Dishwashing is probably one of the chores we hate most — but it is one of those inescapable chores. Dishwashers make life easier, but they don’t clean everything perfectly, and there’s still the sticky, oily scraping to deal with. So we always end up having to do a lot of it by hand. There might not be a mighty solution, but there are ways to make dishwashing a bit easier and a bit less aggravating.
The earlier the better
The sooner you start with dishwashing preparation, the better and easier it becomes. Yes, no one wants to worry about cleaning when they are still preparing dinner; but, rather than full-out cleaning, all you need to do is soak. As soon as you are done with a pot or a plate, fill or rinse it with a bit of hot water and leave it in your sink. This will prevent food from sticking and make washing up so much easier.
The “icky” aspect
A lot of the disgust we have for dishwashing is psychological. Handling all those gross-looking messes and leftovers can sometimes be enough to flip our stomachs. So, make yourself comfortable. Buy gloves. Wearing gloves will protect your hands and nails, and will also reduce actual contact with residues. An extravaganza in the sink makes it hard to tackle; sort things out in piles on the counter, and fill the sink with warm, soapy water. Start with glasses, and then cutlery and plates — already, your piles will look smaller and the task more manageable. For an extra kick, put some music on and sing along. Remember, it is not torture time.
Sticky situations
Charred frying pans and sticky-bottomed saucepans can be the biggest challenges, as cooked-on residues can be extremely difficult to scrape out. There are two ways to make this easier. One is to fill them up with very hot water, drop in some dish detergent and leave them to soak for a few hours or overnight. Or, you can use vinegar to clean them. Vinegar is a mild acid which works as an anti-bacterial substance too.
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