h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Very good description of what are the best cleaners etc, but here are my thoughts...

Now then, I was taught by my father, - a chemist - chemicals type !

As pans etc come off the cooker they should have a couple of drops of liquid put in the bottom & be filled up to the brim with hot water so that they soak as you're eating the meal...

Now then, the washing up...

You will need washing up gloves, due to only using hot water and the fact that the chemicals in the liquid are designed to remove fats/oils - obvious when you think of it isn't it...

He told me to use the hot water tap only, and enough liquid to produce about a couple of inches of bubbles... The best way to do this is to put about a teaspoon of liquid in the sink, - washing up bowls aren't needed as you'll see - then quarter fill the sink with only hot water and leave the tap dribbling into the sink so that you can rinse off the soap suds... you don't drink/eat soap, so why leave it on the cutlery/crockery !!! This also keeps your washing water hot and means that you don't use lots by running it down the drain !

Wash glasses first so that they don't get covered in the remains of food, and individually so that there's less chance of them being chipped !

Then cups & saucers - cos they're more often the next least dirty...

Then cutlery...

Then crockery...

Then pans etc... As you can see, stuff's getting dirtier as the water gets dirtier, but if the water's too foul already due to the amount you've had to wash, then just start with a fresh sink of water...

As to rinsing/drying... See above for the reason behind rinsing, and only dry glasses to stop them from getting drips/smears, and cutlery for the same reason...

If you've rinsed everything in hot enough running water it should dry off in the draining rack anyway...

The easiest way nowadays of course is to get a modern dishwasher if you can afford it, the use little water and are very good with the modern tablets/powders to clean just about everything, though there's very often no substitue for good old elbow grease on a well burnt on pan