Slightly OT but dish washing proved to me the existence of a purely physical boredom in which the body itself expresses a purely mechanical revulsion for some repetitive task and finally refuses to accede to further commands no matter how earnestly the mind wishes to carry out its appointed task.
Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?
51–60 of 101 posts
Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?
#52The main thing I havent seen answered is, how do dishes get put away? That was a source of tension in most multi-person households I've lived in.
Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?
#53I live by myself. I have one plate, one casserole, and two bowls. I usually use the plate or the casserole. After eating from the casserole I fill it mostly with water and leave it on top of the microwave (there seems to be a biofilm issue if I leave it in the sink). I have one or two spoons and forks and one good stainless steel knife. I basically wash one or two things on demand by hand for each meal.
The advantage of this system is that there is never a large build up of dishes to do (since I hardly own any).
Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?
#54My pro tip - whatever your system, use sodium tripolyphosphate. Years ago phosphates were in laundry and dish detergents, and were outlawed to deal with algae blooms from runoff. Individuals can use them now but companies can’t include them. Iirc the main source of phosphate runoff is farming and consumer usage was comparatively small, but telling farmers to stop fertilizing wasn’t tenable.
So about ten years ago then industry quietly removed phosphates and the appliance manufacturers had a golden era of appliance purchases as everyone thought their machines weren't working right anymore. I was one of the buyers who contributed.
In frustration that my new dishwasher didn’t work either I did some reading and learned the above. I now add a tablespoon or two to my dishes and laundry. I don’t pre-wash my dishes, no matter how hard and dry. You don’t need to. It works great, everything comes out super clean. You can buy it online.
Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?
#55There're too many people washing their dishes right after using them in this thread. What to do if you're not one of them? I created my personal ritual: all the dishes land in the sink during the day, and right before going to sleep I turn on an audio book and spend the next ~20 mins calmly doing my home stuff. Loading the dishwasher (and unloading yesterday's portion), preparing food containers for pets, etc. Everyt…
A similar approach: I tend to wash them while preparing the next meal, except for dinner when I wash both the lunch dishes and the dinner dishes as I go. (Everything is done by hand.)
Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?
#56YC, asking _the real_ questions. I'm interested in STEM, but these are the type of inquiries that keep me around this site.
Into the rabbit hole ye shall go.
Technology Connections YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rBO8neWw04
and a follow up.
Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?
#57What I've been annoyed with for years: Drying Racks. What do people do instead of using these? I'm guess just hand drying them. I do have a lot of air-tight container lids that are super annoying to hand dry. I like the convenience of the drying rack, but hate the countertop clutter and space it takes.
In Finland the drying cupboard is a standard thing in most homes. Its placed over the sink so the water drops into the sink or the metal counter top around the sink. Drying and storage at the same time. Quite handy.
See https://www.thekitchn.com/finnish-dish-drying-cabinet-for-ea...
Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?
#58What I've been annoyed with for years: Drying Racks. What do people do instead of using these? I'm guess just hand drying them. I do have a lot of air-tight container lids that are super annoying to hand dry. I like the convenience of the drying rack, but hate the countertop clutter and space it takes.
I got a dish rack that goes over my sink so I can reclaim the counter space that was used by the drying rack. The water drips down into the sink. The main draw back is I am afraid to put anything too heavy in it, like a Dutch oven, so those get hand dried. As a single in a studio apartment it keeps my minimal counter space clear.
Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?
#59Buying a larger bin…
Re: Ask HN: What is your system for dirty dishes?
#60What I've been annoyed with for years: Drying Racks. What do people do instead of using these? I'm guess just hand drying them. I do have a lot of air-tight container lids that are super annoying to hand dry. I like the convenience of the drying rack, but hate the countertop clutter and space it takes.
I fill the washer during the day. Turn it on in the evening. Let it run (I use a 30 min program).
Then, before going to bed, I open the machine wide open, pull out the "drawers" and let the dishes dry through the night before emptying the machine in the morning.
Of course this won't work, if you wash dishes by hand. If that's the case, a drying cabinet may be the solution for you.