basic dishwashing

washing dishes by hand

• quickly rinse the dishes under running water and sort into piles next to the sink.
• clean the sink and the rinsing basin.
• fill the sink and the rinsing basin with warm water.
• add a few drops of washing up liquid to the sink. the bottle should advise dosage.
• use a dish brush or dish rag as much as possible. a harder brush is used to remove stuck on food on metal, glass, glazed or unpainted ceramics, and wood. a soft brush is for sensitive surfaces like painted ceramics or painted glass. for dishes without dried-on food the most ergonomic and acological choice is usually a dish rag. a sponge can be useful at times, but unlike a dish rag or a dish brush it releases a lot of microplastics and wears out quickly. additionally, sponges with a green side contain polishing compounds which easily scratch anything but glass or steel.
• start by cleaning all of the "exceptions" (see below).
• then, clean "regular" dishes from cleanest to dirtiest. change the water if it looks particularly dirty and/or the dishes feel greasy after rinsing. place them in the drying rack. consider the materials. for example, a non-stick cooking vessel may never be in contact with anything harder than plastic or wood, so stack the dishes with such in mind.
• when the dish rack is full it needs to be emptied. to stack dishes in the drying rack is risky both for the dishes and the one doing them. if there're more dishes left after the drying rack is full the drying rack can be emptied or dish towels placed on a waterproof surface and dishes placed thereupon.
• if dishes are to air dry they should be covered with a dish towel.

exceptions

some dishes are extra sensitive in different ways and need different treatments. it's helpful to wash these first.

• knives should be washed first, dried immediately, and put back in their spots. this reduces risk of injury for both those in the kitchen and for the knives. the edge of a knife is very fragile and may absolutely not come into contact with surfaces like glass, ceramics, or metal. when washing a knife, hold it with the edge away from you. move the dish rag from the spine and across the edge, in one direction. that way you minimise risk of injury to yourself or the dish rag.
• sensitive dishes like handpainted ceramics should not be in contact with other dishes and should thus be dried and put back immediately. use a soft brush or carefully wash with a dish rag.
• utensils made of wood should spend as little time as possible in water to reduce the risk of cracking, wash wooden dishes as quickly as possible, rinse thoroughly but quickly, and hand dry immediately.
• contrary to old myths, non-enameled cast iron should be cleaned with water and washing-up liquid. modern washing-up liquids do not contain lye and therefore won't disolve the seasoning on cast iron. wash thoroughly. if food is burned on, heat the vessel filled with water to the line of the stuck-on food on the stove on medium heat until the food comes off easily using a metal spatula or a hard dish brush. wipe the cast iron immediately after rinsing. then, add a small amount of cooking fat, such as canola oil, and rub it in using a paper towel. then, grab a new paper towel and wipe away the oil as if you've changed your mind. thereafter the vessel can be put away. keep in mind that some enameled products have a bottom made of exposed cast iron and that that surface needs oiling, too, even if the rest of the vessel doesn't.

when the dishes are done

• clean all dishwashing tools thoroughly. squeeze out and shake off water, hand or place to dry.
• rinse the sink and rinsing basin.
• clear the drain of any food waste.
• finally, wipe the tap, the worktop, and any other surfaces which may have been splashed during dishwashing. finally, rinse and squeeze the dish rag with cold water and hang it to dry.