Letting the dishes pile up is something that most people do without realizing it. You probably don’t think much of it, but keeping dirty dishes in the sink can be more than just a bad habit – at a certain point, it can actually pose somewhat of a health risk. So, how long is too long when it comes to letting a pile of dirty dishes sit in your sink?
Dirty dishes should be washed, rinsed, and dried within a day of use to prevent potentially harmful bacteria from spreading and causing mold to grow. Dishes that were in contact with raw meat should be washed and sanitized immediately after use to prevent the spread of foodborne illness-causing germs.
Taking care of dishes in a timely manner will also help preserve them and will prevent things like odors, stains, and even cracking or rust. This is especially true if you have hard water that tends to cause stains or mineral buildups on your dishes from soaking.
Thankfully, staying on top of this chore doesn’t mean you’re tied to the kitchen all day, every day. There are simple ways to get them done in less time, whether you use a dishwasher or hand wash them.
Is It Bad To Leave Dirty Dishes In the Sink?
While leaving dirty dishes in the sink doesn’t mean you’re a terrible housekeeper and isn’t something you should beat yourself up over, it does create opportunities for germs to multiply.
And then there’s the fact that food particles attract insects, rodents, and other pests that you don’t want visiting your kitchen.
It also just makes doing the dishes more difficult when you do get around to doing them. At the end of the day, there is more work cut out for you when the dishes have piled up. This is especially true if you don’t rinse them first.
When you consider the possibility that all those dirty dishes could be introducing bacteria and even mold into your home while inviting pests into your kitchen and making your life harder – it’s easy to see why most people frown upon it.
How Long Does It Take For Bacteria To Grow On Dirty Dishes?
In this article from ABC.net, Barbara Mullan, an Associate Professor of Curtains University’s school of psychology, says that bacteria can live on even clean dishes for up to four days.
With that said, bacteria can grow on dirty dishes pretty much right away, depending on their environment. There are a lot of different types of bacteria and fungi that can grow on dirty dishes, and the rate they grow varies.
For example, bacteria on food particles double in just twenty minutes when left out at room temperature. And then there’s the fact that mold easily forms and rapidly multiplies wherever there is moisture.
Depending on how humid your kitchen is and how dirty your dishes are, mold can start growing in a day.
When it comes to food particles from raw meat, bacteria such as Salmonella can grow immediately and can live up to 32 hours, depending on their environment.
Does Soaking Dishes In the Sink Do Any Good?
You should only soak dirty dishes when they have dried food that doesn’t come off by scraping or are greasy and need some extra help from the de-greasing dish soap. Soaking the dirty dishes in hot, soapy water can help the food and grease dissolve so that they’re easier to wash.
The soaking rules may be different if you’re using a dishwasher, though. Some dishwashing detergent brands advise against soaking dishes or removing food beforehand due to the way their soap cleans.
If you do decide to soak your dirty dishes, it’s best to rinse and wash them thoroughly after a few hours. Since bacteria and mold thrive in wet, humid environments, soaking your dishes too long will do more harm than good.
How To Get The Dishes Done Quickly
At the end of the day, the dishes still need to be get done. That doesn’t mean they have to take forever or be a complicated process, though. Here’s how you can get the dishes done quickly, whether you’re handwashing or putting them in the dishwasher.
When Hand-washing the Dishes
Always scrape and rinse first
The first thing you should always do is to scrape and rinse the dishes so that there are very little to no food particles left. This also prevents food from going down the drain while keeping your sponge and soapy water clean longer.
Organize and stack the dishes
Organizing and stacking the dirty dishes by plates, bowls, cups, silverware, and cookware will help you get done faster. You can save a lot of time (and mental energy) when you work with one type of dish at a time. This is because it’s less task-switching, which just causes you to slow down more often.
Start with an empty sink
Clean out both sides of the sink before you do dishes. This will give you the space to effectively wash and rinse your dishes without having to work around other stacks of bowls and cups.
Fill one side with hot soapy water
Now it’s time to fill a side of the sink (or a basin) with hot soapy water for the dishes to go in. This will help the food and grease to come off easier and will save water as you go. Likewise, you can pre-soak the other dishes as needed.
Use the right dish soap and sponge
An antibacterial and degreasing dish soap will help the dishes get cleaner faster, without the extra work. Likewise, a good sponge with two sides (one for soft washing and another for scrubbing) will help you wash more efficiently.
Wash the cleanest ones first
Always wash the cleanest dishes first, while the dirty ones are in a pre-soak. This will help you get more done faster (which feels more motivating) and prevents your sponge and water from getting dirty faster than they should.
Dry and put away immediately
The best way to get something done is to just do it. When you’ve finished washing and rinsing the dishes, dry them and put them away immediately. This prevents things like water spots and keeps the momentum going so you don’t end up with more work later.
When Using the Dishwasher
Scrape and rinse (or don’t)
Some dishwashing detergents require you to scrape and rinse your dishes the same way you do when you handwash them. Others surprisingly advise against it based on how the enzymes in the soap attack food particles. So, read the directions so you know if you should scrape and rinse or not.
Keep things organized
Just like with handwashing, you should still organize your dishes. Putting like-dishes together and in the right order within your dishwasher helps the water and soap reach everything so they actually get clean.
Pre-soak or pre-wash as needed
Your dishwasher will have a difficult time cleaning a pot that has food caked on it or a pan that had bacon grease sitting in it. Always pre-soak or pre-wash especially dirty dishes to prevent running them through the dishwasher more than once.
Start with a clean dishwasher
If your dishwasher hasn’t been maintained well and needs to be cleaned, it won’t effectively clean the dishes and will just slow down your progress. Make sure you clean your dishwasher on a regular basis so it doesn’t make your kitchen chores even more difficult.
Dry and put away immediately
Even though your dishwasher does most of the work and may even dry your dishes, you should still take a drying towel to them to get any sneaky moisture out before putting them away.
Of course, you’ll want to let them cool off and air out first. Leaving clean dishes in the dishwasher still means more work later on when it’s time to reload it, so try to get the whole thing out of the way at once so you can get back to more enjoyable things!