Dig licking plates before going into dishwasher - ick or not

[Happyspendingthedayinthegarden]

Have have hosted a lovely Easter BH Monday for all 7 GC, 3 step children, partners & children. We had an Easter egg hunt in garden, had breakfast in local farm shop & walked my lovely little dog around, petted animals etc.

For context I need to say that DSS & DIL are both British, but live in USA.

After a roast dinner I put the plates & general pots & pans down for the dog to lick. My DIL lost the plot saying that was so unhygienic I assured her that they would be going into the dishwasher on a high temperature - about 90c so would be sterilised. I always let the dog pre-wash my plates as consider it's going into the dishwasher at high temp to be sterilised so no problem.

DIL saying she will never let her children eat at my house again & gone-taken her DH & DC off in an huff.

DH has had a text from his son apologising but saying what can he do as has to support his wife. I totally get that. But....

My question is - is it OK to let dog lick out the plates etc when they are going into dishwasher at a high temp? WWUD?

You can get campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, and E. coli infection from dog poop.

Same here!

I think this sums it up for me.

I have the same visceral reaction when I think about both.

So to any of those dog licking disgusting defenders, would you (or heaven forbid, do you), clean your toilet brush in your dishwasher?

Why it is different?

Sorry but I would find that absolutely revolting. I'm with your DIL on this - it's gross 🤮 doesn't matter if they're going in the dishwasher or not!

Running water is not the same as a dishwasher. A dishwasher is only as clean as it's maintained. This means using a dishwasher cleaner, cleaning the filter, etc. Otherwise the crap gets swished round and around.

Gross

So why do you trust it to clean the human spit from cutlery?
Do dishwashers work less effective on pet spittle?

The thought of it makes me feel a bit ill. Even though technically it may be ok, presuming the dishwasher is working efficiently, it’s just one of those things that are unacceptable to most people. It might kill the germs but surely you have to draw a line somewhere. What’s next - popping a toilet brush into a steriliser along with baby’s bottles?

Where we live the garden birds are very tame. My daughter used to share her food with them when she was little. We had friends round once and she was taking turns eating her ice cream with a Robin. She licked one side, he pecked the other. I never saw any harm, but the friend was disgusted.

Dog lover and owner here. If you can't see what is so wrong about anyone or anything licking plates there is no hope. As an owner you must know what your dog licks [bum, bollocks etc]

The USA is a vast country with many different cultures, and you're painting it with a very broad brush.

Some people let their cats roam in and out, some keep their cats always indoors, on farms barn cats are often never let in the house.
Some Americans dry their washing on the line, most don't.
My American in-laws had their dog pre-wash all the pots, pans, dishes, other Americans would be grossed out by this. My own (American) husband lets his dog lick his plate before he puts it in the dishwasher. I don't.

Your DIL stepped over the line by criticizing you about your laundry habits and how you do your drying.

She washes the plates afterwards.

I let the cat clean my plate when I eat meat. Probably wouldn't do it with guests though, unless I knew them very well.

To be fair, human spit is more of a threat to birds than their spit is to us.

We use the doggy dishwasher to pre wash plates 😂 It’s fine, if you are using a hot enough cycle and there is no food residue left on the plate after it’s been through the dishwasher.

Our family includes several medical doctors, a microbiologist and an epidemiologist 😂 We don’t all agree on matters of hygiene and infection control but we do on this. Personally, I am in camp of dogs being filthy reservoirs of zoonotic infections and wash my hands immediately after stroking or playing with them but even I am okay with dogs eating from human plates that go in the dishwasher.

Most people aren’t very good at washing their hands effectively. The risks of catching something from a dog are far higher from feeding it treats, stroking it, throwing/picking up dog toys, picking up poo, letting it sleep on the bed/sofa, lick you… If your DIL is okay with doing any of those things, logically, she ought be okay with them licking plates 🤷‍♀️

OTOH, our family wouldn’t let the dogs do it in front of guests because a lot of people would be grossed out by it…

Logically I can understand that the dishwasher will kill germs from the dog's saliva. But I would feel very uncomfortable watching a dog doing this and it would put me off eating at your house again. And I have a strong stomach and somewhat cavalier approach to cleanliness, hygiene and best before dates so can imagine many others would feel more repulsed than I.

Scraping leftovers and plates into the dog's bowl would have avoided any issues. It is a pity that this wasn't your habit - even if only for show when guests were there.

In your shoes, I would accept your son's semi-apology and apologise to your DIL that you hadn't considered how sharing plates with your pets would make her feel and reassure her that you will welcome her back to your home and adopt higher food hygiene practises in future.

I wouldn’t allow my dog to do this - not because of germs but for the manners of the dog.

She never begs for food and she is 100% trust worthy to leave a room with her in it and to know she won’t touch the food. But she has never been given human food from our plates or been given pots/pans/plates to lick so doesn’t associate what we eat with what she eats.

I would also worry that dogs that are used to licking things in the dishwasher might lick a knife one day and hurt themselves.

We've always had dogs and I think it's disgusting. 90 ° washes don't sterilise anything either, not that domestic dishwashers reach that temperature anyway. Salmonella will not be killed by a dishwasher.

Dogs lick their dirty bums and other animals faeces - would you wipe used loo paper on a plate, run it through the dishwasher and consider the plate clean?

Gross 🤮

I won’t even put dog bowls in dishwasher without thoroughly cleaning first. I could never eat at your house again 😂

I don't get the MN obsession with toilets being so sparkly clean. It is said that the toilet is the cleanest place in the house. Why?
You are not eating from it.

I used to clean in a hospital, and we never cleaned the loo brushes.

Absolutely vile. I wouldn't eat anything there either

I’m finding this thread hilarious. Things some find revolving that others don’t bat an eye to is interesting.
Reminds me of when I was around 20yo and took my Ddog with me to my Nans. I always left him the end of my cup of tea and he licked it straight from the cup. Didn’t think twice and did this at her house for her to go mental and throw the cup in the bin! 🤣
Obviously she was like your DDIL and thought it disgusting too. I on the other hand, could not care less. Both my current Ddogs lick empty plates and I only wash by hand as no dishwasher! 🙈

Ugh. That is filthy!! Have some standards woman.

Wouldn't bother me either. Dog saliva isn't harmful to humans.

'We do the same. I think most people would not care (esp if they have dogs). But of course some might'

We've always had dogs. They don't lick plates.