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Minor things that bother you

Started by planxtymcgillicuddy, November 27, 2019, 12:15:11 AM

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Scott5114

Washing dishes by hand sucks, but it is at least possible. What are you having trouble not knowing how to wash?
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef


Max Rockatansky

I haven't used the dishwasher in years.  I hand wash everything in the sink and put it to dry.

J N Winkler

I hate it when the dishwasher malfunctions and I have to wash everything by hand.  But, as a general rule, the dishwasher is the far more restrictive option for washing dishes.  Pretty much everything can go in a sinkful of hot water with dish soap, but the dishwasher is really hard on bone, wood, metals other than stainless steel, nonstick surfaces, and so on.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

Scott5114

I think I've mentioned it before, but I just put everything in the dishwasher, since anything that doesn't fare well in the dishwasher presents enough maintenance overhead that I don't really want to have it around anyway.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

jakeroot

Dishwashers are rare in Japan, some people have small counter-top ones though.

I don't have one, so I have to hand-wash. I loathe the entire concept. It's a massive waste of water to hand-wash everything, it takes far longer, the water cannot get hot enough to actually rinse dishes of bacteria, and sponges are gross. I see no advantage to hand-washing other than to protect those items that cannot stand the hot temperatures.

CNGL-Leudimin

That I have to give consent for cookies to each Google mirror individually. C'mon, I've said yes not once but twice (I've cleared it for the .com and .es versions), that should be valid for every Google page.
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

hotdogPi

Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on February 03, 2023, 05:14:51 AM
That I have to give consent for cookies to each Google mirror individually. C'mon, I've said yes not once but twice (I've cleared it for the .com and .es versions), that should be valid for every Google page.

At least you have the option, being in the EU. Here, a few websites have a yes/no option, but the vast majority force me to accept.

From my trip to Europe, it appears the New York Times isn't paywalled there, but I'm not entirely sure.
Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

1995hoo

Quote from: vdeane on February 02, 2023, 09:43:22 PM
So now my dishwasher latch is broken.  No idea how it broke, but it won't close, the thing seems to be jammed into the closed position such that I can't even push it shut.  I have a full load of dishes that I now can't wash, some of which I don't even know how to wash, and am stuck in a lurch where I won't be able to even make certain meals until it's fixed (probably will have to throw out some perishable food I won't be able to use in time as a result), and knowing my apartment's maintenance, it will probably be several days before it's usable again, if not more than a week.

Guess I've learned my lesson - never make a meal that REQUIRES that the dishwasher be used.  Ever.  Bye bye tacos and hamburgers (and cooking for any meal except breakfast, period, since those are the only things other than pasta and eggs I can make, the latter not well, and the former retired years ago due to food spoilage concerns with respect to sauce).

My parents' old dishwasher had the type of latch that was an arm that swung from one side of the door to the other. It wasn't latching closed properly–they could close it, but then it would pop back out and unlock the door, preventing the machine from running. Their solution? They jammed the latch closed with a wine cork when they wanted to run the machine (eventually they replaced it when they redid their kitchen and got new appliances). Sounds like that might not work for you because you say you can't get it to close at all, and of course I don't know what sort of machine you have so it might not work even if you could close the door if you don't have that sort of latch, but I thought I'd mention it just in case it could help.

But as Scott5114 asked, what is it you don't know how to wash? For the most part, washing dishes is easy (if tedious). Use some dish soap, a sponge, and hot water, and perhaps a dish brush if needed, to scrub stuff off. You might also need one of those Scotch Guard brand scrubber sponges that has a normal sponge on one side and a more abrasive surface on the other side (it's not steel wool and won't scratch plates), and you might need steel wool (SOS or Brillo) if you have food caked onto pots and pans (but don't use steel wool on nonstick or cast-iron pans). I don't use normal dish soap on wine glasses, opting instead for a particular wine glass detergent I prefer, but that's me being picky.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

hbelkins

As I've said before, I live in the house my family built when I was in high school. A dishwasher was installed when the house was built. I don't know that my mom ever used it. My dad certainly didn't in the years after my mom died. And we haven't used it at all since we've lived there. I don't even know if it still works.

If you have a kitchen sink with enough counter space for a dish drainer, and two hands, you can wash dishes. A two-bay sink is easier, one for washing and one for rinsing, but it's not necessary.

I cannot comprehend the thought of someone depending on a dishwasher and thinking they can't cook, or will have to throw out food, because the dishwasher's broken. It just doesn't compute. Please try to explain it to us. Sounds like I'm not the only one who's having difficulty figuring this out.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

vdeane

The things I have an issue with hand washing are as follows:
-My large frying pan that I use for making tacos.  Anything to do with tacos, really, including the bowl I put the meat in afterwards and the tupperwear container I put the leftover meat in.  The meat and sauce leave far too much grease for me to clean; if I tried, I'd ruin my sponge to the point where I'd need to throw it out, and the item still would not be clean.  Even the brush I use to prewash these items needs to go into the dishwasher to be cleaned, and it's only several weeks after I'm done with a taco cycle that it starts to look clean again.
-The drip tray for my George Foreman grill that I use for hamburgers.  Like the tacos, I can't clean the fat, even after draining most of it into another container.
-My glasses; for some reason, they tend not to get clean very well by handwashing.  Fortunately, since it's just me and I only drink water at home, they don't need to be constantly washed.
-The baking pan and large plate I use with breadsticks actually can be handwashed, but their large size makes it very inconvenient to do so.

There's also the issue of volume.  I can only hand wash so much at once due to limited drying room.  Plus the soap only lasts so long before the sponge has mostly water.  I'm probably not doing it right (I put some soap on either my spatula or a plate depending on whether I'm using the dishwasher for most things or not; I always have to handwash some because the frying pan I use for eggs is non-stick and I need both it and the spatula everyday anyways; and then I just re-use the now soapy sponge until I'm done), but that's what happens when you teach yourself with no reference.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

J N Winkler

Quote from: 1995hoo on February 03, 2023, 10:30:37 AMYou might also need one of those Scotch Guard brand scrubber sponges that has a normal sponge on one side and a more abrasive surface on the other side (it's not steel wool and won't scratch plates), and you might need steel wool (SOS or Brillo) if you have food caked onto pots and pans (but don't use steel wool on nonstick or cast-iron pans). I don't use normal dish soap on wine glasses, opting instead for a particular wine glass detergent I prefer, but that's me being picky.

We use Scotch-Brite Dobies, which are sponges wrapped in coarse-textured woven plastic that is useful for scouring.  We also have Bar Keepers Friend, a powdered abrasive cleaner, under the sink.  I personally don't use it often, but it is the only thing that actually restores an even shine to the bottom of the stainless steel skillet I use for pasta sauces, omelette fillings, etc. (Dawn dish soap will lift all the food residue but leave the bottom looking streaky and dull).

I realize not all will have the counter space to spare, but we typically use an area next to the sink for staging dirty dishes, including ones that are soaking with a few drops of dish soap in warm water to release food stains.

Quote from: vdeane on February 03, 2023, 12:55:28 PMMy large frying pan that I use for making tacos.  Anything to do with tacos, really, including the bowl I put the meat in afterwards and the Tupperware container I put the leftover meat in.  The meat and sauce leave far too much grease for me to clean; if I tried, I'd ruin my sponge to the point where I'd need to throw it out, and the item still would not be clean.  Even the brush I use to prewash these items needs to go into the dishwasher to be cleaned, and it's only several weeks after I'm done with a taco cycle that it starts to look clean again.

We often presoak with hot water and dish soap to clean cookware and food storage containers that have held oily or greasy food.  The dish soap will lift most of the fatty residue and a scouring pad (Dobie or similar), also dosed with soap, will take care of the rest.

Quote from: vdeane on February 03, 2023, 12:55:28 PMThe drip tray for my George Foreman grill that I use for hamburgers.  Like the tacos, I can't clean the fat, even after draining most of it into another container.

Again, dish soap is your friend.  We don't have a George Foreman grill, but we have similar issues with our chicken roasting pan, which we use once every two weeks in the summer.

Quote from: vdeane on February 03, 2023, 12:55:28 PMMy glasses; for some reason, they tend not to get clean very well by handwashing.  Fortunately, since it's just me and I only drink water at home, they don't need to be constantly washed.

Glasses can be challenging.  We occasionally soak ours in neat vinegar to lift mineral stains, and simply drinking beer out of them will do the same.

Quote from: vdeane on February 03, 2023, 12:55:28 PMThere's also the issue of volume.  I can only hand wash so much at once due to limited drying room.  Plus the soap only lasts so long before the sponge has mostly water.  I'm probably not doing it right (I put some soap on either my spatula or a plate depending on whether I'm using the dishwasher for most things or not; I always have to handwash some because the frying pan I use for eggs is non-stick and I need both it and the spatula everyday anyways; and then I just re-use the now soapy sponge until I'm done), but that's what happens when you teach yourself with no reference.

My go-to is a Dobie and I dose it with dish soap at the start, re-dosing as needed when I see it is not lifting oil anymore (e.g., visible fingerprints or oily film after rinsing).

I don't actually wash non-stick pans--I just use a paper towel on the non-stick surface to lift most of the canola oil I use for eggs, and wet-wipe the bottom and handle.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

SectorZ

Quote from: vdeane on February 03, 2023, 12:55:28 PM
The things I have an issue with hand washing are as follows:
-My large frying pan that I use for making tacos.  Anything to do with tacos, really, including the bowl I put the meat in afterwards and the tupperwear container I put the leftover meat in.  The meat and sauce leave far too much grease for me to clean; if I tried, I'd ruin my sponge to the point where I'd need to throw it out, and the item still would not be clean.  Even the brush I use to prewash these items needs to go into the dishwasher to be cleaned, and it's only several weeks after I'm done with a taco cycle that it starts to look clean again.
-The drip tray for my George Foreman grill that I use for hamburgers.  Like the tacos, I can't clean the fat, even after draining most of it into another container.
-My glasses; for some reason, they tend not to get clean very well by handwashing.  Fortunately, since it's just me and I only drink water at home, they don't need to be constantly washed.
-The baking pan and large plate I use with breadsticks actually can be handwashed, but their large size makes it very inconvenient to do so.

There's also the issue of volume.  I can only hand wash so much at once due to limited drying room.  Plus the soap only lasts so long before the sponge has mostly water.  I'm probably not doing it right (I put some soap on either my spatula or a plate depending on whether I'm using the dishwasher for most things or not; I always have to handwash some because the frying pan I use for eggs is non-stick and I need both it and the spatula everyday anyways; and then I just re-use the now soapy sponge until I'm done), but that's what happens when you teach yourself with no reference.

Don't fret it. My first job involved washing dishes, and I still can't manage very well in the temporary situations I've been without a dishwasher.

Given if I had three sinks that were all big enough for a person to curl up in just one of them, I would probably not depend on the dishwasher as much.

jeffandnicole

When we first moved into the house, we didn't have a dishwasher.  And it was like that for 14 years until we finally remodeled our kitchen and had one installed.  There are still certain things we handwash, including cheaper plastic stuff that would probably melt in the dishwasher, sharp knives, and most of our pots and pans.

1995hoo

Quote from: J N Winkler on February 03, 2023, 01:23:29 PM
.... We also have Bar Keepers Friend, a powdered abrasive cleaner, under the sink.  ....

That's good stuff. We use that as well and it's very effective for cleaning the sink itself. There is also a liquid cleanser of the same brand that we use to clean our glass-ceramic cooktop (stove). I let the stuff sit for a while and then use the abrasive side of an older sponge to wipe it off and it does a good job of cleaning off more of the caked-on stuff (my wife seems to think that simply wiping the stove with a damp sponge is sufficient to clean it even though she's just pushing grease around).




Quote from: 1995hoo on February 03, 2023, 10:30:37 AM
.... You might also need one of those Scotch Guard brand scrubber sponges that has a normal sponge on one side and a more abrasive surface on the other side ....

I realized the above contains a typo: The brand is Scotch Brite, not Scotch Guard. Scotchgard is a fabric protectant.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

hbelkins

It's hard for me to believe that a dishwashing machine does better than hand-washing. Spraying water vs. hand-scrubbing?

When I sink-wash dishes, I start the water running, then put the Dawn/Palmolive/Ajax/Walmart Great Value liquid in the water with the water still running. It foams up nicely. I typically don't put the dishwashing liquid directly on the sponge/scrubber/dishrag.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

abefroman329

I certainly have trouble believing that a dishwasher uses less water than washing dishes by hand.

thenetwork

#6091
Quote from: LM117 on November 27, 2019, 12:49:18 PM
Quote from: kphoger on November 27, 2019, 12:15:36 PMChristmas music before Thanksgiving.

Same, and I'll take it a step further and say that it's ridiculous to start selling Christmas items in early September before the first day of Fall even hits. Same with Halloween items being put out the last week of July, Valentine's items during the last couple weeks of December, and Easter items before Valentine's Day.

[/quote】

If you think about it, most seasonal items usually are put into stores with a minimum 90-day window before the "season" is over.  Christmas items then would start appearing after Labor Day, Easter items around late January (despite Valentine's Day candy is still "in season", and why summer clothes start to become harder to find after the 4th of July.

It also gives retailers an extra month after the season is over to gradually discount past-season/end-of season product until they are just giving what's left away.

It's the way of business, unfortunately.

jeffandnicole

Quote from: abefroman329 on February 03, 2023, 03:19:14 PM
I certainly have trouble believing that a dishwasher uses less water than washing dishes by hand.

To put this into practice, get a bucket and pour hose water into it without a nozzle, then with a spray nozzle.

Or, let water pour into a bathtub, vs using the shower head to spray water into a tub.

The bucket or tub will fill much faster with the free flow of water vs the spray.

Now, you may say that you're only using the spiget a short period of time, and of course each individual will vary especially based on how many dishes need to be washed, but overall handwashing dishes uses a lot more water on average than a dishwasher.

1995hoo

#6093
Supposedly the average Energy Star certified dishwasher uses an average of around four gallons of water per load (newer ones use less). I'm almost certain handwashing uses more, especially if someone leaves the water running the whole time. You'd be surprised how quickly you go through a gallon of water. I'm aware of that because I usually drink lemonade and I put three litres of water in the pitcher at a time (one gallon equals about 3.78 litres). It doesn't take long to put that much water in the pitcher.

(Which makes me think back to when I was in college and I observed that other guys in my first-year dorm would keep the water running while brushing their teeth. I've never understood why people do that. Wet the toothbrush, turn off the water, brush your teeth, then turn the water back on to rinse your mouth and clean the toothbrush. I also turn off the shower to "soap up.")

Edited to add: Regarding energy usage, another thing to consider is how much water you use while the faucet is running and you're waiting for the water to be hot enough to use to hand-wash the dishes.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

kirbykart

Quote from: jakeroot on February 03, 2023, 02:46:59 AM
Dishwashers are rare in Japan, some people have small counter-top ones though.

I don't have one, so I have to hand-wash. I loathe the entire concept. It's a massive waste of water to hand-wash everything, it takes far longer, the water cannot get hot enough to actually rinse dishes of bacteria, and sponges are gross. I see no advantage to hand-washing other than to protect those items that cannot stand the hot temperatures.

Re: bolded. Dishwashers take at least an hour (just Googled, never used a dishwasher in my life). Can it really take far longer than that to hand-wash?

GaryV

Quote from: kirbykart on February 03, 2023, 04:08:00 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on February 03, 2023, 02:46:59 AM
Dishwashers are rare in Japan, some people have small counter-top ones though.

I don't have one, so I have to hand-wash. I loathe the entire concept. It's a massive waste of water to hand-wash everything, it takes far longer, the water cannot get hot enough to actually rinse dishes of bacteria, and sponges are gross. I see no advantage to hand-washing other than to protect those items that cannot stand the hot temperatures.

Re: bolded. Dishwashers take at least an hour (just Googled, never used a dishwasher in my life). Can it really take far longer than that to hand-wash?

The dishwasher does most of it's work autonomously. It's only the loading and loading that consumes a human's time.

kirbykart

^But it still takes longer to wash the dishes than hand washing. Unless I'm misinterpreting.

Amaury

Quote from: kirbykart on February 03, 2023, 04:08:00 PMRe: bolded. Dishwashers take at least an hour (just Googled, never used a dishwasher in my life). Can it really take far longer than that to hand-wash?

It depends on the kind of dishwasher, I guess. We have an industrial one at my job, and it only takes about five minutes and gets our dishes very clean, after just one wash. If it's greasy stuff, like our fry stuff, we'll run it through twice just to ensure the grease comes off, but still, even one wash is good. You can throw in a pan with bacon grease stuck to the bottom, and the pan will be squeaky clean after one wash cycle. Our dishwasher here at home, you need to practically get everything off beforehand.
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US 89

Quote from: kirbykart on February 03, 2023, 04:22:58 PM
^But it still takes longer to wash the dishes than hand washing. Unless I'm misinterpreting.

The one in my apartment typically takes a couple hours to run, which yeah is probably longer than it'd take to wash the dishes by hand, but it's so much less effort and time that I spend dealing with the dishes. I can go be productive in other ways while the dishwasher is running, or I can run it while I'm sleeping late at night.

thspfc

Quote from: kirbykart on February 03, 2023, 04:22:58 PM
^But it still takes longer to wash the dishes than hand washing. Unless I'm misinterpreting.
Why does that matter? YOU are saving time by using the dishwasher. Do the dishes themselves have feelings or something?



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