Soaping the dishes instead of sponge

[JennyDune]

For years, I always wondered why the dish sponge in our kitchen often never had washing up liquid imbued in it / leftover. Usually you would expect always a little bit left over from prior wash/s.

I just found out today, that my partner (for 15 years) was been putting the liquid on the dishes instead of the sponge!

Firstly, im annoyed that I never spotted this. But more importantly, surely this is weird? Only a mad man would soap the dishes instead of the sponge?

I don’t get it. I put the washing up liquid on the dishes but the sponge still gets soapy either way surely? And also, I rinse the sponge thoroughly after use so it would look like I’d used no soap at all too.

What?

You're both wrong.

The washing up liquid goes in the washing up water in the bowl/sink.

@BabyofMine

I find if you soap dishes the liquid just stays on the top surface if the sponge. Whereas if you soap the sponge and wait 10 seconds, the liquid imbues itself in the structure of the sponge. And each wipe/squeeze releases washing liquid as you need it.

@Brusca

Ah! The very thought of washing dishes in a bowl of water opposed to a running tap, is going to give me nightmares.

Eh? You squirt the liquid into the water. Then use the sponge to wipe the dishes in the soapy water.

Washing dishes under running water is very wasteful. It's like leaving the water running whilst brushing your teeth.

Oh, I see.

A bowl for dipping the sponge in! (I mis understood, and thought that Brusca meant cleaning the dishes in a sink of water that had liquid sprayed in)

@madisonbridges

Washing dishes under running water is very wasteful. It's like leaving the water running whilst brushing your teeth.

Which is what we all do right...?

@TwinklyBranch

Eh? You squirt the liquid into the water. Then use the sponge to wipe the dishes in the soapy water.

Well I agree with you and it's how everyone I know does dishes, but it's a divisive subject on here, many a thread I've seen where it gets heated and the people who wash dishes our way are called filthy and lower class 🤣🤣

Seen one where someone said people who use a bowl will be the same dirty people who use towels more than once.

It's like the scrunching versus folding, or standing versus sitting to wipe your arse. It's all fun and games until the sitters say the standers have skid marks and then it gets out of hand 🤣

@JennyDune

Oh, I see.

A bowl for dipping the sponge in! (I mis understood, and thought that Brusca meant cleaning the dishes in a sink of water that had liquid sprayed in)

That is what I meant.

Bowl of soapy water for washing.

Then rinse in clean water.

I thought the standard way to wash dishes was fill a bowl with water. Add washing up liquid. Swirl it around. Do dishes, starting with glasses, then cutlery and then the cleanest plates first, working up to pans. That's what my dad taught me and he was an A1 dishwasher. The problem with ops DPs way is that I would think it would use a lot more washing up liquid so be more costly.

I read somewhere that some people don't dry the pots using a tea towel but use paper towels instead. I'd never heard of that before.

@madisonbridges

I thought the standard way to wash dishes was fill a bowl with water. Add washing up liquid. Swirl it around. Do dishes, starting with glasses, then cutlery and then the cleanest plates first, working up to pans. That's what my dad taught me and he was an A1 dishwasher. The problem with ops DPs way is that I would think it would use a lot more washing up liquid so be more costly.

I read somewhere that some people don't dry the pots using a tea towel but use paper towels instead. I'd never heard of that before.

This is how I was taught too... the you throw the bowl of dirty water over the flower bed outside the kitchen window cause the soap residue gets aphids off the roses, and the gunk is good nutrients for the plants 😁

Have neither of you never seen an ad for fairy liquid or similar?

You must have both got your approach from family. What are the chances of two peculiar washer uppers getting together?

Liquid goes in sink/ bowl when running warm water.

He must get through a ton of liquid!

Or do you maybe live in an area with extraordinarily hard water?!

I'm more confused why OP thinks the sponge should have left over soap on it from the prior wash.
Surely everyone squeezes/rinses sponges out until the bubbles have gone. I never leave mine full of soap.

Ah. I do put a drib of liquid on and squeeze in warm water to get soap through and leave it that way.

Don't know if that's usual. I suppose in case there are any tiny bits of debris I imagine it's stops any germs multiplying. Makes sense in my brain!

I have a dog. She does the prewash

You wash all dishes under running water?

IMO that's non-standard, have never witnessed this.

Your way is so wasteful OP. I hope you're not on a water meter! They used to do special "antibacterial" washing up liquid that you could squirt into your sponge at the end and leave it. I don't know if they still do it. Anyway I think maybe look up some "how to wash dishes" tutorials and you may be surprised.

Yes you wash dishes in a bowl of soapy water, scrub with sponge then rinse at end. You seriously wash every dish under running water and brush your teeth with the tap running? Water waster! Have you never thought about how much energy it takes to get clean water to your house? And the abstraction from the natural environment? Or been to a country with severe water shortages? You'd get a boot up the bum in Australia for your water wasty ways!

I don't know anyone in real life who doesn't have a dishwasher. Of course i wash pans, but haven't washed cutlery and crockery for at least 25 years. Its like laundrettes, who uses them

To those that wash in the bowl do you rinse them after? I only ask because in my mind they would be sitting in dirty water. I have a dishwasher but for washing and sterilising bottles I wash in the bowel. But I have to rinse them after because otherwise they would still have milk on them. Surely this is the same with food?

I think it's just down to personal preference really! It must be wasteful though, using fairy liquid for each item. But agree with a pp that you rinse out the sponge after anyway!

I clicked on this because I thought it would be silly and give me a laugh but all it's done is make me think this planet really is fucked when there are still people who see no issue washing stuff up under a running tap. It's just basic isn't it? Use a bowl or put the plug in so you don't waste gallons???

I have a dishwasher but for washing and sterilising bottles I wash in the bowel

That is not very hygienic!

Nope you're both wrong. A squirt goes into the bowl whilst the hot water is running into it. Water should be the hottest you can bear Glasses first etc. If clean dishes look too 'sudsey' after a v quick run under the cold tap or I upend a cup of cold over them on the draining board.