If you’ve got reusable dishes, utensils, cups, bowls, pots and pans and other kitchen items, you have to clean them. How you clean them, however, can be up for debate.
Some people are adamant about hand-washing their dishes while others can’t imagine life without a dishwasher.
Surprisingly, the first dishwashers were invented in the mid-to-late 1800s. After several ineffective versions were created by different people, Josephine Cochran received a patent for a hand-operated version that used water pressure in 1886. But dishwashers didn’t catch on in private homes until the 1950s and didn’t become common until closer to the 1970s and 1980s.
Those that grew up without a dishwasher might cling to their hand-washing routine like food clings to a dish, but is that the greenest way to wash a dish? Does it save water?
The Winner: Dishwasher Vs. Hand-Washing
The winner in the dishwasher versus hand-washing debate is the dishwasher.
A dishwasher uses much less water than hand-washing dishes in your sink. Today’s dishwashers work like car washes, as USA Today explains. If you thought your dishwasher fills up with water while running, that’s not the case. Instead, items are sprayed down through several cycles, using a small amount of water that is reused throughout the process.
A USA Today test in 2021 that collected and measured the amount of water used in hand washing calculates that it uses 3.5 to 5 times as much water as a dishwasher.
While there is an environmental impact to manufacturing, shipping and running a dishwasher, the amount you save in water and heating costs is met within two years of using an Energy Star model, according to the Department of Energy.
An article from the taskmaster platform Angi cites the Alliance for Water Efficiency’s statistics on water use for a dishwasher versus hand-washing. A less efficient dishwasher uses 10-15 gallons a load on average. An Energy Star dishwasher uses closer to 3.5 gallons.
Faucets pump out an average of 1.5 to 2 gallons of water a minute. Angi writers estimate hand-washing dishes consumes 9 to 27 gallons depending on how you hand-wash your dishes: soaking dishes versus running the water constantly while cleaning uses less water, for example.
Sustainability blog Treehugger concludes that while it is possible to be more efficient during hand-washing, in terms of average water heater usage and energy efficiency of dishwashers as well as how fast you can hand wash a dish — it’s pretty tough.
Other Reasons Why A Dishwasher Is Better
Another reason not to hand wash? Germs. The hottest faucet water isn’t likely as hot as your dishwasher can get with its internal heating mechanism.
Not only that, but kitchen sponges are bacteria magnets. While you can sanitize your kitchen sponges in the microwave or in your dishwasher, not everyone does that. If you use a washcloth, you may throw those in the laundry regularly, but now that’s another item you’re washing.
You also should avoid washing your dishes in cold water whether you’re hand-washing or using a dishwasher. The Spruce lists numerous reasons why, including the fact that hot water is more effective at loosening stuck-on food and grease, cuts down on drying time, and requires less soap to get dishes clean.
Reasons To Hand-Wash Over Using A Dishwasher
So are there reasons you should hand-wash certain kitchen items?
You’ll want to hand wash non-stick cookware, cast iron, wood, sharp knives, and delicate items you’re worried could break or be damaged. Choice Magazine has a handy chart of other things not to put in your dishwasher.
You might also want to hand-wash dishes, cups, utensils, bowls and other items if you don’t use very many of them. That’s because food dries on dishes left to sit in a dishwasher while it waits to fill up, and that can make it harder to get off.
Your kitchen might be too small for a dishwasher. Or you might live in a place where you can’t have one installed, like a rental apartment. However, you also might consider a portable or countertop dishwasher before ruling a dishwasher out completely.
If you do hand-wash dishes, the “greenest” way to do so is to wash all your dirty dishes in hot, soapy water at one time. This can mean filling up a bin or one side of a two-sided sink with soapy water. Running hot water constantly while washing dishes is the least eco-conscious way to do it.
We also have some suggestions for alternatives to the traditional sponge that will cut down on germs while still cleaning well.
Ways To Make Dishwasher Use Even Greener
If you want to lower your impact on the environment as much as you can, here are additional tips:
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To make sure your dishwasher is as effective and eco-friendly as possible, buy an energy-efficient one.
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Load it fully before use. Fully loading a dishwasher can save 1,000 gallons of water a month, according to Treehugger.
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Don’t pre-rinse your dishes. A thorough scrape of your dishes into the trash is good enough. Pre-rinsing wastes water and isn’t necessary for the way most dishwashers and dishwashing detergents are designed today. A rinsing agent helps, too.
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Run your hot water faucet in your sink until it gets warm, just before turning on your dishwasher. This helps your dishwasher start with hotter water so it can run at its best temperature.
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Don’t use the quick wash cycle for your dishwasher. That setting often uses more water and raises the dishwasher’s internal water temperature higher.
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Home Made Simple says you can skip the even hotter sanitize setting unless your dishes aren’t getting clean enough, or if you have allergic or immuno-comprised people in your home.
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You’ll also want to regularly clean your dishwasher so it’s running at its best. We’ve got an explainer on that.
Treehugger offers other tips like using green dishwashing detergent and running dishwashers at night when utility companies use off-peak billing.
If you follow the most efficient methods of using a dishwasher, you can save a lot on water and heating costs and use less water in the process.
On a side note, sometimes sanity-saving dish methods trump any use of reusable cups, plates, bowls and utensils. “How to Keep House While Drowning” author KC Davis is a proponent of using paper plates when life is feeling overwhelming. Parents with kids at home, we’re talking to you. If you want to cut down on your environmental impact, go for the most biodegradable paper plates over coated plastic ones.
This article originally appeared on SimpleMost and was syndicated by MediaFeed.
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25 ways to save money fast
The secret to sticking to any goal is to remember your “why.” What made you want to save money in the first place? Dig deep to find the emotions underlying your reason.
For example, let’s say that when you were growing up, your parents always worried about money and argued about it. Now, as an adult, you don’t want your kids to witness the same thing. That’s pretty powerful. And those memories can come in handy the next time you’re tempted to buy something you don’t need.
Your reason may not be so dramatic, and it doesn’t have to be. Instead, maybe you’ve never traveled outside the country and you’d love to do so in a year or two. When financial temptations arise, you can remind yourself of that big trip. Even better, picture yourself walking over an ancient bridge in Venice, or hiking the rainforests of Costa Rica, or sitting at a sushi bar in Tokyo. Whatever pulls your heartstrings is your key to saving money.
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Creating a budget is one of the most crucial steps to saving money. If you don’t have a budget, you can spend hundreds of dollars more per month than necessary.
It can be difficult to even identify excess spending without a budget. There are many popular budgeting methods to help you get your spending under control.
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Once you set a budget, consider tracking your spending. Just being mindful of your purchases makes cutting back almost automatic. (The same phenomenon helps people who track their eating make healthier choices.)
Many popular budgeting apps can help you track spending every week. Because you already have a budget, you will know much you can afford to spend weekly. If your expenses exceed that amount, you must make some adjustments.
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While reducing your housing costs is not feasible for everyone, it can be a quick way to save a significant amount of money. Moving to a smaller house or apartment, or adding a roommate, can allow you to slash your rent or mortgage. Another option is house hacking, or renting extra rooms in your home and using the money to pay your mortgage.
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If you’re good at driving a hard bargain, you can try to negotiate your utility bills. Whether it’s your electricity, cable TV, cell phone, or internet, ask for a lower rate. If all else fails, you may be able to switch providers. (And by the way, mentioning you might switch is a great negotiating tactic.)
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There are many ways to reduce food costs, from cooking at home to meal prep. Cutting one or two of your typical lunches per week can lead to significant savings.
Cooking meals at home can seem more expensive at first if you’re not stocked up on things like spices and baking powder. But it is cheaper over time, especially if you have a large family.
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Automation is a simple way to beef up your savings. Not only is automating convenient, but you might eventually forget you have an automatic transfer every month. Since you won’t have to think about the money as you move it, you’ll be less tempted to spend it on something else.
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Subscriptions are everywhere these days. While it’s understandable that companies want recurring revenue, all those subscriptions can add up quickly. Many apps will help you find unused subscriptions and even help cancel them.
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Refinancing your student loans can save you a lot of money, depending on your situation. For example, if you have private student loans with high interest rates, refinancing might result in a lower rate, especially if you have a strong credit history.
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Refinancing your mortgage can be a good move, especially if interest rates are lower now than when you bought your house. If rates have indeed fallen, you might be able to knock two or three percent from your mortgage APR. And a lower APR can save you thousands over the long term.
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Some premium credit cards have numerous benefits, such as airport lounge access and rental car insurance. However, these cards can also have high annual fees. If you aren’t using the card enough to justify the fee, consider downgrading to a no-annual-fee card. This way, your credit history from the card stays intact while eliminating the yearly charge.
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There is no limit to the number of ways we can spend our money. And while it’s nice to buy something from your “want” list now and then, feelings change. There might be something you desperately want at one moment, but after a few days, your interest has waned. You can avoid buyer’s remorse by delaying purchases by a few days or weeks.
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Used items are often much cheaper than new ones. Everything from clothing to electronics can be used, and are often in near-perfect condition. There are many places to find used items, such as thrift stores and Facebook groups.
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Banking fees may not seem like much, but that $20 per month service charge doesn’t make sense when so many banks these days charge no monthly fees. Both traditional and online banks offer checking and savings accounts with no monthly fees. They typically advertise their lack of monthly and service fees, too, so they’re easy to find.
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People often think of credit cards as a convenience, but they can also help you save money. The best cash-back credit cards let you earn a percentage of every purchase in money back. If you strategically use a cash-back card only on things you would have bought anyway, you can make your money go further.
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Another way to control your spending is to have a no-spend day once per month. It’s as simple as it sounds: You must go an entire day without spending a penny. That means you can only eat food you already have on hand. If you go out, you should limit yourself to free activities, such as hiking or complimentary-admission days at museums.
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One way to save money fast is to open a savings account with a high-yield interest rate. Traditional banks might pay interest on checking accounts but usually no more than a few pennies per year. High-yield savings accounts tend to be much better, paying many times more interest than traditional banks. These banks are usually online and don’t have physical branches, but that might be okay if you only have a savings account.
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These days, it’s remarkable how much you can learn to do just by watching a YouTube video. It’s likely still worth it to hire a professional for some things, such as major plumbing or electrical repairs. But for basic jobs, do-it-yourself (DIY) can be a great way to save money quickly.
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Like automating savings, automating your bill payments can have benefits that go beyond convenience. For example, paying your bills automatically every month means you won’t ever forget to pay. Hence, you don’t have to worry about the possibility of late fees.
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Car insurance can be quite expensive depending on your situation, but it’s possible to cut back. For instance, there is likely no need to have full coverage on a 15-year-old car worth only $2,000. Or if your car is in good shape, maybe you can do without the roadside assistance option for a year.
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Even if you have a newer car and need full coverage, you still might be able to lower your car insurance premium. Try shopping around with different providers and asking for quotes. Each insurance carrier has its own way of calculating premiums, so they might all give you slightly different rates.
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High-interest debt can wreak havoc on just about anyone’s budget. The most common offender is credit card debt. However, there are other possibilities, such as payday loans and personal loans. If you have any debt with at least a double-digit APR, it’s a good idea to prioritize repaying it as soon as possible.
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When it comes to grocery shopping and meals, planning can make a big difference in cost. For example, by checking your freezer and pantry inventory before you go, you’ll avoid buying duplicates of things you already have on hand (hello, three cans of baking powder!). You’re also less likely to buy items you don’t need, or to get too much of an ingredient that you end up throwing away.
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Insurance providers often have multiple types of insurance plans, such as home, auto, and boat insurance. Because they want you to insure more of your assets with them, they will often give you a discount for bundling two or three types of insurance together. However, be sure the provider offers competitive rates before you bundle.
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Like the previous point, many entertainment companies will let you bundle plans to save money. For example, if you pay for streaming services, you can bundle multiple apps (sports + kids’ channels, for instance) to save money.
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People tend to prefer name-brand items. Nevertheless, store-brand items (aka generics) are often similar or identical to the name brand. While you might occasionally find that the store brand isn’t always as good, paying for the label is usually not worth the money.
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- Because online banks don’t have the overhead costs that brick-and-mortar banks have, they may offer a higher savings account interest rate. Just keep an eye out for minimum balance requirements and monthly fees.
- To get into the savings habit, consider having 10% of your paycheck directly deposited into your savings account. Or, set up a small automatic recurring transfer from your checking account into your savings account on the same day each month.
- To set up a simple monthly spending budget, consider the 50/30/20 rule. This involves splitting your after-tax income into three categories of spending: 50% on needs, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings.
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Just as there are many ways to spend our money, there are many ways to save. And saving money even on little things can have a big impact in the long run. First make a budget and track your spending. Review your insurance coverage, subscriptions, and banking fees for easy ways to save. Meanwhile, when you’re out shopping and tempted to spend more than you need to, keep your “why” in mind. That is, the emotional reason you wanted to save in the first place.
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