Is it better to soak or rinse dishes? (2023)

What is the healthiest way to wash dishes?

The ideal way to sanitize dishes and cups is to run them through the dishwasher. Since a dishwasher cycles both hot water and hot heat during the drying phase, it's an effective way to get your eating utensils clean.

For stuck-on foods, soak dishes/cookware before washing: add detergent or baking soda to the sink/dishpan (or soiled pot) and fill with hot water; soak for 15 to 30 minutes, then drain and proceed with Step 2. TIP: never pour grease down the drain -- it can cause a clog.

The real problem is hygiene. If you don't rinse your dishes after washing them, you'll still have food residue and bacteria on them. Plus, you've mixed the residue of ALL your dishes together.

Fact: You do not need to pre-rinse. Just scrape the solids into the bin, says Ashley Iredale, white goods expert at the independent consumer advocacy group Choice. Most dishwashers have inbuilt turbidity sensors that measure how much dirt is in the water from the first rinse cycle, so rinsed plates may fool the system.

It turns out that air-drying dishes on a dish rack is generally a more sanitary method than using a dishtowel. To make more space for air-drying, consider a two-tier dish rack or one that fits over your kitchen sink.

"At home, it's always better to air dry your dishes than to use a dish towel, because a dish towel can harbor all sorts of bacteria. You wipe your hands with it, you use it to dry the counter, and then you use it to dry the dishes!" Mercer agrees. "Air-drying is best.

Experts at the health organization say that you need to thoroughly rinse or completely submerge your dishes for at least 30 seconds in order to kill any harmful germs. If you want to to properly clean your dishes for optimal safety, be sure to have a good pair of kitchen gloves, and possibly a thermometer.

While you can wash dishes in cold water and soap to get them relatively clean, especially if you efficiently scrub them, in general it is better to use hot dishwashing water. Among other benefits, hot water can clean and sanitize dishes better than cold water can.

Rinsing your dishes before you stick them in your dishwasher is majorly wasteful. According to Consumer Reports, prerinsing wastes more than 6,000 gallons of water per household every year.

Leaving dishes in the sink for later isn't just a lazy habit, it could also be a harmful one. Bacteria can stay alive for up to four days on your used dishes and spread through the kitchen. Not to mention that crusted on spaghetti sauce or oatmeal makes washing the dishes even more difficult.

Is it healthier to wash dishes by hand or in the dishwasher?

The answer: washing dishes in the dishwasher provides much cleaner dishes than hand-washing. Even those dishes that don't come completely clean in the washer have less bacteria on them than most hand-washed dishes.

A dirty interior from food deposits

Small bits of food, grease, and soap scum can build up inside your dishwasher, preventing it from doing its job. If your dishes aren't spotless, the first step is to clean the interior of your machine. Pour 3 cups of white vinegar in the bottom and run a full wash cycle.

Cloudy glass & hard water deposits

Hard water can be problematic for dishwashers, as the minerals in the water can appear as cloudy marks on glasses and dishes. These deposits, such as limescale, can cling onto your glassware and dishes, causing white spots or clouding.

Even if you skip the sanitizing wash cycle, drying dishes inside the dishwasher is the next-best option. The drying cycle reaches high temperatures, helping to destroy germs and bacteria.

Dishcloths are not any more hygienic than sponges– bacteria will grow on anything warm and moist. Because of this, choosing between dishcloths and sponges is really a matter of personal preference– but I do have to say, there are way cuter dishcloths than there are sponges.

Wet-nesting occurs when wet dishes or pots and pans are stacked, preventing them from drying, and creating conditions that are ripe for microorganisms to grow. FDA guidelines mandate that all wares should be air dried. Using towels to dry dishes is never permitted.

The three sink method is the manual procedure for cleaning and sanitizing dishes in commercial settings. Rather than providing additional workspace to perform the same function, the three compartments allow kitchen staff to wash, rinse, and sanitize dishes. Each step has its own set of rules and requirements.

“Bacteria on [dirty dishes] will breed overnight, but if they go into the dishwasher the next day and they're thoroughly washed then there won't be a problem.

The Common Sanitizers: The two common sanitizers used in restaurants are Chlorine and QUAT.

What kills more bacteria hot or cold water?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) state that warm water is more effective for removing germs during handwashing than cold water is, and they require the water temperature in restaurants, cafeterias, and other food service establishments to be 40°C, plus or minus 2 degrees (or between 100 and 108 degrees ...

Let us break it down for you why: Hot water is generally more capable at removing grease from dishes, which explains why washing the dishes in cold water or room temperature water may sometimes result in a nasty and persistent greasy film on your dishes even after the dishes are dried.

“To completely sanitize something, you need to wash in 150°F water for 20 minutes," Tosh told me. "The human body can't withstand that," but it is something your dishwasher can do.

Another chimed in to point out that washing-up bowls are used to avoid cross contamination in kosher kitchens. They're apparently also popular in Korean homes, as well as in the southern United States.

Fat, Oil & Grease

When fats, oils, and grease are washed down the sink or toilet into the plumbing system, they cool, harden and stick to the inside of sewer pipes. Over time, the grease will build up and can block the entire pipe – both on your property and on City property.