10 tactics to make doing the dishes easier

Some people consider washing up time to act as therapy, allowing them to focus on their own thoughts and have a few minutes of inner peace.

On the other hand, there are many people who simply hate doing this task and just don’t use disposable plates because they want to avoid the judgment of society.

If you identify with this case, know that we are here to help you. There’s no way to totally eliminate dirty dishes from your life (only if you cover everything with plastic film…), but there are techniques to make this obligation easier.

Check out 10 tips that can make the task of doing the dishes less work and spend your precious time on more interesting things:

1. Wash the dishes while you prepare the food

You know those minutes when you have to wait for the water to boil or the rice to cook? You can use them to wash the dishes that have accumulated in the sink until then.

That way, when your meal is ready, you’ll have fewer items to wash after you’re done eating, speeding up your work.

2. Remove the remains and soak everything in soapy water

If you’re not going to be able to wash an item of dishes right away, at least try to remove the leftover food with a paper towel. It might also be a good idea to soak your dishes in water and a little dishwashing liquid.

Thus, you prevent food remains from sticking to plates, cutlery and pans, avoiding all that endless scrubbing later.

3. Don’t leave the sink full of dishes until the next day

Law of Procrastination: The longer you take a task, the harder it becomes. That crockery that was left in the sink at night will become a martyrdom the next morning. So, if possible, wash it before going to bed.

You can also focus on the consequences of leaving it for later: dishes with food stuck together or with insects are even more difficult to wash.

4. Organize the sink

This trick doesn’t necessarily help you clean the dishes, but it’s a good tip to avoid procrastination.

When the sink is messy, it feels like there are more items to wash than there really are. By arranging your dishes in the sink, you’ll get a better idea of ​​the quantity, realizing that “it wasn’t that much”.

Try to stack the plates leaving the smaller ones on top, leave the glasses all together and arrange the cutlery in the same container. Pots and pans can be placed next to other items.

It’s also worth not putting dirty items in the sink. When it is full, it becomes even more difficult to move around and wash the parts.

5. Start with the “less dirty” items

It’s easier to wash glasses and cutlery than ways to roast meat, right? Therefore, you can take advantage of the organization of the previous item to wash your dishes in groups of objects, starting with the cleanest.

This will also help preserve your sponge, as it won’t be full of grease after the first item is washed. It is much easier to leave it to clean it at the end of the whole process.

6. Use hot water on greasy dishes

Hot water helps to remove grease more easily. If you don’t have access to a sink with water at a higher temperature, the tip is to heat it up a little on the stove and pour it into the pans and molds to soften the residue.

7. Know some tricks to make cleaning easier

Washing a glass that was used to drink water is much easier than washing a burnt pan, right? So, to make your life easier, it is quite useful to know some tricks for these cases.

Here are some tips for cleaning a burnt pan. There are tips on how to use baking soda and white vinegar, among others.

It is also interesting to know tricks to facilitate the cleaning of the stove grates, such as this one that uses ammonia and does not need to be rubbed, and ways to clean the sandwich maker or grill.

8. Use gloves to protect your hands and manicure

Nobody likes to ruin nail polish while washing dishes, do they? Other people, even if they are not using nail polish, feel a certain distress at the thought that they are touching food scraps, with the famous disgust.

As we are not here to judge anyone, but to make your life easier, the tip is to invest in rubber gloves to do this task. If regular cleaning gloves cause you to lose some feeling and feel insecure when handling plates and cups, try using disposable gloves, which are thinner.

9. Use trays to separate each person’s dishes

If you share an apartment with co-workers, it might be a good idea to use trays to separate the dishes each one has used instead of piling them all together in the sink.

That way, everyone will know exactly which items they are responsible for, and you won’t be suffering from having to wash a cup you used and your colleague’s 17.

10. Let the universe dry the dishes for you

You’ve already gone to great lengths to wash all the glasses, cutlery, dishes and pans, so you deserve a break. If possible, leave the clean dishes on the slide until they dry naturally.

Of course you can dry it if you prefer to have a sink free of any objects. However, if the idea is to save time and effort, just let the items dry on their own and go do something nicer in the meantime.

In short: doing the dishes may not be the most pleasant task in the world for many people, but with a few simple tricks, you can overcome the drama and make your life easier. It’s worth testing!