Many homeowners have already adopted the dishwasher as a vital part of their home routine to keep their dishes super clean. Some have resisted this new technology and continue to wash their dishes by hand. There is a perception amongst some homeowner that using a dishwasher is lazy or not as effective. In this article, we will take a closer look at these fallacies and examine why choosing to hand wash dishes is not the best choice.
Dirty Kitchen Sponges
Most people think that their kitchen sponges are clean and ready for use because they have been used in soapy water. Actually, it may come as a surprise to many, but the average kitchen sponge is dirtier than a toilet seat. There are approximately 10 million bacteria present on each and every square inch of your kitchen sponge. Washing excess food particles out helps, but you will still be smearing this bacteria onto your utensils and dishes as you wash them. A dishwasher doesn’t need a sponge, the food particles and bacteria are washed away, and you’re left with sanitary dishes that are clean and ready to use.
Consider the Energy Savings
Some people still believe that it’s more energy efficient to hand wash their dishes. In fact, a modern energy efficient dishwasher could save gallons of water and energy every month. The latest models are far more effective and efficient than the models from the last decade. A full load of dishes can be washed with half the water compared to hand washing, which will save money on water and the energy needed to heat it. Upgrading to a dishwasher may cost money now, but it will pay you back in no time in the savings you will make on energy and water bills.
How Much is Your Time Worth?
Time is a much-underrated commodity, and hand washing is a big time suck. In an average U.S. home, you would expect to spend almost an hour each day merely washing dishes after meals. This time could be spent in other ways, to make more money, get essential tasks done and even have some extra time to relax. Many people have things that they would love to do, but there never seems to be enough time available. Over a year these hours spent hand washing dishes could really add up to a significant chunk of time to do other more worthwhile activities.
As you can see, there are many good reasons to put down the dirty kitchen sponge and invest in a new modern
dishwasher for your home. You will save energy, water, time and money for an initial investment. If you remain unconvinced why not spend some time to evaluate your utility bills and record how much time is spent hand washing dishes. You may be surprised at your findings and be ready to make the change to a better way to keep your dishes and utensils clean.
By Giovanni Longo President Flood Brothers Plumbing
Giovanni Longo is a 3rd generation master plumber who has been practicing his craft and trade in the greater Los Angeles area for well over a decade and a half. A plumbing and hydraulics-engineering innovator, Giovanni’s particular world-class expertise focuses on dealing with challenging sewer system designs as well as resolving complex commercial and residential draining issues. As a certified Flood Mitigation expert, he is also well versed in a wide variety of water damage and remediation solution.
