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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to not wash dishes after every meal?

76 replies

kathkim · 12/04/2017 13:16

I don't have a dishwasher.

I only wash up last thing and do all that day's dishes.

Am I slovenly? If I had a dishwasher, I guess I'd store the dishes in there until it was full.

Does anyone else hand wash dishes? Do you do it after every meal? Or do it at the end of the day? If the latter, do you just stack the dirty dishes up in view or what?

OP posts:

PinkHeart59156816 · 12/04/2017 13:50

I think it's fine not to wash up after every meal

We've got a dishwasher but it's only used once a day before we go to bed

BarbaraofSeville · 12/04/2017 13:50

Everything goes in the dishwasher. If it doesn't, it doesn't get used. End of.

HermioneJeanGranger · 12/04/2017 13:53

It depends - if we're both out at work all day, we'll leave the breakfast dishes until after dinner, but if we're home all day, we have to wash breakfast and lunch dishes before we cook dinner, 'cause our kitchen is tiny and there's no space to leave dirty dishes if you want to be able to cook, make cups of tea etc.

We always do it at least once a day, though.

Hillarious · 12/04/2017 13:54

Where do you keep the dirty pots? I can't bear to cook if I'm surrounded by dirty pots.

My house isn't the cleanest, but I do like to keep the bathroom and kitchen clean and tidy.

KatharinaRosalie · 12/04/2017 13:54

If you can afford it then dishwasher is one of the most wonderful inventions ever.

Before that, yes I washed up after each meal. Now I just put the things in dishwasher, but also clean the counters and table and tidy up. I like things tidy and as you have also noticed, it's much more pleasant to cook or just spend time in the kitchen if it's not cluttered with mess and dirty dishes.

OldandJaded · 12/04/2017 13:55

End of the day/2 or 3 days/week/when there's no clean stuff left..... Yes I'm a slob
Dishes are scraped and rinsed in cold and then stacked until I have time can be arsed to tackle them.
I'm not going to be on my death bed wishing I'd washed up more often....

Jooni · 12/04/2017 13:56

I handwash all the previous day's stuff in the morning, either before or after breakfast whenever I can be arsed get round to it.

The dirty dishes are stacked on the surface by the sink throughout the day, but I've become a very nifty stacker so they don't take up too much space!

We're a family of 3 soon to be 4 so there's a fair bit but I'd rather save it up and only have to run one basin of water. Seems like a waste to do three tiny washes a day.

Whatthefuckis1tnow · 12/04/2017 13:57

I'm constantly washing up. Makes life so much easier. Surely all the food would be stuck on after being left so long therefore making more work/taking more time.

Happyhippy45 · 12/04/2017 13:58

Dishes are a bit like laundry....you never get to the end of it.
Pre dishwasher days I'd wash up after dinner unless it was getting too cluttered. Such a chore.
When I was a kid dishes were done after every meal (family of 5) and we all had to help.
Our dishwasher broke and had a few days of having to hand wash.......I don't know how we coped without a dishwasher tbh!
We're fairly economical with our dishes and pan usage, reusing mugs and glasses etc. Also use cast iron pans/wok a lot and they just need a rinse and a wipe. Even so, with 3 adults the dishwasher is on once a day. Add in one or two overnight guests and it's on twice.

shirleycartersaidso · 12/04/2017 14:02

I would hate that but I have a tiny kitchen and need all the space there is.

Thankfully we now have a dishwasher, managed to squeeze in a slimline one and that goes on twice a day, three times if I can't be arsed to handwash pans.

Original poster

kathkim · 12/04/2017 14:04

Anyone got a tabletop dishwasher?

I will mull over this thread. If I decide to go for a dishwater (and you dishwater fans are verrrry persuasive!) I would be looking at a tabletop really.

OP posts:

ProseccoBitch · 12/04/2017 14:06

I don't have a dishwasher and I have an immersion heater like you, it's set to come on twice a day for an hour and I find that unless we have people round that gives ample hot washer for washing up all day. There is no way I would leave dirty dishes or cups lying around, everything gets washed up straight away (unless I'm not there, in which case DP will usually just leave it sitting in the sink or on the side).

Beelzebop · 12/04/2017 14:06

I sound really sad, but I dream of a dishwasher with the five of us! I constantly have to wash up as we constantly need three bloody stuff!

redjoker · 12/04/2017 14:07

I live alone 5 days a week, have a dishwasher but takes a while to fill alone so tend to hand wash alot. I leave it all till the end of the day, plate here and there seems pointless. Sometimes when the mood takes me I do it but its usually after dinner when all my meals are over with

My mother used to make me wash everything as we went, there was no plates or anything to be left on the side under any circumstances - So now i'm rebelling!

if guest are due i usually hide it in the dishwasher or just wash up, and i HATE HATE HATE it when people put dirty stuff in the bowl. Leave it on the side!

the thought of a big bowl of cold water with festering dishes in it is just gross to me!

Original poster

kathkim · 12/04/2017 14:07

*dishWASHER not dishwater!!!! Freudian slip

OP posts:

ProseccoBitch · 12/04/2017 14:10

To add - I wash up using running water too, rather than a sink of hot water.

abcBears · 12/04/2017 14:11

When I have a dishwasher I use it, but when I don't, I hand wash after each meal. It's much easier and quicker to wash the plates quickly than to leave the mess stick everywhere and I don't like to see a pile of stuff everywhere.

I never understood the concept of "visitor ready" to be honest. My home is the way I like it, if it's a problem for anyone, they can leave. I wouldn't make an effort for a visitor who is only here for a short time.

If you can, I'd highly recommend a dishwasher. So worth it.

redjoker · 12/04/2017 14:12

Dishwasher wise I never had one until I got my first house (came included) and now couldn't live without it. I love it for stuff I really do not want to wash, BBQ trays, big dishes with cooked on stuff, bins, dog food bowl. manky stuff! I buy bog standard tablets from aldi and plenty of rinse aid and add a capful of Zoflora to every wash. it is 100% worth it trust me!!!

I still wash up but find it much less of a chore now i can put the horrible stuff in the dishwasher!

PyongyangKipperbang · 12/04/2017 14:12

Dust darent settle in my mothers house as she will be on it in a nano second, but even she doesnt wash up after one cup of tea or one snack. What a waste of water and gas/electric! Far better to wait until there is a bowlful, if only for the enviroment.

chitofftheshovel · 12/04/2017 14:12

As little as I can get away with. Glasses are used for days on end, mugs the same. I also reuse plates if they don't have food stuck to them. I am either efficient or a slob!

SquatBetty · 12/04/2017 14:16

Dishwasher on once a day in the evening. Sometimes twice a day if we've had people over for lunch etc. It's only a slimline one but it's enough for our family of 3 - this may change when number 4 comes along.

MrsMeeseeks · 12/04/2017 14:20

IMO, cups, side plates, teaspoons are fine to leave til the end of the day. But plates with food residue should be washed immediately or your house will smell.

SapphireStrange · 12/04/2017 14:20

No dishwasher. I wash up after lunch sometimes (so lunch and breakfast things) but not always.

Dinner gets washed up that night if I can be arsed/if it's stuff that'll get particularly smelly overnight like fish or curry/if I'm going out early the next day. Otherwise I leave it to the morning.

redjoker · 12/04/2017 14:21

I always leave food residue on my plates, my house doesn't smell!

Itmustbemyage · 12/04/2017 14:23

Everyone out at work days hand wash dishes once a day after dinner.
At weekends / holidays or large number of folk round hand wash after every meal.
I must be odd I do have a dishwasher but it wasn't working properly so I stopped using it and have gone back to hand washing.
Actually I don't mind it.

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