washing dishes: by hand vs. dishwasher

[paul wheaton]

Three times in the last 24 hours I was told that it is absolute fact that dishwashers use less water.  And when I try to explain how I think I use less water than a dishwasher .... well, my message doesn't get though.

So I made this video in a feeble attempt to express myself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9kVsnTQh-g

[fishing_guy]

Having done some camping, I would agree with your assessment that you can do dishes with a minimum of water.

On the other hand, one of my chores growing up was washing dishes.  There were 8 in my family.  The one thing I insist on now is a dishwasher.

It is a huge time saver, one that I insist on!

[ScottA]

We do our dishes by hand too. Dishwashers are pointless because you have to rinse all the dishes off before you put them in anyways. Hand washing uses no electricity either. I prefer the added cabinet space and one less thing to break.

[MountainDon]

Dishwashers are not pointless; they save time. They are a convenience. Some elect to use them and some do not.

It could also be debated whether or not hand washing does a good a job. Hand washing a pan used to roast a chicken always seems to be less efficient done by hand when one looks at the baked grease and burnt on food.

There are also super efficient machines such several models made by Bosch. A regular load can be done on about three gallons of water. Less water than many other machines still being sold as new. That is a figure that beats EPA regulations that have not even been implemented yet. It's large enough to run three days worth of dishes for two through. Maybe a pot or two will need to be hand washed because one doesn't have enough pots. But things like a pot for steaming veggies hardly needs much water for washing anyhow. A small amount of water used to rinse the plates on day one and two will use less than a gallon. So running the machine every three days it's possible to machine wash at an average of 2 gallons a day worth of water. Not too shabby. It also does not use much electricity when compared to machines of old.

Of course one must pay the piper for the machine in the first place. It depends on the value placed on convenience and ease vs water use... in many cases this machine will use less water than a hand wash. No chapped skin or rubber gloves needed. Much hotter water in the machine equals a very sanitary finished product.

In other words not all machines are created with equal low use of water and neither is every hand washer as frugal as Paul in the video.

Once again, as we (I) like to say, It Depends.

[zion-diy]

when I have a small meal, I do it by hand. company comes and a large meal, load up the dishwasher

[MushCreek]

A few years ago, we had some new friends over for dinner, and they could not get over how clean our dishes were. " Cold water", my wife said,  " is the secret". They kept exclaiming over and over about how white they were, and how they were so shiny. "Cold water", I told them. They couldn't believe we could get them so clean with just cold water. As they got ready to leave, our old hound dog was sound asleep across the doorway, blocking their exit. "Cold Water", I shouted, "git out of the way so's these folks can be on their way!"

[eddiescabin]

Content deleted.


ED: MD

[MushCreek]

Never seen it on the net- a pastor we had told it in church years ago- probably better than I did (too much typing).

[paul wheaton]

I feel like I have accomplished something.

Two days ago, my life was riddled with folks insisting that any dishwasher used less water than washing dishes by hand and, to them, it was absolute fact that would never change.

And now, while there are folks that have other reasons why they use one or the other, nobody is making this goofy claim.

Progress!

[glenn kangiser]

I agree with Paul and Scott.  I don't think a machine that you already wash the dishes by hand for so food doesn't stick on them while sitting in it is that great.

Coldwater?  Hmm.... we named ours Spike.

He just gets to lick the non-reusable thinks though or eat the pan scrapings.  We don't send them down the drain... nand yes - Sassy prefers the dishwasher, but I don't see the point or the wasted energy from a solar point of view.

[eddiescabin]

Sorry Mush

[MushCreek]

Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm actually telling the truth. Not sure why you feel the need to attack  me I'll keep the jokes to myself the next time- didn't mean to offend anyone.

[MountainDon]

NOTE: I'm waiting for eddierscabin to respond to a PM and an email I sent regarding his above post.......

[peternap]

Our dishwasher uses NO water

[eddiescabin]

At Mtn Don's request I'll remove the post...prehaps I was too harsh on Mushcreek for relating a good story.  Sorry Mush...it just so happens my GF is a writer for a comic whose name you'd instantly recognize...in the biz, stealing jokes is the kiss of death and giving credit is paramount.  If you do not know the writer, it's easy to say you saw it "somewhere"...but even at that to claim it was told to you by a pastor "years ago" is not true.  Most jokes you and I hear or see on the internet have known origins.

[NM_Shooter]

Whoa Paul, I see some serious geek roots showing.  Keep up the good work!

Although, after watching your video, youtube suggested I watch this one :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eMIyJiDFpE&NR=1

Why do I get the feeling that young lady has never actually washed a dish, and that most of her nutrition comes from Starbuck's-like foraging?

[glenn kangiser]

At Mtn Don's request I'll remove the post...prehaps I was too harsh on Mushcreek for relating a good story.  Sorry Mush...it just so happens my GF is a writer for a comic whose name you'd instantly recognize...in the biz, stealing jokes is the kiss of death and giving credit is paramount.  If you do not know the writer, it's easy to say you saw it "somewhere"...but even at that to claim it was told to you by a pastor "years ago" is not true.  Most jokes you and I hear or see on the internet have known origins.

That and most jokes have been around so long that they are in the public domain and not copyrighted.  We will remove or give credit for any copyrighted joke that is inadvertently posted here if the copyright owner complains.  If you are the copyright owner we will do something about it eddie.  Please give proof though.  In the meantime please keep your snide comments and observations to yourself.  126 posts by you and few of them useful except to stir up hate and discontent among other members.

I don't recall ever giving you authority to be harsh on anybody for relating any story, joke etc. eddie.  Who made you the forum cop?

I don't know how you know it is not true eddie, that he heard it from his pastor.  Where do you have such insight from ?

Seems you have nothing useful to add to the forums - just a troublemaker.  I think I have had about enough of you.

MushCreek, please keep the jokes coming - good - bad or otherwise - that is what I do.

I am putting in my vote to block eddie permanently.   He is only here to attack other members and cause trouble - I don't recall anything useful he has added.  

In light of his calling Mush a liar in his latest post that was already in response to clean up his act I am temporarily blocking him from posting and leaving that open to review by Don and John.

[MountainDon]

I'll say this... Jay (mushcreek) posted a simple joke, as many others have before, and I hope everyone will continue to do.  I, for one, had never been told the joke before, have never run into it on the internet, nor has anyone sent it to me via email. Jay never claimed it was his joke; he gave credit to his source when harshly and un-necessarily criticized. Neither I or anyone else can verify his source, just as I can not verify the source of the jokes people have emailed me, etc.  

This was a molehill being turned into a mountain. The deleted comment was rather mean spirited, as was the post in reply #6 on this thread. That comment has been changed as well.

It may be possible to determine the origins of this joke, but why bother. Comedians tell jokes all the time; much of it is original material. Those jokes, if they are any good, get retold from friend to friend. Seldom does the reteller preface the joke with "I got this from...."  

Anyhow, that's how it is and we do NOT need further discussion on the matter as far as I am concerned.

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks for supporting me on this Don and as I just returned from a 20 hour work day, thanks for addressing it initially also.

[peternap]

Thanks for supporting me on this Don and as I just returned from a 20 hour work day, thanks for addressing it initially also.

How did I miss that

[Sassy]

Our dishwasher uses NO water

When I was little I couldn't understand why the dishes had to be washed again after I'd let the dog lick my plate clean 

Hey, Zeus is a beauty!  It probably only takes one swipe of his tongue to clean the whole plate 

[NM_Shooter]

Yeah, good looking dog, although I don't think I'd want to have to tend either end of him.

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks for supporting me on this Don and as I just returned from a 20 hour work day, thanks for addressing it initially also.

How did I miss that

hmm The work day - I left at 9 yesterday  to work 320 miles away -got back early this morning after an all nighter.

Eddie -??? ??    I was feeling mean after the long work day and didn't like what I saw when I opened this thread so I jumped on it...

Don had already been trying to work with him but apparently he wasn't getting through to him as the rudeness kept coming.

[paul wheaton]

Whoa Paul, I see some serious geek roots showing.  Keep up the good work!

Although, after watching your video, youtube suggested I watch this one :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eMIyJiDFpE&NR=1

Why do I get the feeling that young lady has never actually washed a dish, and that most of her nutrition comes from Starbuck's-like foraging?

I saw that.  What a ninny.  Of course, youtube has this whole system where you can influence the sorting of videos based on "thumbs up" and "thumbs down".  I make regular use of that feature.  Oh and subscribing and commenting has influence also.