We’ve all experienced the dread of approaching a sink full of dirty dishes. The dread is only made worse, though when we reach for the dish soap and realize it is all gone! Is there any way to clean your dishes without it?
For the safest and best results, you should not clean your dishes with only water. Water does not properly remove debris and grease from the surface of the dish, meaning there are probably remaining bacteria. In order to properly clean your dishes, use hot water and some other solvent to dissolve the debris and permit the surface to be properly sanitized and cleaned.
Soap is not the only way to properly clean your dishes and it is certainly not the cheapest! The truth is there are many alternatives to dish soap that can properly clean your dishes. Keep reading if you want to learn more about your options.
Is It Safe to Wash Dishes With Only Water?
You can wash dishes without soap as long as you follow certain procedures. Hot water and some sort of abrasive medium should be used in order to remove food debris and sanitize the surface. For most residential households’ dirty dishes soap is not necessary in order to remove germs and bacteria.
For most of human history, soap and disinfectants were not available (or even invented). Thus, people used to rely on other means of washing their dishes after eating.
Soap and disinfectants are beneficial for humans, but they aren’t necessarily needed for your dishes to be clean. In fact, one of the most effective and safe ways to properly clean your dishes is with hot water.
This is because sink sponges often carry bacteria on them. When you rub the sponge on the dish it may pass on the bacteria to the vessel.
This is not to say sponges aren’t safe or should not be used. It simply illustrates that soap is not a disinfectant so much as an agent.
An agent is added to a dirtied surface to loosen debris and take it off. For dirty dishes soap acts as a solvent for grease and other caked-on substances and helps remove them easier.
The same result can be accomplished by using very hot water and some other available agents. In the past people successfully used animal fat, oil, sand, and other coarse or slippery materials.
Oil and animal fat is useful because it basically helps to loosen debris and thus come off easier. Think of how slick it is, and you’ll understand why it helps remove everything from a baking pan including flour to eggs.
It is important you use hot water when you wash your dishes, regardless of the agent you choose. Hot water is the thing that will remove and kill any lingering bacteria and make your dishes safe for cooking!
What Do Soaps and Detergents Do to Dirty Dishes?
Soaps and detergents break down debris, oils, and germs. However, detergent and soap act differently to accomplish these goals and are composed of different substances. Detergent is usually composed of chemicals that act powerfully against debris on substances while the soap is made of fats and other binding agents.
The main difference between these substances is how they clean a surface. Detergent acts more as a harsh cleaning agent on very soiled or dirty surfaces. Detergent clings to the dirt and dissolves and breaks it down. This is why people use detergent in laundry and dishwashers.
Detergent not only has some harsh chemicals but also several enzymes that eat and dissolve unwanted substances. The enzyme’s proteases and lipases break down oils and fats while other enzymes such as amylases break down dirt and starch.
Meanwhile, soap is usually made of surfactants. These are binding agents such as oils and fats which connect with dirt and fats and draw them away from the surface. In this way, it cleans surfaces by removing unwanted substances.
Water is naturally polar while many surface contaminants are opposed to the charge of water. This is why water tends to roll off your skin rather than being absorbed into your body. Soap changes this and allows water to interact with the surface and draw impurities away from it.
Therefore, it is important to note that soap and even most detergents do not sanitize or disinfect surfaces. They clean surfaces by drawing and dissolving dirt and contaminants from the surface.
Should You Wash Dishes In Hot or Cold Water?
You should definitely use hot water when washing your dishes. Hot water acts as a purifier and disinfectant on dirty surfaces. The hotter the water the more bacteria and germs are killed and the more sanitary the surface will be.
You can think of hot water as a soap’s best friend. Hot water pairs with the oils of soap and works to break down and remove all dirt, grime, and grease.
Since soap is not a disinfectant you should use hot water to sanitize your dishes. You should use hot water rather than tepid or warm water, especially if you just cooked eggs or raw meat.
As an extra level of protection against contamination from such foods, never use your dish sponge to clean these surfaces. A better option is a dish rag or disposable washcloth. After cleaning the dishes, wash your rag in the washing machine and do not use it on your other dishes.
Hot water is safer than using bleach or other harsh agents to sanitize your dishes since it does not leave a dangerous residue. And, if you use very hot water you can be sure that the surface has been cleaned and sanitized for the next use.
There are two effective ways of cleaning your dishes with hot water. The most direct way is to use the hottest water your hands can stand and let it run over the dish surface as you scrub it with a soapy sponge.
Another way is to rinse the surface in warm water and scrub with a soapy sponge. After the surface is free of debris, place your rinsed dishes in a large basin filled with boiling hot water. Allow the dishes to soak in here and remove after several minutes (or after the water cools).
Both of these methods will clean and sanitize your dishes so you will feel safe the next time you cook!
Is Water Enough to Remove Germs From Dirty Dishes?
Water is not enough to remove germs from your dirty dishes, despite the fact you don’t necessarily need soap to accomplish this. This may sound confusing, but the answer lies in the removal of contamination and sanitation.
A surface must be cleaned and sanitized in order for it to be fully cleansed. This is why you cannot simply spray your bathroom down with Lysol and assume it is sanitized.
This applies to dishes as well. To properly clean and sanitize a dish surface you must do the following:
- Thoroughly wipe and remove any clinging contaminants
- Soak the dish in a sanitizing agent or rinse with scalding hot water
- Permit it an appropriate time to dry or dry with a clean towel
You can’t sanitize grease, food particles, or other residues. The surface must be thoroughly cleaned and then you can sanitize it with hot water to remove any lingering bacteria.
Water, as we discussed in a previous section, is a polar particle. This means it does not naturally bind to other substances, it washes over them. This is why even if you don’t have antibacterial soap you should still wash your hands with soap and water in order for them to be really clean.
Soap permits the water to bind to the debris and pull it away and thus cleaning the surface. After the debris is removed the hot water acts to sanitize the surface and kill the germs.
However, as we discussed in one of the earlier sections, soap is not the only medium that accomplishes this. So even though hot water is not enough to kill the germs on your dishes, you do not necessarily need soap to accomplish this either.
How Hot Does Water Have to Be to Sanitize Dishes?
The FDA and other health institutions advise that dishes be washed in water between 110-165 degrees Fahrenheit (43-74 degrees celsius). These temperatures are necessary to ensure the debris is removed and the surface is properly disinfected.
You can of course use hotter water if you wish, but make sure you are careful of burning your hands. Especially if you use boiling water to soak and sanitize your clean dishes after washing them.
For most at-home dishwashers the standard temperature setting is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Although the unit is capable of reaching higher temperatures and lower temperatures, this is the generally accepted safe temperature for killing bacteria.
It is harder to know for sure how hot your tap water gets, however. Temperatures seem to range wildly from town to town according to self-reporting homeowners. Additionally, the temperature can be impacted by the age of the pipes in the home and the quality of water systems in the area.
However, generally speaking, if the water feels hot to the touch it should be sufficient for cleaning your dishes. If you are concerned about it, try using a thermometer to check the average temperature. Or, you can use boiled water as we discussed before.
What Can You Substitute For Soap When Washing Dishes?
You do not need soap to clean your dishes, and you can easily use other surfactants which draw debris and contaminants from the surface. For dishes, the biggest culprits of annoying debris are animal fats and burnt foods which can be dissolved and removed with abrasive and solvent substances.
One of the safest and most effective soap substitutes are baking powder, baking soda, and salt. You can easily add a small amount of the solvent to the surface of the pan or other dish and use a sponge or other dishcloth to wipe down the surface.
After cleaning the dish with the solvent start rinsing it beneath hot water and continue scrubbing as you do. Baking soda and salt are actually common ingredients in most soaps and are an effective method of dissolving debris and fats off of surfaces.
Other effective soap substitutes include wood ash or charcoal. Both work to remove fat and grease effectively. You can use wood ash from a campfire or BBQ, but just be careful not to use fuel or starter fluid on the fire. These are toxic and should not be used on dishes or other items which go in the mouth.
Should You Soak Dishes in Warm Water Before Washing?
This is a somewhat controversial topic for some people, but you should not soak your dirty dishes before washing them. Many people like to do this because it helps to soften burnt-on debris and make the whole cleaning process easier. However, if you soak dishes with food debris on them the substance can act as a breeding ground in tepid water.
But, this is only a general rule of thumb. If you have a frying pan with some tough burnt eggs, soaking the pan is not a bad idea. Rather there are two things you want to avoid when soaking your dishes.
The first is uncooked or raw debris. If you have dishes that you used to slice raw meat or have remnants of blood or flesh and then place this dish in a wash pan to soak with other dishes then the bacteria will likely multiply.
You want to avoid soaking your dishes in water filled with chunks of raw meat and eggs. These are full of potentially harmful bacteria and will not be killed by the water.
The second thing to avoid when soaking your dishes is cross-contamination. If you have some dishpans with burnt food on them, they can safely be soaked together. This is because burnt food does not have the bacteria that is in raw food.
However, you should not soak these dishes with other, more contaminated dishes. Only use the soaking method for dishes that require it, and never for dishes used for raw foods.
Proper Dishwashing Procedure
Now that you know what not to do, it is important to have an idea of how to go about properly washing your dishes. Whether you have soap or not.
- Rinse every dish in hot water
- Try to scrape off any large debris from the surface
- Remove the dish from the water and place your solvent of choice on the surface or on your cleaning device (we do not recommend sponges, but rather a porous sponge that does not absorb water)
- Scrub the surface, using circular motions for the best results
- Rinse under hot water again and continue until no grease or debris remains
- Place your dishes in a pan of hot water (at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit) and let them soak for a few minutes before drying
You do not need to follow these steps exactly. However, we recommend it for the best results!