you wash the dishes after every meal there is virtually no harmful bacteria on the actual dishes in the first place. Any significant bacteria colonies will be in the cloths, if there.
Volker says
I wash all my dishes etc. in time. I’m still struggling if I want a dishwasher in the future or not.
But there is one thing which really speaks for the dishwasher: Dishwashers save plenty of water (at least here in Europe).
modern_minimalist says
That’s so interesting, do you have an energy efficient dishwasher? Here in the UK, it’s found that hand-washing dishes arer much more cost-effective.
S says
Is that because you don’t rinse the dishes when you hand wash them in the UK, maybe? I’m not from the UK but I live in the UK and that is one of the things that has most caught my attention: people just use a bowl full of hot water with detergent and wash but then don’t rinse. They just put them like that straight on the dish rack and then dry. I’m sorry but I just hate that. I’m not germophobic at all but that just freaks me out.
Maggie says
Fun to read the comments.
I am giving hand washing a try starting today. Thanks for such an enjoyable post.
joshua becker says
Let me know how it goes. Remember, it’s more about mindfulness than anything else.
Krista says
any concerns about germs? One reason we’ve used the dishwasher is for sanitation and I couldn’t get the water hot enough to kill germs without burning my hands. I do enjoy handwashing dishes though. Sponges also harbor germs though one could use cloths they wash in the laundry.
joshua becker says
No. I don’t worry much about germs. Never have. Someone else commented above about bacteria on dish towels… But again, honestly, the thought never crossed my mind.
modern_minimalist says
Maybe a helpful tip: change your dishtowel every 1-2 days. Always dry hands with a separate handtowel. :-) no germ worries. p.s. a few germs are actually good for you (as I’m sure you know)…
Hal says
I use a clean dish towel every time I do dishes.. which is 2 to 3 times a day. I think using a dishwasher is just lazy! And the soap kills the germs too..and really how many germs will be on your dishes if you do them regularly
Michele says
I am about to remove mine. The sponge that I use to clean the dishes is also used with bleach to clean my sink once in a while, so it gets really clean like that and no need to fear the bacteria and such. For all of those who throw away sponge, you can always use the same technique.
Aleksi says
I am not sure if that works for gems, but can’t you just put dishes in the hot water about 15minutes or 30minutes before washing them and just wait when the water is cool enough so you don’t have to burn your hands and you can still keep dishes at least in some time in hot water?
Krista says
Aleksi, that is a simple solution to my germ problem — thanks! Can’t believe I didn’t think of that. I am more germaphobic b/c I’m recovering from a bone marrow transplant still and am immune suppressed, but I think soaking them in hot water would do a good job.
Renee says
Krista, I would wash the dishes first, and then fill the sink with hot water and maybe some bleach? to sanitize, that way there is not stuck on food to prevent the sanitation. :)
Daniel says
If you’re soaking your dishes in hot water for 30 minutes then you’re no longer following the precept of ‘washing your dishes immediately’.
However, for someone like Aleksi who has a special need, room for flexibility is needed and you may actually be happier in the long run with the peace of mind that you get from washing your dishes in the dishwasher.
Rose says
Really? Germs? I’ll let the common misconception that every germ is evil slide, but when you wash dishes by hand, just as when you wash your hands, the friction and motion of rubbing and scrubbing is what gets the germs off. Not the temperature of the water. I usually think the dishes coming out of my dishwasher have more potential to be germy and dirty, because the water may not have sufficiently reached a part of a dish to “scrub” or spray it. I think hand-washed dishes should not be a problem! But that’s just my opinion (based on what I’ve read about germs).
Rose says
(And now I scroll down and see the rest of the comments. D’oh! Sorry, I wasn’t trying to sound so rude. I still think hand washing shouldn’t be an issue. The germs get scrubbed right off!)
Krista says
No worries, Rose…I actually liked your comments and it reminded me of the common sense I once had! haha — I love handwashing and think you’re right on! Fear is not a good reason to make decisions…except running away from someone attacking you.
Brian says
Back in school we did an experiment with washing dishes in different temperatures to see what the differences really were in regards to amount of germs. We had a dish-washed set, a hot hand-washed set, and a cold hand-washed set. and we ran swabs across each set of dishes after they were clean and dried. We incubated all of the petri dishes for a week to watch bacteria growth. We found that there was minimal difference (can’t remember exacts, it’s been too long) in any form of washing. What we did find that hot hand-washed dishes required less scrubbing to get them clean.
Aleksi says
Nice post! It felt a little bit funny to read this post today, because I have washed myself my dishes without dishwasher a little bit over a month now and today some people are coming to buy my dishwasher. I have decided that I don’t need it, so I am gonig to sell it.
Of course I took about a month without using it to test if I “can live” without it and I noticed that I am doing well without it so now I am able to sell it.
One problem with dishwasher for me was that almost every time I have too few plates, too few cups or too few forks and so on. When I had used all my plates and dishwasher was full of them it was still almost empty machine, so I had to start it almost half empty or take some plates from it and handwash it when I needed a plate. I used to do handwashing rather than start dishwasher half empty.
Of course I had a possibility to go and buy more plates, more forks and so on, but I noticed that it is just much easier for me to own only couple of plates, couple of forks, couple of cups and so on and just wash them without dishwasher after usage.
joshua becker says
The journey to minimalism certainly prompted us to use our dishwasher less as well. As Naomi mentioned above, I was getting tired of pulling needed cooking utensils out of the machine all the time as well.