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Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?

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Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?

#21
post #17

Dishes are easy if you have a machine. I want to know HN's prostrats on laundry. Especially sweaty gym laundry for the runners.

Washing machines are relatively cheap when considered over the time used - I’m seriously considering getting an additional pair for convenience.

Some of the newer ones have a tiny wash machine stuck to the larger one but I’m not quite convinced yet.

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?

#22

Not mine but getting two dishwashers. Alternating their use for storage and cleaning.

This works surprisingly well if you have one or two people who regularly use the same dishes. It works horribly badly if you have a family that greatly varies what they use - but the trick then is nobody will arrest you if you wash a clean dish.

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?

#23
post #9

No kids so YMMV - we put everything in the dishwasher and set it going in the evening. I open it before going to bed and set a fan blowing over the dishes to air dry them and put them away when I wake up in the morning. I'm also kind of anal about everything being very dry before going into the cupboards. Debated getting a small radiant heater to install under a cupboard over a drying rack but figured it was going to…

You can also buy dishes that intentionally don’t stack airtight if you get my meaning - so that two plates on top of each other still dry perfectly fine - and then drill some holes in the cabinets.

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?

#24
post #9

No kids so YMMV - we put everything in the dishwasher and set it going in the evening. I open it before going to bed and set a fan blowing over the dishes to air dry them and put them away when I wake up in the morning. I'm also kind of anal about everything being very dry before going into the cupboards. Debated getting a small radiant heater to install under a cupboard over a drying rack but figured it was going to…

That's really not that crazy, and I'm surprised this whole system hasn't been developed. We're kinda stuck in the 'big flappy door' form factor right now. I wish something like the drawer style were more common and with integrated air-drying. https://www.fisherpaykel.com/ie/dishwashing/contemporary-dis...

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?

#26

Miele dishwashers have auto dosing of detergent and auto open after they are finished. They are very quiet too. Remote start via app makes zero sense without auto dosing.

Does this mean they’re like a commercial washer and you kid it up with a gallon of detergent once a year or something? Because that would be nice.

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?

#28
post #23
post #9

No kids so YMMV - we put everything in the dishwasher and set it going in the evening. I open it before going to bed and set a fan blowing over the dishes to air dry them and put them away when I wake up in the morning. I'm also kind of anal about everything being very dry before going into the cupboards. Debated getting a small radiant heater to install under a cupboard over a drying rack but figured it was going to…

You can also buy dishes that intentionally don’t stack airtight if you get my meaning - so that two plates on top of each other still dry perfectly fine - and then drill some holes in the cabinets.

At this point I would love a dishwasher that had racks specifically for the dishes that I have. I'm surprised IKEA hasn't jumped on that -- perfectly marrying a set of dishes with a dishwasher rack.

Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?

#29
I handwash all dishes and can go through maybe 50+ in about 5 minutes. My approach is very efficient.

* First, get every dish wet (so that the food will rinse off easier), just a quick splash of water the surface of every dish.

* Then, soap your sponge and begin cleaning. Stack all dishes off to the side sensibly (plates on bottom, bowls on top, silverware atop that). Don't put your sponge down to rinse off anything.

* After you soap and stack eveything, begin rinsing.

* Put the entire stack (or half of it) under the faucet. The running water from the top will flow down to the bottom, making it easier and faster to wash each subsequent dish.

* Run your hands through each dish as you rinse with water to detect and remove any remaining food.

Finally you are done! This method is great because it reduces redundant action (putting down, picking up sponge) and because it "compounds" others (lets the same water rinse multiple dishes). Also, always remember to wash dishes when you have downtime while cooking - you will have no "prep dishes" to clean by the time you eat, and instead only eating dishes.

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