Erin Doman on August 31, 2015 0 Comments There has been an on-going debate over whether it is better to wash dishes by hand or with a machine. While there are many who believe that hand washing is better for the environment and for health, research and experience has shown evidence that dishwashers are actually more beneficial in preventing health issues, protecting the environment and saving you time. The following reasons may have you rethinking your current dish washing habits, and why you should be using a dishwasher in your home. 1. Better Cleaners You have likely heard that there are more germs in your kitchen than any other spot in your house, including your bathroom. Therefore, it is important to fully eliminate germs that have accumulated on kitchen items after each use. Ultimately, you cannot accomplish this in the sink with dish soap and water. To truly kill the germs off of your dishware, you need to rinse them with extremely hot water that reaches a minimum of 145°F. If you attempted this using your hands and a sponge, you would likely be left with harsh burns all over your fingers. Instead, machines can easily reach these temperatures leaving your dishes sanitized and keeping you burn free. 2. Germ Prevention There are several spots in your kitchen that collect and harbor germs. Your sink and garbage disposal is one of these dirty spots. Therefore, if you complete your dishes by collecting water and soap in the sink and then dipping and rinsing, you are merely giving them a germ bath. They will not only accumulate germs from those washed before them, but also the bacteria that have already settled in the sink. Think about everything you threw into the sink while cooking: pieces of meat, old veggies and other miscellaneous items. The germs from all of these foods are going straight back onto the dishes that you think that you’re cleaning. In addition, sponges are ideal breeding grounds for bacteria and quickly become contaminated after even the first use. They can harbor up to 10 million bacteria. Therefore, as you use your sponge to wipe, you are merely spreading around all of this bacteria. By running your dishes through the dishwasher, they likely never collect certain germs, and the bacteria that were collected are killed by the hot water. 3. Environmentally-Friendly Many people who hand wash do so because they believe it is more beneficial for the environment. However, there is evidence that this is simply not true. While old appliances were hogs of electricity and water, the new versions have become substantially more efficient. There have been great strides in recent decades. For example, between 1993 and 2003 machines improved in energy efficiency by 27% and in water efficiency by 30%. Unless you are one of the most efficient hand-dishwashers, you simply cannot compete with these numbers. As water runs from the faucet during your scrub, soap, sponge and rinse routine, you are wasting a valuable resource. 4. Economically-Friendly Because machines are more energy and water efficient, you will likely save a large amount on your water and electricity bills. Extensive amounts of water are wasted as you hand wash your dishes and to become as efficient as your machine you would need to wash 8 place settings in less than 2 minutes. That seems far from possible. Therefore, you will conserve water with a new appliance, and your bill will be reduced. In addition, energy efficient devices use substantially less electricity than older models and make very little impact on your monthly electrical bill. 5. Time Efficient You are likely quite limited on your time throughout the day. Maybe you have had a long day at work, or perhaps you have had a lot of errands to run. You finally had a chance to make a healthy dinner for the family. The last thing you want to do once the plates have been cleared is roll up your sleeves and dive into a sink of dirty pots and pans. Completing the task by hand could take an additional half hour to hour to complete after dinner has been finished, and unless you and your family have been cleaning throughout the day, you may be left with crusty and difficult breakfast and lunch items. Modern appliances can save you even more time, as experts argue that pre-rinsing is entirely unnecessary. You could be using this wasted time for much more valuable things, like spending time with your spouse and kids. 6. Stress Reducers If you are like many other people, dishes are a primary source of procrastination, and you are prone to letting them pile up. Not only does this make them harder to clean, but it can also lead to a serious source of stress. There is a substantial link between the amount of clutter in your home and your stress levels. As mess piles up, it makes it difficult to mentally and physical relax because you have a feeling that your work is not done. This can lead to serious feelings of guilt and even embarrassment. Piles in the sink can be a major contributor to the stress-creating mess in your home. A dishwasher makes it easier to relieve this stress by keeping things spotless and out of the sink. Even if you have a few dirty items, they can be easily stowed away in your unit until time for the next cleaning cycle rather than mounting into a menacing pile. 7. Guest-Friendly Like many people, you may enjoy hosting dinner parties and other events. As mentioned above, a dishwasher can help you maintain a clean and clutter-free kitchen and home. You definitely do not want your guests to walk into a home that looks like a tornado has gone through it. In addition, if you like to throw larger dinner parties for a number of guests, dishes can be a daunting task, and this can cause you to be reluctant to host the event at all. However, a machine can take off most of this burden because you can quickly load everything into the dishwasher and clean them with the simple press of a button. Because most polite guests like to help out, they can place plates, bowls and silverware in the wash on their own. You can enjoy cooking for, hosting and impressing your guests without the dread of accumulating extra mess. Ultimately, there are an overwhelming number of reasons that using a dishwasher is more beneficial than hand washing. Make your life easier and put your energy efficient machine to work.
