Welcome to Clean Enough, a new kind of cleaning column for busy home cooks who have better things to do than scrub and sanitize around the clock. Every other week, and mom Emily Farris shares tips, tools, and products that can help you stay on top of the dirtiest spots in the kitchen while also and .Â
Iâm not necessarily a person who hates hand-washing dishes, but I definitely need to be in the right mood to enjoy it. Most often, that mood strikes when I have a dining room full of dinner guests (and especially if one of them is my mother). The rest of the time, washing dishes is a daunting task Iâve been known to put off until Iâm completely out of clean knivescutting boardssheet pansthe dishwasher
Luckily, with the right combination of prep work and productsâand, of course, good musicâIâm able to get myself in the perfect mindset for washing dishes even when I really, really, really donât want to. So, whether you already donât mind the act of doing the dishes or youâd rather be doing anything else, here are seven ways to make hand-washing dishes more fun.
Clear your drying areaâcompletely
Putting clean dishes back where they belong is among my least favorite household chores. Iâd seriously rather clean a toilet than empty the dishwasher or dish rack. But hand-washing dishes is much less annoying when you have ample air-drying space, so be sure to completely empty your dish rack or drying mat before you start. If youâre feeling really ambitious, you could give your dish rack a wipe down (vinegar is great for getting rid of hard water spots) or swap in a fresh microfiber mat. And if either has seen better days, it might be time for an upgrade because you definitely donât want to put clean dishes on a not-so-clean surface.
Make sure you have the tools you need (and maybe a couple you donât)
When was the last time you replaced your sponges, dish brushes, and scrubbies? If your sponge smells bad and your scrubbersa washing-up bowl
Splurge on smells
Iâm a person whoâs motivated by nice scents the way kids are motivated by candy, so when I really need to get my ass in gear to clean, I load up on the smell-good stuff. In addition to scented dish soap
Accessorize
Properly suiting up can make the act of hand-washing dishes more funâand sometimes even less painful. Dish gloves can keep your hands safe from scalding water and unidentified dirty dish sludge while an apron can keep your clothes clean and dry. My colleague Genevieve swears byour product testing
Put on your favorite tunes
I have a playlist I like to put on when I clean (and yes it definitely has some Lizzo on it). But I can hardly hear anything coming from my phone over the sound of running water and motorized dish brushes. Thatâs why I keep a water-resistant portable bluetooth speaker
Stand on something squishy
Kitchen floors rarely have any give and my knees will be the first to tell you that pretty little vintage rugs arenât much better when youâre standing in the same place for 20 to 30 minutes. But put a cute anti-fatigue mat
Clean your sink when youâre done
Washing the very last dish is so satisfying. But not quite as satisfying as making your sink sparkle when youâre done. I like to give mine a quick scrub with a scrubby or brush I use exclusively for this purpose. Then I fill the sink with hot water and a scoop or two of Tide with Bleach powder
