To think a bottle of washing up liquid should last a year

[Kinsters]

This is dredged up from ages ago but I'm wondering AIBU to think my parents are the odd ones? Is it me that's strange?

I moved into a new place and bought a new bottle of washing up liquid (just normal stuff). My parents came to visit me about 4 months after I'd moved in and in that time I had used about 1/3 of the bottle. They stayed for three weeks and by the end of their visit the bottle was almost empty!

Now it's 10 months later and I'm just getting to the end of the second bottle (ie the replacement for the one my parents went through so quickly). Who is the weird one here?! Are we both at opposite extremes of the washing up liquid scale?!

Of course it doesn't last a year. First we had the Mumsnet chicken...

Planty13 it's obviously the best way to wash up!

If you normally just lived alone, I could see how a big bottle could last a year, especially if you don't do much cooking and work out of the house.

People call reverse on the strangest things. There is nothing about this post that makes jt sound like a reverse. I think some people just like to be the one to say that.

You have food delivered every single day?
Do you live in assisted accommodation and they cook for you or is it take out every single day?

I don't know why I'm so surprised at someone have take out for every meal, but I am.

Mine lasts about a month I think. I've never really thought about it. I'm getting through more at the moment as I'm working at home. I don't have a dishwasher.

JuliaJohnston why would I make up something so inane and random? 🤣

We've got a dishwasher and there's only 2 of us, but it still only lasts about 6/8 weeks

I live alone with no dishwasher, a normal bottle lasts maybe a month?
I've never thought to check, but definitely not a year.

I use 500ml every 3 weeks- and I use a dishwasher

My largest bottles of fairy last me several months whereas the same size cheaper version is gone in weeks.

When I was single a bottle of washing up liquid lasted me ages. I rinsed all my plates and then squirted washing up liquid on the sponge and lots of hot water.

But it makes a vast difference depending on whether you live in a hard or soft water area. Our area has very soft water and a tiny amount of washing up liquid goes a long way.

WhereverIGoddamnLike as I said above, I live in Asia. It's very normal to get food delivered here. They call it catering rather than takeout as it's home cooked style food and you don't choose what you're getting. Today we had a chicken curry, steamed fish and some spinach type vegetables. I cook rice to go with them.

A year?? Wow. I buy the huge bottles of Fairy (about 1200ml) and at a push I could eke it out for 3 months. I usually buy one about every 2 months.

GiveMyHeadPeaceffs oh that's interesting about the water. I think ours is quite soft and I know my parents is very hard.

I'm beginning to wonder, surely everyone puts the washing up liquid on the sponge

No, that's bonkers, why on earth would you do that?

I've come to learn that some people use astonishingly large amounts of cleaning products or toiletries. What we use in a year, some people go through in a month, or even less.

15:22speakout

I use 500ml every 3 weeks- and I use a dishwasher

How, why? We have a dishwasher so a bottle of washing up liquid lasts for a year or two. Are you drinking it?

I squirt the liquid directly on the green scrubber, wash and rinse. No bowl or dinks of soapy water here, the thought makes me feel a bit odd.

We do have a dishwasher but I don't put any pans in there, bottle lasts at least six months.

No, that's bonkers, why on earth would you do that?

It makes more sense to me to put the washing up liquid on the sponge rather than on individual items. Although generally just fill a bowl up but if I'm washing a few items under the tap the liquid goes on the sponge.

Give me strength. 🤦🏼‍♀️

YANBU OP, my OH uses a whole bottle in a week! I spend ages cleaning scummy soap residue off things.

I've washed up at home, relatives, restaurants and for catering at organisations. I even got a badge at Brownies for it. Everybody seems to do it differently.

Professionally we used to use three bowls and clean items in order, glass, pots, cutlery then pans.

1. Scrape plates clean,
2. Soak plates in water, quick clean (bowl 1),
3. Transfer to hot soapy water, clean (bowl 2).

4.Transfer to clean. hot rinsing water (bowl 3)

1. Put in drying area.

I think this is the most economical method.

I won a 'year's supply of washing up liquid' from Mumsnet once.
I got 6 bottles if I remember rightly.

It seems like the main difference is in the method of washing.

@BarbaraofSeville how do you do your washing up? Do you fill a bowl?

I dont think you're washing stuff properly one squirt of washing up liquid would not sufficiently wash 3 pans, 4 bowls, 3 plates and the cutlery, you'll just be washing with water by the end of it and it doesn't get them clean properly. My in laws wash like this and you can tell. I used to redo their washing if they came round for dinner and helped clean up, now I just firmly refuse and deal with it later.

One bottle lasts about a month, but that's because DH uses far too much. It'd last about 3 months if I used it, but he does most of the washing up, so I'm not complaining