How to handwash dishes properly … kitchen helper
Once upon a time, in the deep dark past, dishwashers didn’t exist. In fact, in most homes the dishwasher was whichever child was on washing up duty that night. These days of course, most homes have dishwashers and the task of kitchen clean-up is much easier. But there are of course, still times when doing it the old-fashioned way, is the best, like when you have dinnerware that isn’t dishwasher safe or if you’ve got a baked on mess that needs a bit of elbow-grease. But how do you get the best results when hand-washing? Read on for our top tips.
1. The right gear – obviously you’re going to need some equipment such as dishwashing detergent and a sponge to handwash. Choose a double-sided sponge with a soft side and a textured side so that you can tackle all kinds of mess.
2. Scrape and soak – remove any pieces of food by scraping them into the bin before washing. Stubborn baked on food can be soaked before washing if needed. This will help to soften and loosen the mess and make handwashing easier.
3. Work from cleanest to dirtiest – always start by washing the cleanest items first such as glasses and cutlery. This stops the water from getting grotty straight away.
4. Change sides – most dishes will clean up well using the soft side of a sponge but if you have a tough stain use the textured side. Be careful though if washing non-stick pots or delicate dishes to avoid scratching.
