Dishwasher Loading - How Often?

Rihana · Jun 6, 2020

So, a mild and temporary disability requires that I leave the sink and dishwasher management to family. All of us being "nearly rational" + "nearly adults" = "nearly rational adults" we decided that it was only fair I keep my mouth shut about how they do it. I have followed the vow of silence sincerely including when I beheld un-rinsed dishes piled high in the sink and its near-abouts as I went to fill water for my morning chai, startling a 1.5 inch bug that crawled out from underneath and scampered away.

The experience has taught me what can be charitably termed as: each person unloads and loads the dishwasher differently.

Being quiet at home means I need to discuss it elsewhere. Ergo, a thread on it. : )

My main ponder is - in the average Indian household, how often are dishes moved from the sink to the dishwasher? Each time cooking is "done"? After every meal? When the sink is full? Twice or thrice a day? Or does each dirty dishes go straight into the dishwasher as soon as it is used?

Any tips on efficient dishwasher use also appreciated.
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Rihana · Jun 6, 2020

When I am in-charge, I try to keep the sink mostly free of dishes, but if I have used a single cup to make instant coffee or a bowl and spoon for a snack, I leave it in or by the sink. I somehow feel opening the dishwasher many times a day will cause it to come unhinged. : ) Also, it is easier to efficiently arrange a bunch of dishes together than to put in one or two at a time.

Does anyone follow: "never put dish in the sink if it can go in the dishwasher"?

peartree · Jun 6, 2020

I waver between the extremes.... never let it go to the sink, rise and load immediately or let it pile hoping husband will get to it and throwing tanrtrums if he doesn't.

But my preference is to keep the sink as free as possible, especially before dinner so that only the dinner dishes need to be loaded. My lazy period starts as soon as dinner is finished and I DO NOT want to go back to doing chores after dinner. Hence.

Positivity02 · Jun 6, 2020

My schedule goes like this-
Morning - unload the dishwasher while making breakfast.
After breakfast I leave the dishes in one side of the sink, other side I always keep empty to fill Brita jug.
Load the breakfast dishes , dishes that end up while making lunch, hand washing the exempted ones (non stick, aluminum) before I sit to eat lunch. After lunch I get lazy. Leave the lunch plates bowls etc in one side sink.
I load these while making tea. I load the tea dishes while making dinner. Then final loading happens post dinner. We run the dishwasher just before going to bed. I basically don't like to spend time doing one task in the kitchen so mostly do everything once when I step in. I tidy up everything at night as i like to have clean kitchen and sink in the morning .

UnicornLady · Jun 6, 2020

We usually load the dishwasher only once during weekdays (mon-thur) after our dinner. So few dishes will be on rotation basis during these 4 days
And during weekends it’s twice or thrice until my sink is sparkly clean for my week to start on Monday morning

But we make it a point to rinse whatever is kept in sink with no food particles in sink.