Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

That hand washed dishes should be rinsed with clean water?

269 replies

Drew79 · 24/06/2025 21:42

When hand washing, interested in how many people either -

Wash dishes then rinse with clean water, then put on the drainer to dry

Or
Wash dishes and put on the drainer with soap suds and dirty water still on them?

I don't like the idea of eating and drinking from something that's got some cleaning chemicals left on it, but my partner says I'm being fussy!

OP posts:
PluckyBamboo · 25/06/2025 21:53

I rinse glasses and coffee mugs, tend to wash them first while sink is still filling, I deliberately don't have the tap on full blast so I can get stuff rinsed.

I dont rinse plates or cutlery unless I've been a bit too generous with the Fairy.

UnctuousUnicorns · 25/06/2025 21:49

SunnyOchreNewt · 25/06/2025 20:19

No… you rinse off in the shower after having a bath.

Show quote history

Nah.

Original poster
Drew79 · 25/06/2025 21:49

UnctuousUnicorns · 25/06/2025 17:18

@OntheBorder1

"When you have a bath do you empty it then refill it with clean water to rinse yourself?"

FFS don't give them ideas!

Ooh, it could be a bit like double dishwashers - two rolltop baths side by side, one with bubbles in, and the other filled with clean hot water for rinsing yourself in afterwards.
There could be a hoist arrangement for transferring you from bath A to bath B. Lovely.

I'm going to the patent office tomorrow.

OP posts:
MuckFusk · 25/06/2025 21:43

limescale · 25/06/2025 21:02

Sweet baby Jesus. Loads of my stuff would break if I poured boiling water over it and it would also end up with bits of scale from the kettle!

A rinse under a warm/hot tap will wash the soap off. If there's still food on the crockery then you didn't wash them properly.

Show quote history

Glasses might break. Not your dishes and cutlery, surely. Not every kettle gets scale either. Depends on what minerals are in your water source. I have well water, so I use a softener. There's no scale. So I don't think it's a bad idea.

MuckFusk · 25/06/2025 21:40

mathanxiety · 25/06/2025 20:40

When I hand wash, I rinse everything in clean hot water and then pour water that's at boiling point over everything on the drying rack.

Dishes left to dry with soap and food residue still on them are not clean.

The boiling water is a great idea as long as the drying rack is metal. I wouldn't try it with a plastic one.

Coulddowithanap · 25/06/2025 21:39

If you're left with bubbles of food residue then you are doing it wrong surely!

limescale · 25/06/2025 21:03

mathanxiety · 25/06/2025 20:44

What's your objection to using water to clean cutlery properly?

It's what water is for, surely?

Show quote history

I think she means that it's easier to dump a load of water on all the cutlery in one go rather than one by one under the tap.

limescale · 25/06/2025 21:02

mathanxiety · 25/06/2025 20:40

When I hand wash, I rinse everything in clean hot water and then pour water that's at boiling point over everything on the drying rack.

Dishes left to dry with soap and food residue still on them are not clean.

Sweet baby Jesus. Loads of my stuff would break if I poured boiling water over it and it would also end up with bits of scale from the kettle!

A rinse under a warm/hot tap will wash the soap off. If there's still food on the crockery then you didn't wash them properly.

mathanxiety · 25/06/2025 20:44

Drew79 · 25/06/2025 10:37

I just put the tap on a slow
Trickle, rinse each plate after ive washed it.

Cutlery I'll wash and stack in a pint glass, then when full I'll run water into the glass to rinse them as a bunch. Hardly uses any water.

Show quote history

What's your objection to using water to clean cutlery properly?

It's what water is for, surely?

mathanxiety · 25/06/2025 20:40

When I hand wash, I rinse everything in clean hot water and then pour water that's at boiling point over everything on the drying rack.

Dishes left to dry with soap and food residue still on them are not clean.

MuckFusk · 25/06/2025 20:37

SunnyOchreNewt · 25/06/2025 20:18

You do realise that all the water that will ever exist is already here, right?

Show quote history

Most of it is unfit for consumption. I believe the poster was referring to potable water.

PractisingMyTelekenipsis · 25/06/2025 20:24

SunnyOchreNewt · 25/06/2025 20:19

No… you rinse off in the shower after having a bath.

Show quote history

No... I don't.

SunnyOchreNewt · 25/06/2025 20:19

UnctuousUnicorns · 25/06/2025 17:18

@OntheBorder1

"When you have a bath do you empty it then refill it with clean water to rinse yourself?"

FFS don't give them ideas!

No… you rinse off in the shower after having a bath.

SunnyOchreNewt · 25/06/2025 20:18

justasking111 · 24/06/2025 22:11

East Anglian water are planning a new reservoir with Cambridge because the area is running out of water. By 2040

Thames Water are planning a reservoir near Abingdon for the same reason no water by 2050.

I understand why now.

Edited

You do realise that all the water that will ever exist is already here, right?

Flossflower · 25/06/2025 20:08

All these people not wanting to rinse dishes or happy to sit in a bath and not rinse off afterwards should presumably stop their washing machines after the wash cycle and not do the rinse cycle but as we all know the rinse cycle can produce dirty water too.

JennyShaw · 25/06/2025 19:59

ImFineItsAllFine · 25/06/2025 10:20

If there's still grease after the washing stage, a water rinse isn't going to solve that. Oil/grease just repels water, hence needing washing up liquid in the first place.

Show quote history

No, I disagree. When you wash a plate in warm water with detergent, the grease is dissolved in the detergent. When you rinse it you rinse away the water and detergent, carrying the grease with it. If you don't rinse there will be a layer of dilute detergent that will dry leaving a layer of grease. So you have detergent, old grease and any food residues left on your plates. If you are happy to eat off that and you think that your guests are happy to eat off that then fine, but lots of people aren't.

Many people will dry their plates with a cloth. That won't be getting rid of all the water/detergent/grease and the cloth will get dirty quite quickly. Most people would put the cloth somewhere to dry and it won't get washed often. So I would expect lots of bacteria. I know there is a school of thought that says we would be better off not cleaning so much and being in contact more with bacteria but I personally wouldn't want that.

UnctuousUnicorns · 25/06/2025 17:18

@OntheBorder1

"When you have a bath do you empty it then refill it with clean water to rinse yourself?"

FFS don't give them ideas!

UnctuousUnicorns · 25/06/2025 17:16

Nah, can't be arsed. Just leave on the rack to air dry. Never rinsed, never come to any harm decades later. My parents don't rinse either, so I've obviously inherited their scuzzy habits. 🤷‍♀️

ConnieHeart · 25/06/2025 17:10

MyQuirkyTraybake · 25/06/2025 17:06

What the heck are you all eating for things to still be greasy after washing up?

As I said upthread, poor quality washing up liquid can leave a greasy film

MyQuirkyTraybake · 25/06/2025 17:06

What the heck are you all eating for things to still be greasy after washing up?

Sadmummy3 · 25/06/2025 16:36

200skies · 24/06/2025 21:49

My DM doesn't rinse the dishes and everything I take "clean" from the cupboards is covered in a film of grease 🤢 Vile.

I would suggest she's not washing things properly then. I only rinse glasses and none of my dishes have any grease on them.

Karatema · 25/06/2025 16:36

vodkaredbullgirl · 24/06/2025 22:02

Dogs clean the plates, then washing in hot soapy water, drain then dry.

waits for the onslaught

🤣🤣 I’m assuming this is a joke!?

AmelieSummer25 · 25/06/2025 16:32

1984Winston · 25/06/2025 13:54

He leaves dirty teaspoons next to the sink aswell 🙄 luckily for him he has many other redeeming features so he's safe 🤣

Show quote history

He's a very very lucky man.

JaninaDuszejko · 25/06/2025 14:49

Whyx · 25/06/2025 13:50

This refers to dishwasher detergent so I appreciate that washing up liquid may be different but this is the reason I have always rinsed all my hand washed dishes. Also I can taste residue sometimes which is unpleasant.

Dishwasher detergent interferes with gut health

This paper is specifically about professional dishwashing machines which have much shorter cycles and use less water than domestic dishwashers. And the biggest impact was seen with rinse aid (which isn't needed in soft water areas). They did not see toxic effects in domestic dishwashers.

1984Winston · 25/06/2025 13:54

AmelieSummer25 · 25/06/2025 13:44

Oh I'd have had a lovely new patio by now!!

Show quote history

He leaves dirty teaspoons next to the sink aswell 🙄 luckily for him he has many other redeeming features so he's safe 🤣

Swipe left for the next trending thread