Washing up methods

[H930]

Long time lurker but first thread here. I must start by saying that I do have extremely high standards for cleaning and housework and, where DH is concerned, often have to bite my tongue and remind myself that everyone has their own way of doing things. I do have form in the past for being a bit naggy and imposing my stupid standards on him but I have been trying really hard over the last couple of years to rein it in. Because actually I know it really doesn’t matter if things are ‘perfectly’ done or not. It’s my own issue where I have crazy high standards for myself and shouldn’t be his problem.

However.

I have just hit the roof and caused an argument because of the way he has washed up the dinner things. Please reserve judgement until the end. I’m perfectly willing to hear I’m being unreasonable but surely this is insane??

Dishwasher is full and running. No space for a chopping board, knife and two bowls that have been used for raw chicken.

DH’s solution is to wash them in the sink, with hot water and soap. He has then used the same sponge and washing up water to wash our baby’s wooden plate, cutlery etc. So raw chicken all over the baby stuff. Baby is only 6 months.

He has used hot water from the kettle so thinks it will have killed all the germs so isn’t a problem as there are effectively no germs in the water or in the sponge now. But surely the fact he can put his bare hands in the water means it’s not hot enough for that?!

And why didn’t he just do the baby stuff first and do the horrible raw meat last and then throw out the sponge??

I realise this is such a boring non issue but I am honestly so disgusted by it I can’t believe what I have just witnessed. But am I massively overreacting and it’s actually ok?!!

Ur overreacting. Soap and water cleans germs off both crockery cutlery and hands.

You’re overreacting, however I’d always do drinking bottles and glasses first so they are the cleanest. Although that’s more about grease.

You're over-reacting - but yes, logically, he should have washed baby stuff first, then chopping board (having rinsed it first).

Give the baby stuff another quick wash.

But gosh, calm down. No need for 'disgusted' etc

Also please don’t tell me you bin the sponge every time you wash something that’s had raw meat on it!

I’m sure it’s all fine, I have to say I would have washed the baby plates first, I get moaned at because I like the water really hot, have to use gloves it’s so hot, DH complains says it doesn’t need to be so hot.

I have to mention as well I’m a big believer in scolding things, I would have boiled the kettle and poured it over the raw chicken things, then run a bowl of hot soapy water, washed the baby things then the chicken bowls etc.

I don’t bin the cloth after every use ( I don’t use sponges), but I have a clean dish cloth and towels every time, use once then in the wash is my motto.

i was at my friends house once and she dropped the tea towel on the floor, picked it up and continued to dry the dishes with it. Maybe that’s ok 🥴🤷🏼‍♀️

Use once then wash is excessive.

But picking up drying towel off floor is grim to me.

I wouldn't have hit the roof.

But i would have washed the baby stuff again.

I'm an under the tap washer (v hot, too hot for bare hands hot) though, so no swilling about in dirty water here.

I'm with @Grumpynan, you're someone I could live with!!

@H930

id have hit the roof.

baby things first. Soapy wash & rinse in hot water, then the raw chicken stuff, soapy water & proper proper rinse under the running water as hot as it will go
(I'm vegetarian so I'd actually boil the kettle to rise the dishes).

I’m actually quite surprised to hear most of you think I’m UR about this. Fully aware I need to calm down a bit with my high standards but perhaps I’m even worse than I thought! Thank you for the reality check.

We never usually hand wash raw meat stuff. It goes in the dishwasher at a hot temperature. If it has to wait any length of time we pour a kettle (or a few) of boiling water over as PP says and then leave in the sink.

We have fresh tea towel and wiping cloth each day, and change the sponge maybe once a week but we use anti bacterial dish soap and never wash raw meat by hand as I said. And if it looks grim it gets binned sooner.

Re. tea towel on the floor momentarily….surely fine if your floors are clean?! We don’t wear shoes in the house ever, and hoover then steam clean the floors a couple of times a week. Or have I discovered a new area of cleanliness I need to be concerned about 😂

I don't and won't have a dishwasher, but I do wash things in order of germiness and also have asbestos hands, so the water is scorching... I do boil a kettle and pour the water over the sponge and the cloth... And anything else that I feel needs an extra blast, like my wooden chopping board... We all have different ways of doing things, my hubby misses half the food or oil on pans, which pisses me off when I have to rewash it!!!

I would think the soapy water would kill anything. It’s the soap that kills germs, not the heat of the water. Even if it was the same sponge, if everything has been cleaned with soap then it is safe to use again.