Chores
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Clean your dishes right after you use them.
They are far simpler to clean, it requires only moments, and it prevents dealing with dried residue or a pending chore weighing on you.
7 people, independently
- Wash dishes while cooking so that only eating utensils remain dirty by mealtime.6
- Own fewer dishes and glasses so you must clean them immediately after every meal.3
Fill an empty bowl with water in the sink and swish utensils in it throughout the day.
It saves a lot of water.
one person who lived it
Rinse pans with cheese sauce almost immediately (within about 10 seconds) during cooking to avoid needing to soak and scrub them later.
Leaving it for an hour requires soaking and scrubbing to get the residue off.
one person who lived it
Hand-wash carbon-steel chef knives instead of using a dishwasher.
Dishwasher heat ruins the blade temper, causing brittleness, snapping, or warping.
one person who lived it
Push yourself to start household chores; you will feel pleased with yourself after completing the dull work.
The feeling of pleasure comes from putting the dull work in.
one person who lived it
Wash cutlery first when hand-washing dishes because it is the most difficult to clean.
It is the worst to clean.
one person who lived it
Whisk a whisk in the bowl you are cleaning instead of under the faucet.
It cleans off the whisk more quickly.
one person who lived it
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Wash your dishes before going to bed.
Waiting until the next day attracts ants.
one person who lived it
Use steel wool to clean dishes and plates after meals with sauce.
It makes cleaning easier.
one person who lived it
Keep separate sets of nice dishes and disposable plates to simplify cleanup and reduce conflict.
It helps with cleanup and leads to less fighting.
one person who lived it
Avoid washing glassware when drunk.
It prevents damage to glassware and emergency room trips.
one person who lived it
Wash your dishes every day to set a habit that requires little time.
It becomes a habit and really doesn't take long.
one person who lived it
Schedule a specific day off during long family vacations to maintain sanity, allowing for several hours of solitude.
helps hold on to sanity
- others may suffer if you act poorly for half the vacation
one person who lived it
Use Bar Keepers Friend or melamine sponges (Magic Eraser) to clean stainless steel sinks.
Micro abrasives work well for cleaning.
- Do not use abrasives on fiberglass, as etching causes dirt to collect worse subsequently.
one person who lived it
Fill pots and pans with hot or room-temperature water to make residue come off naturally.
It makes cleaning a breeze.
one person who lived it
Run cold water over cheese residues to harden them for easier scraping.
Hot water melts cheese and gums up scrub brushes or disposals.
one person who lived it
Clean up cooking messes during the final minutes of meal preparation or while meat rests.
This allows everything to be ready to serve together.
one person who lived it
- Tidy up while cooking; rinse utensils like measuring cups straight away.5
Rinse pots and leave them soaking with soap if you cannot wash them immediately.
This makes cleaning easier later.
one person who lived it
Offer to help friends with their dishes when visiting, especially if they lack a dishwasher, or simply wash your own.
It improves relationships.
one person who lived it
- Wash piled-up dishes in the sink even if you did not make the mess.1
Use a dedicated dish soaking tub filled with soapy water instead of filling the entire sink.
It uses less water but has the same effect and makes cleaning go faster.
one person who lived it
Empty and shake out messenger bags or backpacks over a dumpster every couple of months.
To remove accumulated debris that falls out unexpectedly.
one person who lived it
Dry carbon-steel knives completely after washing to prevent rust.
Leaving them wet causes issues; drying prevents this.
one person who lived it
Store silverware together in a container like a mason jar rather than loose in the sink to avoid hunting for pieces.
It prevents having to hunt around for individual pieces.
one person who lived it
Wash silverware first to ensure it is cleaned with the cleanest water.
Silverware goes directly into the mouth and deserves the cleanest water.
one person who lived it
Manually remove remaining food from dishes and soak dried parts in water before running the dishwasher cycle.
You will have to remove the debris anyway, either before the cycle or from the filter afterwards.
one person who lived it
Hand-wash chef's knives separately rather than submerging them with other dirty dishes.
Submerged knives pose a serious hazard.
one person who lived it
Wash your lunch box occasionally.
It makes the item more pleasant to use regularly and helps maintain its longevity.
one person who lived it