How To Hand-Wash Dishes

Here's How:

1. Collect all the dirty glassware, silverware, dishes, and pots and pans onto the counter on one side of the sink. Clear off all pieces of food and throw it in the garbage or garbage disposal. If you like, put on rubber gloves to keep your hands soft and safe.
2. Run hot water into the dirty pots and pans. Add dishwashing liquid and set aside. You'll wash these last. Put cooking utensils into the pans so they can soak.
3. Put hot water into any sticky serving pieces, stained coffee cups, and run water over dishes with food on them. All things should be out of the sink by now.
4. Wipe the greasy dirt out of the sink and fill with hot, soapy water. Take care not to make the water too hot for your hands.
5. Clear off a space on the counter on the other side of the sink. This is where you'll place the cleaned dishes after they've been washed and rinsed. Lay out a dry towel to absorb the dripping dishes. Use a dish rack if you like.
6. Recruit some help from others to help dry the dishes as they're washed. This will keep them from spotting as they dry.
7. Place the most fragile items in the sink first. This will be the glasses. Wash these pieces in the very clean water and set them to dry on the towels. Get them dried right away so they don't spot.
8. Place all the silver flatware into the water and wash each piece. Be careful not to scratch the pieces as you work with them. Set them on the counter and dry each piece separately.
9. Place the stack of small dishes like bread and butter plates in the water. Wash, rinse, and place on the towel to drip dry.
10. Next, wash the dirtiest dinner plates. Rinse and set aside to drip dry. Hopefully, you'll have people standing on the sides to dry. If not, dry each set of dishes as they come out of the hot water.
11. Once all the dishes, glassware, and flatware is washed, wash the utensils in the water of the pots and pans. Next, choose the "cleanest" pans, moving to the dirtiest and greasiest ones. If the water gets too dirty or cools off too much for washing, change the water and soap to get these pieces clean.
12. Take a look around the kitchen, on the table or serving furniture, to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. Drain the sink of the dirty wash water.
13. Wipe off the counter, cooktop, table, and stove. If needed, use window cleaner to get hard, sticky, cooked-on food off the surfaces. Wipe down with a dry towel.
14. Flush the standing food down the garbage disposal. Carefully clean out the sink, using only recommended cleaning products. Dry off the sink and faucets.
15. Collect all the used dish towels for cleaning.

Tips:

1. Clear a space for your work. You'll be able to move through the project more easily.
2. Be sure to have enough towels ready to dry.
3. Be especially careful when washing antique china. Some pieces can be very fragile and can chip with the slightest nick.
4. If you'll have to wash and dry, do it in shifts. Wash a few pieces, dry them, then move on to more pieces. This will prevent spots from drying on the pieces.
5. Terry dish towels might leave fuzz on the dishes. A plain white cotton flour sack towels absorbs the water and dry dishes without the residue.

What You Need:

• Dirty dishes
• Large, empty sink
• Good dish washing liquid
• Lots of quality dish towels