Introduction. Washing
dishes is the process of removing dirt, debris, and food that has accumulated
on mealtime dishes as well as being sure that those dishes are not contaminated
with any bacteria which may cause sickness. Dishes are the items used during
mealtime including, but not exclusive too, plates, bowls, cups, silverware, and
pans. This list is not meant to be exclusive to these items. If more
clarification is needed please contact your kitchen manager (wife) for a
complete list of dishes that need to be cleaned.
This process
description is intended for men who are married and have lost their way around
the kitchen, but want to help their wives with the chores.
Before beginning the
process, the married man must be aware of how to turn on and fill the sink,
where clean towels are located, and where to find the dish soap. No previous
knowledge of where clean dishes are to be stored is required (this will be
explained in the “Put Away the Dishes” step).
As an overview, the
helpful married man will learn how to locate the dirty dishes, fill a sink, how
to clean the dish, where to set the dish, and how to dry as well as return the dish
to its correct place for storage.
Process
Description
Locate
Dirty Dishes. Locating dirty dishes can be a chore
for men who are new to the kitchen after mealtime is completed. Once the meal
is done (preferably after the wife has made it clear she would not be doing the
dishes this evening) step in to the kitchen and locate the sink, oven, and
countertops between these two objects. Dishes tend to accumulate on and in-between
the oven and sink so virtually any spot within the kitchen area is a potential
resting place for a discarded, soiled dish. HINT:
If a dish does not look soiled but it is located outside of a cabinet, it is a
good idea to wash that dish. Once dishes have been located, move them to
the counter adjacent to the far left portion of the sink. Arrange the dirty
dishes in neat stacks, with like items grouped together.
Fill
the Sink. Filling the sink can be tricky for
the man unaccustomed to his faucets hot/cold water distribution. First, around
the sink (underneath, on the counter top, or within the sink itself) should be
located a stopper made from plastic, rubber, metal, or a combination of these
elements, and a bottle of liquid dish soap. Turn on the water and clean out any
debris that may have been left inside the sink from previous use; this is to
ensure a clean sink is used to clean the dishes. With the water running adjust
the temperature of the water so that the water is hot to the touch but not
scalding. Once a proper temperature has been selected use the stopper to plug
the drain hole located in the left sink. As soon as the sink is half filled squeeze
the recommended amount of soap in to the hot water and continue filling. When
the sink is ¾ of the way full, check to be sure that the soap has fully
dissolved in the hot water; bubbles should be present. Turn water off.
Set
up drying station. This
may be the final resting place for your clean dishes so be sure to grab a clean
towel or drying rack to place your clean dishes upon. Clear and clean the area
adjacent to the right side of your sink with the soapy water from the sink.
After drying the area with a separate clean
towel place a drying towel on the counter then (if applicable) place drying
rack on towel.
Clean
the Dishes. Cleaning
the dishes is best done as soon as the dish is dirtied; this point needs to be
made clear to the person dirtying the dishes, to be sure there are fewer dishes
to do at the end of the meal. First, you must locate a clean dish sponge, dish
rag, or scrub brush; some kitchens may be stocked with all three (multiple
cleaning devices will come in handy for different types of dishes). With the
neat pile of dirty dishes to your left and a sink full of hot water in front of
you, grab the utensils (forks, spoons, butter knives, spatulas, etc. etc…) and
place them all in to the water. –Warning-
Never place sharp knives in sink. Always handle sharp knives from start to
finish, avoiding injury to yourself or others. Once utensils have soaked
(sat in the water for a minute) place your hand inside the sink, grab one
utensil and proceed to clean with the sponge/dish rag/scrub brush. As soon as
all food has been removed from the utensil dunk inside dish water to remove any
excess soap and inspect for stuck on food. When item is clean set into right
side of sink and repeat with next utensil.
When all utensils are
cleaned and placed into the right side of the sink, it is time to rinse any
excess soap and food debris that may have been missed. To do this, turn the
faucet towards the right side of the sink and turn it on. Find a comfortable
water temperature. One at a time, pick up a dish and run it under the water making
sure to remove any and all left over soap. Once rinsed place cleaned utensil on
clean towel or drying rack to dry.
Once all the utensils
have been cleaned move on to the plates. In the same fashion as the utensils,
place all plates in sink in their neat stack. Allow to soak. Scrub the plates
clean with the appropriate device. When cleaned, place into the right side of
the sink for rinsing. Once all plates have been cleaned, follow rinsing
procedures described above.
Continue this process
for all dirty dishes using appropriate devise for scrubbing.
Put
Away Dry Dishes. Putting
away the dishes can be like a reverse scavenger hunt. Once all the dishes have
been cleaned and dried it is time to put them away. By now you may have a large
pile of cleaned dishes. The best practice is to remove dishes from the top of
the pile and locate their resting place within the kitchen. With a clean towel
in hand grab one dish. While re-locating the now clean dish, wipe it off to try
and remove any spots that may have appeared during the drying process. Open
each cabinet door and drawer until a location that houses dishes with similar
appearance is found (place like items with like items) and neatly set the dish
within. If no location for a dish can be found, set that dish aside for later (the
location may be located while putting away other dishes). HINT: be sure to set all silverware in the same direction for ease of
removal later.
Afterward. Once all dishes have been washed, dried,
and put way, be sure to get the attention of your wife for immediate praise and
/ or scolding. There is a great chance that, no matter how well you followed
these directions, you still cleaned them incorrectly. If there were any dishes
you were unable to put away now would be a good time to ask for assistance in
finding them but be prepared for eye rolling and quick movements as she adeptly
locates and puts away the dish without looking. Once the praise / scolding has
ended, grab a drink of your choice and relax.
Be sure to rinse glass when finished with your
drink.
Conclusion. Doing the dishes is an important part of
housework. Many people complain that dishes take up the largest part of their
chores within the kitchen. By understanding and following the process described
here, the helpful man can be comfortable in his attempts to locate and gather
the dirty dishes, fill the sink, set up the dish drying area, clean the dishes,
and put them away.
All help is appreciated
by the wife, and even if you mess up the dishes, she will be more than happy
that you completed them for her.