30 Ways to Make Washing Dishes a Breeze

To make sure your dishwasher is as effective as possible, run an empty load with just a bowl of vinegar on the top. This will help clean away any gunk or grime that may have built up overtime in the dishwasher.
You can also add some lemon Kool-Aid to the soap dispenser to add an extra level of cleaning to the dishwasher. This helps break down build-up and stains in the dishwasher.
Another easy way to cut down on dishes is by having fewer dishes as home. Have just enough for you, your family, and the normal number of guests you have over. If you don’t have fifty different bowls, than you won’t have fifty bowls to clean!
It may not be the most appealing, but don’t be afraid to eat on disposable plates if you need to! It’s okay to easy disposable utensils, plates, bowls, etc. Just make sure you dispose of them in the best way.
When following a recipe, pay attention to the quantity and size of bowls it requires. You may be able to use the same bowl for different things, or use a smaller bowl when you thought you’d need a bigger one. This saves time and space when cleaning dishes.

Don’t be afraid to reuse some of the utensils you’ve already used while cooking. If you used a measuring cup for water, then it’s okay to use it for milk. This cuts down on the total number of dishes you have to clean up afterwards.
Add a bit of hydrogen peroxide to your dish soap to give it an extra kick. The hydrogen peroxide helps disinfect and clean dishes.
Use a muffin tin at barbecues to serve condiments. This requires just one dish instead of multiple separate serving trays.
Before you even start cooking, fill your sink up with hot soapy water and, as you finish with bowls and utensils, put them in the sink to give them time to soak. By the time you’re done cooking and eating, they’ll have soaked enough for you to easily clean them.
Always unload the dishwasher as soon as it’s finished with a cycle. This prevents dishes from stacking up because the dishwasher is full.

If you have a pot or pan with some really stuck on food, then put a dryer sheet in it, fill it with hot water, and let it sit overnight. The next day, the food should come right off.
When doing dishes, save on water by plugging the sink and filling it with soapy water. You save water, which helps your wallet and the environment!
Don’t just do the dishes by yourself. Enroll others to pick up the dishes, wash them, and then dry or put in the dishwasher.
If cleaning dishes in the sink, start with the cleanest and work your way to the dirtiest. That way, the water isn’t super gross after washing just one dish.
Keep your garbage disposal working well by grinding up a mixture of lemon, salt, and ice in it. This disinfects, deodorizes, and helps scrape away any build up in the garbage disposal.

If you’re towel drying your dishes, then use microfiber towels or other towels that won’t leave behind fluff and fuzz. You don’t want your newly cleaned plates covered in pieces of towel fur.
Use an extra oven rack or cooling rack as a dryer rack. Simply put it over your sink, lay some dishes on it, and they’ll drain right into the sink!
Lots of people suggest that you use cold water to clean up starchy and dairy products instead of hot water. Supposedly, hot water makes the product gum up, making it much harder to clean.
Combine together vegetable oil and baking soda to make your own gunk remover you can use on sticky labels or tags as well as anything else that’s stubborn.
If you really like to wash your dishes by hand and don’t have counter space for air drying, then make a dish draining closet over the sink. It all drains right into the sink without a mess.

Sort your silverware before you load it. This makes it so much easier to just grab all your forks and put them away without having to rifle through them once they’re clean.
Know what’s best to put in the dishwasher and what’s best to wash by hand. It may take a bit more time to wash a big bowl by hand, but if you can get four plates in its place in the dishwasher, then it’s worth it.
Make a paste with vinegar and baking soda to use on pans with burnt food stuck to them. Simply apply the paste to the burnt food, let it sit, and then wash it off.
Clean your blender in ten seconds with this great idea. Simply fill it with hot water and soap when you’re done using it, run it for a few seconds, then rinse it out. So much easier!
If you really hate dishes, then try this trick. Get your sponge filled with soapy water and then clean as many dishes as possible. When the sponge runs out of soap, set it down and leave the rest of the dishes for a while. This gives you some time to take breaks so it’s not an overwhelming task.

If you can, use tinfoil in your pans when cooking. This prevents juices from running and food getting stuck to them. You just throw the tinfoil away, quickly clean off the pan, and you’re good.
Have a label for the front of your dishwasher notifying whether it’s clean or dirty. When it’s dirty, have a rule that everyone has to put their dishes in it so they don’t build up in the sink.
When unloading the dishwasher, always unload the bottom rack first. Sometimes dishes on top will pool water and, if you unload them first, then they’ll splash down on the bottom dishes.
If you’re washing small items like lids, then use a laundry bag to keep them all together. You can also do this with certain toys to clean them easily in the dishwasher.
Don’t put in a bunch of work to dishwasher when you don’t need to. If you let your dirty dishes soak for a little bit before cleaning them, it takes a lot less energy and time on your part. So soak your dishes first!

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