The washing up bowl debate....

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To do my washing up I use a plastic washing up bowl within a stainless steel sink.
Work colleague was appalled, never uses a plastic bowl as a sink is a bowl in itself.
AIBU?

We always had a washing up bowl growing up. I always thought it was just my house that had it!
As an adult I don’t have one but I’m now thinking to go back to using one.

@cariadlet

I used a plastic washing up bowl for years. I got rid of it when we had a new sink which has a main sink and a small extra sink which I can use to tip away dregs of drinks etc. I wouldn't go back to a plastic washing up bowl.

Exactly this. Extra bowl if there's no extra sink, but what's the point otherwise?

I have a bowl. God knows why. I never use it. It just sits in the utility room sink and it's one more thing to clean. It's a lot more hassle to clean the bowl than the stainless steel sink it sits in!

I have no idea where it came from but it's been there for the 15 years we've lived in this house and will probably still be there in 15 years time.

@Crockof

I can't believe people wash thing up In The Sink!

Definitely a bowl and I honestly didn't know that people didn't use one not envy

Shock news- not everyone can afford a dishwasher, or more importantly a kitchen large enough to contain one!

We have a bowl because we only have a single sink (due to said miniscule kitchen) and I loathe rinsing dishes into the bowl because then the water isn't piping hot any more.
The bowl is washed and cleaned (inside and out) after each use and left to dry on the drainer. It's not scuzzy in any way. Probably a lot cleaner than many people's sinks.

I use the sink. Basins are for soaking my feet in, not my dishes.🦶🦶

I would also point out that it's not purely a British thing. Romanys have separate bowls for whatever they're washing, e.g. food, clothes, upper body, lower body etc. It's an important part of their 'etiquette' to use the correct bowl for correct thing and not mix them. (I mean, imagine washing your dishes in the bowl you'd soaked baby's nappies in!)

I’ve got a biggish sink so washing bowl let’s me wash a few plates without wasting water.

DP likes to soak things like burnt on baking trays so I can run a bowl and not disturb his experiments as I’m not fishing them out the scummy water.

@KrakowDawn you misinterpreted me. Its the washing up in the naked sink that has surprised me, honestly I have never been anywhere that doesn't have a washing up bowl to put in the sink, even friends who have massive kitchens and two or more sinks have a bowl.

@Eachpeachpears

Am I the only one who doesn't 'fill' anything and washes stuff under the running tap with washing up liquid on the sponge? I can't stand all the food crap in the bowl it makes me feel sick

I was brought up to conserve water so I use a bowl

You need to tip mug dregs away as you go, so a bowl it is.

@Chunkymenrock

You need to tip mug dregs away as you go, so a bowl it is.

I tip the dregs away before I start washing up

Bowl- which I fill and put on the worktop. Dishes washed, and then rinsed under the tap.
If I had a double sink, I wouldn't need a bowl.

Did until I moved to Italy and then realised no one here does it. On the rare occasions I don't use the dishwasher, I add soap to sponge, cover each dish individually in soap, scrub them and rinse under the tap

Using a running tap wastes so much water . I wash in the bowl . Some stuff gets a quick rinse under the tap then left to air dry . My friend lives in an Arab country and used to have a tiny bowl of water and washing up liquid with which she scrubbed the plates then a quick rinse in clean water . It was a method to conserve water . Not all of us have the space or money for a dishwasher .

The bowl thing confused the life out of me when we moved to the U.K. I’d never seen it before. I don’t use one because I still find it a bit weird and pointless but mostly because I have no idea how you tip the dirty water out without it splashing all over you. That might just be me though

It stops the metal sink from getting scratched or glasses from smashing.

Don't tell Americans though. They find it gross and wash us with running water for some reason.

I can afford a dishwasher and I have the plumbing for one but I just don’t want or like them. Can’t really see the point as you either have to rinse the dishes before you put them in so you might as well just wash them in the sink or you have want is effectively a cupboard of dirty dishes until it is full enough to run.
I have a one and a half sink and use a bowl. I like the bowl for all the reasons already mentioned.

YABVU to not use a dishwasher.

Proudboomer

I can afford a dishwasher and I have the plumbing for one but I just don’t want or like them. Can’t really see the point as you either have to rinse the dishes before you put them in so you might as well just wash them in the sink

You absolutely do not rinse dishes. Definitely not with modern washing machines. All you need to do is scrape food off.

@OrangeIsNeutral

YABVU to not use a dishwasher.

Many people live in houses that only have space for two appliances. So fridge freezer washing machine or dishwasher. Houses didn't magically expand when dishwashers were invented.

@MiddlesexGirl

What I don't understand is all the people saying they don't understand why people use bowls when there are very many good reasons right here in this thread!

Yep - RTFT

I use one as our white sink scratches easily otherwise I wouldn't. Also don't have space for a dishwasher (old house)

My theory is washing up bowls make you less likely to chip dishes as plastic is softer than stainless steel. It feels wrong to not use one!

Akire

Allow me to introduce you to... Desktop dishwashers!

Kitchen: no bowl. Dishwasher, plus I often use big trays and pots when I cook at they wouldn’t fit in a bowl for washing.

Utility: bowl as I wash cat bowls by hand in here. Not exactly sure why I do this. I guess they’d do fine in the dishwasher!