How do YOU do your dishes?

[smittenbyu]

So, water wastage is my big pet peeve. Recently, I ran into this article about not prewashing dishes before dishwashing. I usually build up dishes in the sink. They kind of get soaked in the water I use to wash hands, vegetables, etc. And then I scrub off with a little cold water (no soap and sometimes running water on low) before loading. I just can't seem to get myself to just stick plates with food on them in the dishwasher. I don't know some of the interviews claim they get peanut butter off. But ours doesn't get sunflower seed butter off. And somewhere else, I read their challenge is dried up rice. Well, we have some component of rice in all our meals. The other thing we can't get off are the milk-tea stains on the steel dish we use.

Plus am wondering if they use predominantly ceramics, glass, & plastics? Most of our dishes are steel & glass. I don't know. Our dishwasher is newly purchased in 2011 by the management. Can't find the user manual. But I am working on it. I wish they were more specific about what they mean as "modern" dishwashers.

ETA: I am not questioning the use of dishwasher. I am questioning the use of the pre-washing/rinsing method. I find it so amusing at how difficult this one change has been for me. I just can't get myself to just put plates/dishes in without rinsing! :P 

Comments

[echomyst.livejournal.com]

I find that the problem with using a dishwasher is that inevitably we'd need something from it before it's fully loaded and washed. It's just much easier to clean right after we eat.

[echomyst.livejournal.com]

Plus, we don't like putting large items like pots and pans and rice cooker bowl into the dishwasher, and if we're going to prepare hot soapy water to wash those, we might as well do the rest of the dishes!