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Washing/drying dishes (by-hand)

(76 Posts)
Grannypanties Wed 17-Dec-25 19:53:52

Any others still wash and dry dishes by hand?

I do. Roughly 45 years and counting, with no intentions on stopping. Have a modern day electric dishwasher, can't stand using it.

Shinamae Wed 17-Dec-25 19:55:50

I do as well

MayBee70 Wed 17-Dec-25 20:19:33

I do. I use my dishwasher as a draining board. On the rare occasion that I use it as a dishwasher I put most things in reasonably clean. I hate the way everything is still damp after a wash but I believe that newer ones have a drying cycle? My mugs still come out slightly stained from the dryer, too, and I hate that.

Grannypanties Wed 17-Dec-25 20:25:44

MayBee70

I do. I use my dishwasher as a draining board. On the rare occasion that I use it as a dishwasher I put most things in reasonably clean. I hate the way everything is still damp after a wash but I believe that newer ones have a drying cycle? My mugs still come out slightly stained from the dryer, too, and I hate that.

My dishwasher is older, so aside from the noise, dishes are often damp when the cycle is done.

What I particularly love about hand-washing and drying, is I treat the time as - me time, a time for me to lose myself in the day's thoughts, the day's happenings, working at my own leisure.

Tea towel draped over my shoulder, the house quiet, and when I'm done - I'm done, the kitchen is clean, dishes put away. No waiting for the dishwasher to complete its cycle, then having to go back into the kitchen to unload and put everything away later.

RosieandherMaw Wed 17-Dec-25 20:26:16

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

sassenach512 Wed 17-Dec-25 20:28:55

I still wash dishes by hand. I've always wanted a dishwasher but never had room for one in our kitchen. That said, there's only the two of us now so not much point in one now for a few plates and pots

charley68 Wed 17-Dec-25 20:30:09

I do. No other dishwasher available!

petra Wed 17-Dec-25 20:30:28

RosieandherMaw

Words fail me.
Do you also beat your washing with rocks on the banks of a nearby stream or sweep your house every day after scattering damp tea leaves all over the carpet?

Each to their own

😂
Not much else to say.

MayBee70 Wed 17-Dec-25 20:34:54

My son’s kitchen is too small for a dishwasher so they, too, wash up by hand. So it isn’t just old people like me that do it. I actually hate seeing dirty dishes being piled into a dishwasher as I have a set routine for washing different things and everything has a final rinse in very hot water. I hate cooking anyway so I don’t have a lot of washing up. On the other hand I couldn’t live without my tumble dryer or dehumidifier so each to his own I guess.

MaizieD Wed 17-Dec-25 20:42:18

I've had dishwashers for 40 years now. (the latest is 20 years old) I love mine and wouldn't willingly be without it. I've loathed 'dong the washing up' since I was a child and it was part of our 'duties' grin

It works for me. I load it at night, put on to wash overnight and DH empties it in the morning. Everything, except plastics are perfectly dry.

But if you like handwashing I see no reason at all why you shouldn't do it.

Technically, of course, you shouldn't use a cloth to wipe them dry because tea towels Harbour Germs. You should leave them to air dry. But as all you 'by hand washers and dryers up 'are still alive I doubt if it's that dangerous..

Each to their own, and I don't understand why the snidey comment. hmm

Wyllow3 Wed 17-Dec-25 20:44:00

I've never had a dishwasher - ever.
I only had one child, never seen the point. I guess in terms of guests there were never more than 6 maximum.

Looking at my DS's busy life, both work 4 children, one special needs, it makes sense to have one there.

Redrobin51 Wed 17-Dec-25 20:44:06

Yes, couldn't fit a dishwasher in any of our kitchens. Seems a waste of space when there are only 2 of us.

Grannypanties Wed 17-Dec-25 20:44:59

MaizieD

I've had dishwashers for 40 years now. (the latest is 20 years old) I love mine and wouldn't willingly be without it. I've loathed 'dong the washing up' since I was a child and it was part of our 'duties' grin

It works for me. I load it at night, put on to wash overnight and DH empties it in the morning. Everything, except plastics are perfectly dry.

But if you like handwashing I see no reason at all why you shouldn't do it.

Technically, of course, you shouldn't use a cloth to wipe them dry because tea towels Harbour Germs. You should leave them to air dry. But as all you 'by hand washers and dryers up 'are still alive I doubt if it's that dangerous..

Each to their own, and I don't understand why the snidey comment. hmm

Oh yes, our house, too, I helped my mom wash and dry dishes nightly. I loved the conversations we had and miss them now that she is gone.

Wyllow3 Wed 17-Dec-25 20:46:05

(I just let them drain dry on the draining board unless I want to re use them quickly). if necessary, I soak overnight in the sink.

Wyllow3 Wed 17-Dec-25 20:48:17

Redrobin51

Yes, couldn't fit a dishwasher in any of our kitchens. Seems a waste of space when there are only 2 of us.

Even more when one, but when there was 2, it was the same. ...and no room either, although if I were desperate it could sit on top of a surface?

RosieandherMaw Wed 17-Dec-25 20:50:52

Redrobin51

Yes, couldn't fit a dishwasher in any of our kitchens. Seems a waste of space when there are only 2 of us.

Theres only one of me.
Somehow I still feel I can more than justify a dishwasher , washing machine, freezer, upstairs and downstairs hoovers, not to mention CH - and electricity. grin

RosieandherMaw Wed 17-Dec-25 20:52:21

However I do only have ONE kitchen - how many do you have redrobin ?

Calendargirl Wed 17-Dec-25 20:52:41

Never had a dishwasher, never wanted one,

Only two of us now, so not an arduous job, cannot imagine how households with one or two occupants get enough dirty pots to make it worthwhile putting a load on. But as I say, never used one, so no expert. Larger families, maybe.

Hardly in the same category as needing a washing machine, say.

MaizieD Wed 17-Dec-25 20:56:31

Only two of us now, so not an arduous job, cannot imagine how households with one or two occupants get enough dirty pots to make it worthwhile

I save it all up and do one wash.

tanith Wed 17-Dec-25 20:56:38

I have a dishwasher but i do wash pans and the odd lunch dishes by hand dont ask me why.

J52 Wed 17-Dec-25 20:59:46

I love our dishwasher, everything goes in it and washed at the end of the day. No problems with staining or drying.
If I do wash anything by hand I leave it to dry on the draining board and buff it up with the tea towel.

Graceless Wed 17-Dec-25 21:04:35

I've recently got a small dishwasher that sits on the worktop. I have a minute kitchen. I managed without when I had 3 children but I can't stand at the sink now without excruciating back ache.

AN41 Wed 17-Dec-25 21:11:44

I've always fancied having a dishwasher but, as others have found, never had enough space for one.
I don't terribly mind doing the washing up by hand, except for one thing.
I've always been short, and now well into my eighties am shorter still shock , so even with sleeves rolled up I often end up lifting a dripping piece of crockery or whatever too high and ending up with one soggy sleeve.
That is rectified by giving said sleeve a quick rinse under the cold tap and popping it briefly into my little free standing spin drier at 2800 revs per minute. ta-dah. grin

Grannypanties Wed 17-Dec-25 21:16:12

AN41

I've always fancied having a dishwasher but, as others have found, never had enough space for one.
I don't terribly mind doing the washing up by hand, except for one thing.
I've always been short, and now well into my eighties am shorter still shock , so even with sleeves rolled up I often end up lifting a dripping piece of crockery or whatever too high and ending up with one soggy sleeve.
That is rectified by giving said sleeve a quick rinse under the cold tap and popping it briefly into my little free standing spin drier at 2800 revs per minute. ta-dah. grin

Oh... yes, I suffer wet sleeves, too, and more often than I care to admit! You'd think I would have learned by now, but nope.

This time of year when winter hits, on go the long rubber gloves when washing dishes, because the cold of winter chaps my hands something awful, and exposing my hands to the hot soapy water when hand-washing damages my hands even more.

AN41 Wed 17-Dec-25 21:21:58

.....the whole garment, not just the sleeve. grin