To not want to use a washing up bowl?

[hiddenhome]

Dh and I have been together for a good few years now and he knew that I absolutely hate washing up bowls when we met.

His parents used to have one and I used to do the washing up when we visited and it was horrible. Warm, greasy water with little bits floating in it swirling around the fingers he used to say "just change the water", but I'd end up changing it constantly and it was just wasteful.

I like to wash up under running water which goes straight down the plug hole. You get to rinse the dishes and there's no horrible little bits.

I don't like the bottoms of bowls either as they seem to get greasy and it ends up as yet another thing to have to clean.

He is mentioning getting a bowl again. I do most of the washing up. We have no room for a dishwasher.

[KoalaDownUnder]

YANBU and YABU.

Washing up bowls are pointless and dirty.

Washing under running water is a waste, though.

If you don't have a dishwasher, you fill the sink and wash in the sink, then rinse in your second sink. Or, if you only have one sink, rinse quickly under running water (which you shut off in between rinsing, no letting the tap run).

Have never seen a washing up bowl outside the UK. They're gross; the plastic gets all scratched up and greasy.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

I agree Koala. Never saw them until I came to the UK. In Australia we washed in a sinkful of water and rinsed in the second sink.

[meandjulio]

I love my washing up bowl for the flexibility - quick wash in small amounts of water for glasses or knives, tipping the dregs of the glasses down the sink to the side as I go; then use it to soak a white top next; or do a whole wash up in stages, and yes I do change the water but it takes less water than changing a whole sink full. Cleaning the bowl takes seconds, much like anything else. I avoided a sink and a half by a last minute decision in Ikea, and I'm so glad I did because my sink is actually big enough to do what I need to do in it, e.g. soak a full oven tray or clean a pair of walking boots.

I'm as phobic at the idea of washing up under a running tap as you are about touching the residue of the food you just ate. But TBH YANBU if you are doing the washing up. Perhaps your DH could have a tiny bowl hidden away - if you like washing up bowls it does feel really annoying washing up without, and scary - I'm always terrified I'll break the glasses.

[crazypenguin]

Running tap for me. My plates have no streaks and I pay for my bloody water so if I want to waste it (I use little. Same as OP)
My DP uses a bowl of disgusting floaty Ness and then complains when his beautiful white plates still have curry stuck to them...
I want to kill people that don't rinse. I want as little detergent in my body as possible ta!

[Bunbaker]

Why is a washing up bowl any filthier than a sink?

Only on MN

[KoalaDownUnder]

Sinks are made from stainless steel (at least, they are in my part of the world).

Every washing-up bowl I encountered in 5+ years living in the UK was made of scratched-up plastic. It's impossible to get aged plastic as clean as stainless steel.

As for 'only on MN' - trust me, I'm far from being one of the no-toilet-brush, wash-towels-daily brigade!

Re: smashing glasses - you wash glasses individually and first. In the hottest, cleanest water, to minimise streaking. It's not an issue.

I don't really care his anybody else washes up, but I'll never think a washing up bowl achieves anything besides adding ins more item to clean!

[KoalaDownUnder]

Btw: people who have a problem with 'floaties' and food still stuck to plates are not scraping properly. Scrape thoroughly into a bin, then wash, then rinse in a rinsing sink = no prob!

Growing up on a dry continent, you're taught that leaving the tap running to rinse dishes or brush teeth is just unacceptable. Is probably different in the UK.

[Bunbaker]

"Sinks are made from stainless steel"

Mine is made from composite granite. Lots of my friends have ceramic sinks. We all use washing up bowls because they use less water and there is no risk of smashing glass and crockery.

[ViviPru]

I view a dishwasher as essential to a home regardless of space/budget. To me not having one is akin to not having a washing machine because you don't have the space/funds. And we had a miniscule kitchen in our old house with awkward plumbing provision. Even so.

[mausmaus]

use it as foot spa.
perfect size for that

[KoalaDownUnder]

Oh, well I've virtually never seen a sink that wasn't made of steel. In Australia.

You don't have to fill the sink. You just use as much water as you need, whether bowl or sink.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

YY Koala - they are all stainless steel in Australia and, actually, more 'washing up bowl' shaped.

That said, I still refused to use a washing up bowl when I had a big white ceramic sink in my first UK house. Dishwasher, under running water with a soapy sponge, or occasionally fill the sink if I needed to.

[VeryStressedMum]

I've always washed up under a running tap as did my mum..I hate bowls.
My friend uses a bowl and scrubs the dishes from the bowl and puts them straight onto the side and they are still covered in soap suds. I only hope she changes the water in the bowl before starting the washing up after they have been soaking. ..

[rubybleu]

When I moved here I was baffled as to why UK sinks only had one basin (see also: no electrical outlets in bathrooms / no floor drain in bathroom / the aversion to mixer taps / vented hot water systems). I'd never seen a ceramic sink til I moved to the UK.

Washing up bowls seem really manky and just weird. We use a dishmatic sponge and running water.

[TheLastThneed]

I wash up in the sink, then rinse under a slow running tap. There are no bits because I scrape the plates properly and give a little rinse before I wash under a trickle of water.

I wash and rinse as the sink is filling.

Most stuff goes in the dishwasher, but I agree with the non bowl/non sink fillers that washing then rinsing doesn't use that much water (unless you're like DP and have the tap on FULL BLAST for the duration)...

[Sparklingbrook]

Washing up bowls are yuk.

This has reminded me of this. Little bit scary.

[AnneTwacky]

I hate washing up bowls too. We have one in the kitchen at work and I'm forever having to take it out and clean the sink/ bottom of bowl.

[Sparklingbrook]

We do have a washing up bowl. It's use is for filling with water and taken out onto the patio for footy boot cleaning purposes.

[Crazy8]

Corsaircat Shrimp!! Where did you live that had shrimp coming out of the tap? I feel a little bit sick!

[Bunbaker]

Washing up bowls aren't yuk. They only are if the user doesn't clean them.

I have to suppose that all my friends and family aren't on MN as they do use washing up bowls.

[crazypenguin]

We used to get them too. Silverfish.
I remember having to scoop them out of the bath...

[Sparklingbrook]

My Mum has one. I just chuck it on the side and use the sink.

[ForalltheSaints]

My mum doesn't use one (back problem so minimal lifting) and it is not that bad.

[WilburIsSomePig]

I love my washing up bowl and care not a jot ! I just wash it after I use it, I'm sure everyone does. Such drama about a bowl!

[SqueezyCheeseWeasel]

Washing up bowls are rank. They always seem to get weirdly furry underneath, too.