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Original poster

Dig licking plates before going into dishwasher - ick or not

907 replies

Happyspendingthedayinthegarden · 21/04/2025 15:11

Have have hosted a lovely Easter BH Monday for all 7 GC, 3 step children, partners & children. We had an Easter egg hunt in garden, had breakfast in local farm shop & walked my lovely little dog around, petted animals etc.

For context I need to say that DSS & DIL are both British, but live in USA.

After a roast dinner I put the plates & general pots & pans down for the dog to lick. My DIL lost the plot saying that was so unhygienic I assured her that they would be going into the dishwasher on a high temperature - about 90c so would be sterilised. I always let the dog pre-wash my plates as consider it's going into the dishwasher at high temp to be sterilised so no problem.

DIL saying she will never let her children eat at my house again & gone-taken her DH & DC off in an huff.

DH has had a text from his son apologising but saying what can he do as has to support his wife. I totally get that. But....

My question is - is it OK to let dog lick out the plates etc when they are going into dishwasher at a high temp? WWUD?

OP posts:
UndermyShoeJoe · 22/04/2025 18:47

grumpygrape · 22/04/2025 18:41

Did all the ick, gross, disgusting, etc., posters miss this ?

'Ironically enough she was encouraging my dog to 'kiss' her children on the face which I said she had been trained not to do as we all know how she cleans her 'Bits'.'

Show quote history

Yeah that’s disgusting too. I don’t want the dogs tongue or anything it’s touched touching me.

grumpygrape · 22/04/2025 18:41

Happyspendingthedayinthegarden · 21/04/2025 15:26

I didn't think about it.

Dog waits in kitchen for the plates & I did what I normally do, scaped the fatty stuff off & put the plates down for her to lick clean. I thought as long as washed at a high temp there would be no problem. Ironically enough she was encouraging my dog to 'kiss' her children on the face which I said she had been trained not to do as we all know how she cleans her 'Bits'.

Did all the ick, gross, disgusting, etc., posters miss this ?

'Ironically enough she was encouraging my dog to 'kiss' her children on the face which I said she had been trained not to do as we all know how she cleans her 'Bits'.'

Pennyplant19 · 22/04/2025 18:34

LexiiRH · 22/04/2025 17:58

This right here is one of the many reasons I will never eat at other people’s houses. Absolutely vile.

How sad 😢. You never accept invites to eat at friends/families homes?
Out of interest, what are the other reasons?

DiabeticChocolateLover · 22/04/2025 18:33

Can't see anything wrong with it. Dishwashers are designed to sterilise.

Overnightoats1 · 22/04/2025 18:31

This is really gross. I wouldn't want to eat at your house if I knew a dog had licked my plate - even if it had gone in the dishwasher beforehand.. grim

Doubledenim305 · 22/04/2025 18:24

Just make sure dog licks it really clean, then you can just put it straight back into cupboard. Job done ✅

Orangebadger · 22/04/2025 18:23

Ha this is funny as our dog loves to lick plates clean in the dishwasher before it goes on. I am not remotely bothered as they’re about to be washed but my OH hates it and shoos the dog away. I guess our family sums up the division here.

Gloriia · 22/04/2025 18:20

ThatNoisyBrickGuide · 22/04/2025 18:19

It wouldn't bother me at all, it's being washed in hot water. What if one of your dinner guests had rotten teeth, would you not put all their utensils into the dishwasher? A dog might be cleaner than some of your guests!

How is that comparable?

ThatNoisyBrickGuide · 22/04/2025 18:19

It wouldn't bother me at all, it's being washed in hot water. What if one of your dinner guests had rotten teeth, would you not put all their utensils into the dishwasher? A dog might be cleaner than some of your guests!

Horses7 · 22/04/2025 18:18

Happyspendingthedayinthegarden · 21/04/2025 15:53

I'm only saying this because USA seem to have different standards about pets. EG: DIL commented that the local cats seem to be allowed to wander around at will. I say 'yay-hey of course cats do whatever'. It seems in USA you are expected to keep your cats indoors or enclosed. They also have different standards of hyenine - she questioned that I don't change the bedsheets every day. I said that they are regularly changed every week which is as much as necessary. She also questioned that I had bed linen on a washing line - doesn't that encourage allergies? Umm - no it makes the bed smell lovely & fresh.

Show quote history

DiL sounds like she wants to pick a fight with you, is there history between you and SS/DiL?

MustWeDoThis · 22/04/2025 18:14

Happyspendingthedayinthegarden · 21/04/2025 15:11

Have have hosted a lovely Easter BH Monday for all 7 GC, 3 step children, partners & children. We had an Easter egg hunt in garden, had breakfast in local farm shop & walked my lovely little dog around, petted animals etc.

For context I need to say that DSS & DIL are both British, but live in USA.

After a roast dinner I put the plates & general pots & pans down for the dog to lick. My DIL lost the plot saying that was so unhygienic I assured her that they would be going into the dishwasher on a high temperature - about 90c so would be sterilised. I always let the dog pre-wash my plates as consider it's going into the dishwasher at high temp to be sterilised so no problem.

DIL saying she will never let her children eat at my house again & gone-taken her DH & DC off in an huff.

DH has had a text from his son apologising but saying what can he do as has to support his wife. I totally get that. But....

My question is - is it OK to let dog lick out the plates etc when they are going into dishwasher at a high temp? WWUD?

I have 3 dogs. This is grim. Do not enforce your dirty standards on other people. You might have the immune system and stomach for it, but others might not. God...what a thing to be forced on someone.

There are some bacterias a dishwasher cannot kill. Dog's mouths are teaming with thousands of bacteria! Just...eww..

Gloriia · 22/04/2025 18:08

Bernardo1 · 22/04/2025 17:52

This!

Show quote history

Silly drama? 2/3 of posters agree that it is rank.

Those who let their pets eat from anything other than pet bowls need to tell their guests.

In fact as some on here have such poor hygiene standards it'll be something we'll all be asking next time we are eating at other pet owner's homes 'your dog doesn't share your crockery does it?' 😬🤮.

Horses7 · 22/04/2025 18:07

I do this for some plates but definitely not if we have guests - especially any that are in laws 🤣 my view like yours is dishwasher sterilises but I can understand some people saying yuk!

sunnymummy238 · 22/04/2025 18:05

Vomitous

AnnaQuayInTheUk · 22/04/2025 18:03

I let my dog do this after we've eaten a roast. I probably wouldn't do it in front of guests.

Our dog and cat bowls go in the dishwasher with everything else.

TrickyD · 22/04/2025 18:02

Gloriia · 22/04/2025 17:50

If you ever have guests do you let them know that your pet licks your plates if not why not?

As an aside can't you make your own tea and coffee?

Show quote history

i could make my own tea and coffee but I happen to have a very nice DH who is quite happy to pander to my morning routine of tea, coffee, pikelet, cat.

He is currently busy in the kitchen preparing our supper.

There are so many tales of woe on here about unhelpful husbands, what a pity that a decent one gets sneered at.

JJMama · 22/04/2025 18:02

Sorry that’s rancid, dishwasher or not. Do what you like when people aren’t there, but that’s not nice when you have company. They don’t need to see that.

Are the dogs hungry - do they need to eat all this people food too?

DIL has overreacted, but what does living in America have to do with anything? I wouldn’t have stormed out but I wouldn’t eat at your house again. Definitely ick.

Muckybib · 22/04/2025 18:00

My mum used to do that and I thought it was gross. Now I do it as it gets the plates extra clean before they go in! (And I wouldn't give 2 shits what anyone else thought about it either)

LexiiRH · 22/04/2025 17:58

This right here is one of the many reasons I will never eat at other people’s houses. Absolutely vile.

Tessiebear2023 · 22/04/2025 17:57

KnickerFolder · 22/04/2025 17:47

That would rather depend on whether you own a dog or not, @Tessiebear2023. I doubt you will find much faecal matter in a dog’s mouth or dishwasher either. It’s pretty much guaranteed there will be some on your shoes though and there will definitely be human faecal matter on your clothes (from the washing machine), especially your underwear (from you).

It’s not the faecal matter that will harm you anyway, it’s the bacteria in it (or parasites). You might not have bacteria from dog shit on your hands but there is a good chance you have bacteria from your own shit (or somebody else’s) 🤢

At risk of sounding like I'm taking this all too seriously, I don't have a dog but I do have a rabbit, so it'll mainly be rabbit shit.

Bernardo1 · 22/04/2025 17:52

Purplecatshopaholic · 21/04/2025 15:21

I have no particular issue with this - they are going in the dishwasher ffs. I wouldn’t let guests see though, in case you get the sort of silly drama that’s kicked off here…

This!

Gloriia · 22/04/2025 17:50

TrickyD · 22/04/2025 16:26

No dog here but a cat.
Every morning DH brings me a cup of tea to drink in bed.
A little later he brings me coffee and a pikelet, spread with butter and Marmite.
Some of the butter and Marmate soaks through into the plate. Our cat follows DH, comes onto the bed and licks the plate clean. A highlight of her day, and I enjoy it too.

If you ever have guests do you let them know that your pet licks your plates if not why not?

As an aside can't you make your own tea and coffee?

KnickerFolder · 22/04/2025 17:47

That would rather depend on whether you own a dog or not, @Tessiebear2023. I doubt you will find much faecal matter in a dog’s mouth or dishwasher either. It’s pretty much guaranteed there will be some on your shoes though and there will definitely be human faecal matter on your clothes (from the washing machine), especially your underwear (from you).

It’s not the faecal matter that will harm you anyway, it’s the bacteria in it (or parasites). You might not have bacteria from dog shit on your hands but there is a good chance you have bacteria from your own shit (or somebody else’s) 🤢

Tessiebear2023 · 22/04/2025 17:12

KnickerFolder · 22/04/2025 16:56

We don’t need Kim and Aggie to do any swabs, @Tessiebear2023! It’s just a bit of drama for TV 🙄 Swab the rubber seal of the cleanest dishwasher, you will still grow a bunch of bacteria. I doubt the doggy dish lickers’ dishwashers will have any more nasties than any other dishwashers, even Kim or Aggie’s own dishwasher. I believe the most common pathogen in dishwashers comes from rice. Try washing your hands thoroughly and swabbing them to see what will grow 🤢

I'm pretty sure if I swab my hands even before I've washed them you won't find any dog shit.

Purpleturtle43 · 22/04/2025 17:09

I think that's pretty disgusting.