Peter Miller - How to Wash the Dishes

A Primer for Washing the Dishes

Decisions and Details

Tools, Tricks, and Troublemakers

Three Recipes from the Dishes Point of View

Quiet Villains and Unexpected Friends

Flow

The Daily Dishwashing Routine

Conclusion: To Wash, To Dry

ALMOST EVERYONE, at some point in their life, washes the dishes. Not many will do it well and even fewer will look forward to it.

It is a curious task, washing the dishes. Some people save it for themselves, some do it as a sacrifice, and some dread it or avoid doing it entirely.

Washing the dishes in a sink, with clean, warm water, is a luxury. If you have ever lived without clean running water or warm water, or even if you have ever camped in the wilderness, you already know this. It is also a task of order and of health and hygiene. The kitchen is an operating room, and although you may not always be the one operating, you are the one cleaning up after a kind of surgery. You have all the surfaces and all the equipment to scrub and make ready for the next use. You may be lucky enough to have a dishwasher. There will be a mention of dishwashers here and there, but this is a book about washing the dishes, not about machines that wash dishes. This is a book about enjoying your time and using it well. The dishwasher is the express train; your kitchen sink is the local.

This is a primer for the task, with rules and regulations, safety and sense, and a start and a finish. When the kitchen lights are dimmed, there should be a dish towel and a bowl drying. You have finished the meal and closed up shop.

A task is generally easier if you are prepared and have some plans and some knowledge about the job ahead. Here is a list of the elements.

• Clean all the dishes, pots and pans, glasses, silverware, containers, and surfaces, including the stove, walls, counters, and burners.
• Waste neither water nor soap, being both accurate and economical.
• Work safely in regard to yourself and other people who may be helping.
• Protect the equipment: care for the knives, pans, mixers, strainers, and such so they stay sharp, rust-free, and ready for their next appearance.
• Safeguard the food: store leftovers and staples wisely and correctly, especially with regard to bacteria and shelf life.
• Leave the kitchen bright, fresh, and ready for the next mealas if it was new, and you had not been there.

There are only a few things you need to wash the dishes well. You may already have them. You might also check that they have not been worked to a nub and want replacing. There are times that it is a treat to get a new sponge, scrubber, or dishtowel.

You will need a container for the dishwater. It can be a dishpan or even a rubber, plastic, or stainless bowl, and it should take up no more than three-quarters of the sink; you will need room to work and to rinse.

You will also need:

A good sponge or dishcloth

A good scrubber

A good dish soap

Several fresh, dry dish towels

When the dishes are washed, you will need a drying rack or an empty dishwasher to stack them.

The bowl is your tractor, your plow, and your very best piece of equipment.

Your bowl of soap and water is the center of your dishwashing operation. Everything depends upon it. The economy of doing the dishes is directly affected by it. If you protect your hot soapy water, you will use less detergent, your surfaces will be cleaner, and your glasses and dishware will be brighter. The bowl is your tractor, your plow, and your very best piece of equipment.