6 Tips to Make Washing Dishes Easier

Need help tackling that big pile of dishes in your sink? Want to make washing dishes easier and less painful? These 6 easy tips will make washing dishes quicker and easier.

running water over the dish fish sponge

Washing dishes is probably my least favorite housewifing task. You can imagine the piles of dishes we go through daily with 7 people in the house, 3 of those being teenage boys! The thing with dirty dishes is if you don’t clean them, it doesn’t matter how clean your kitchen is, it still looks dirty.

washing dishes

Throughout the years, and after many, many piles of dishes washed, I’ve figured out ways to make the process less painful and a lot faster. I’m sharing these tips with you today.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.

Spoiler alert: you still have to do the dishes! If you thought I was going to tell you about the magic fairies that come to your house to do dishes, you may be disappointed! But I will show you some easy steps you can take and products you can use to make washing dishes easier and faster.

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1. Use Hot Water

I wash my dishes with super hot water. It makes it so much easier to remove any stuck-on mess and grease. Even though I have a dishwasher I still like to use hot water to clean the dishes before putting them in there. This way I know my dishes will really be clean.

how to wash dishes

Another benefit of using hot water is it dries much faster! So if you’re washing dishes that can’t go in the dishwasher, you’ll be done faster by cutting the drying time. So use the hottest water you can stand without burning yourself!

2. Use Gloves

Wearing gloves not only protects your hands from the soap but it also allows you to use hot water. Make sure you use sturdy, non-slip rubber gloves. They should fit your hands comfortably but not be so big that you can’t control your fingers.

DishFish dish washing sponge

3. Use a Really Good Sponge and Scrubber

Having a good scrubber or sponge is a must to make washing dishes easier. You want to make sure the sponge is durable, strong, and it won’t scratch your pans. The DishFish is your champion in this department.

DishFish dish washing sponge

This cute little fish tackles your toughest messes without scratching or crumbling. It does a great job at removing caked-on food and you don’t even feel like you have to scrub that hard. With a DishFish, you’ll save money by not having to replace your sponge as often.

I’m not a fan of regular sponges and we used to go through a lot of them. What I love the most about the DishFish sponge is it lasts so much longer than regular sponges AND it doesn’t smell or retain bacteria odors. How cool is that? You can see the difference with about a week and a half use.

dish washing sponge

The DishFish stands on its fin when you’re done using it which allows it to dry quickly and avoid stinkiness. Nobody wants a stinky germy sponge!

sponges for washing dishes

If you’re still using a regular sponge, it’s time to make the switch. You’ll love it. The DishFish comes in two types of sponges. One is a scrubber and the other is the dual scrubber which also has a bacteria-resistant sponge. Either one gets the job done beautifully!

cleaning countertops with dish sponge

4. Clean the Dishes in Order

You want to make sure and start with your cleanest dishes first. This usually means cups, mugs, and glasses. You can then move on to utensils and plates leaving the pots, pans, and baking dishes for last. While you clean the first dishes, you can put a few drops of soap in your dirtiest pans and fill them with hot water so they can soak.

best gloves for washing dishes

Make sure you know which dishes are dishwasher safe and which ones aren’t. Usually, good knives and non-stick pans are a no-go. I clean those items and place them on a drying mat next to the sink so I can put them away when I’m done.

washing and drying dishes on a drying mat

5. Clean As You Go

There are two parts to this tip. One is for when you’re cooking. When I’m cooking I like to clean up as I go. It makes such a huge difference! When I use things like measuring cups or measuring spoons, I simply take the 30 seconds it takes to clean them and lay them on a drying mat next to the sink. When I’m finished cooking I put the clean dishes away in no time.

The second part of this tip is for when you’re done eating. You can do this throughout the day if you have a snack. Rinse the plate before putting it in the sink. At mealtimes, if everyone takes a few seconds to rinse off their plate or throw away scraps right after eating, it will make your cleanup so much easier. This leads us to the next tip.

6. Just Do the Dishes!

The only way to get the dishes done is to do them! I know it sounds silly, but don’t put it off. Get into the habit of cleaning them every single night. In my home, we have to do them twice a day because of the number of people in my family. But for most people, once a day would do.

best way to hand wash dishes

Do the dishes right after dinner and start the dishwasher so they clean overnight. You will wake up with a clean sink and that’s always nice! Unless, of course, you have teenagers, and dishes magically appear in the sink overnight!

Bonus tip: Bring in the Fairies!

So I know I told you there were no magic fairies that come to your home to do the dishes. I may have fibbed! If you have teenagers, then you have fairies! They’ll be thrilled to do the dishes! Just make sure you give them a DishFish so the dishes will be sparkly clean!

best way to wash dishes

There you have it, my 6 tips for easing your dishwashing woes. Is there something different that you do to make washing dishes easier? I would love to hear about it in the comments!

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