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Water (and soap) Saving Tip – Part 2

Posted on by eulani

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In part two of our water and soap saving tips, we discuss how you reduce water consumption for cleaning dishes. By doing a little bit of prep work ahead of time, you can reduce water consumption considerably.

The goal here is to reduce the amount of food which will become dry and become difficult to remove – this will save you time later. Use a paper towel or disposable wipe and wipe down your bowls or plates to get rid of most of it or scrape off as much food as possible from pots and pans using a silicone spatula. On a lighter side, licking dishes clean is also another option, or if you don’t mind and it’s safe to feed give it to a willing pooch to clean 😉

Tip: Use aluminium foil to line pots and pans or use aluminium roasting pans to reduce dirty and greasy dishes. Although there are some concerns regarding aluminium safety in food, using this as a short term solution in favour of saving water won’t do that much harm.

Prewash Spray Treatment:
Use this spray on all dishes prior to washing, it will help to loosen some of the foodstuff and grease:

If using hand wash, you will need:

 

  1. Spray all dishes with prewash spray, and add a touch of soapy water to dirty/greasy pots and pans to soak before washing
  2.  Add a small smear of dish soap or coconut oil liquid soap to a wet sponge and use to wash cleanest dishes first (glasses, cups, bowls, cutlery, plates, pots and pans last), dipping in one bowl as you wash
  3. Use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe out excess soap and moisture
  4. Dip into second bowl for final rinse. Use this second rinse water to water plants or to rinse loo water with. Discard dirty dishwater down the drain.

Note: Use less soap than what you think is required. More soap does not mean better cleaning properties, it just requires more water to rinse off again.

 

Using a dishwasher, you will need:

 

  1. Spray all dishes with prewash spray, and give all greasy, dirty pots and pans a good swirl in the hot soapy water first, transferring them from cleanest to dirtiest as you go along
  2. Place dishes in dishwasher according to manufacaturer’s recommendations, taking care not to block the spray nozzles
  3. Use 1 teaspoon of finely grated laundry soap (listed above), or 1 tablespoon of liquid coconut oil soap together with 1 tablespoon of eco bleach powder (or your own dishwasher detergent)
  4. Make sure salt dispenser is filled and use vinegar as rinse aid if using natural soap products listed above
  5. Ensure dishwasher is economically full before starting cycle

Tip: A great way to keep your dishwasher and sink sparkling clean and deodorised, is to spray it well with vinegar and then to sprinkle bicarbonate of soda all over the wet surface. Leave it for as long as possible (overnight preferably for the dishwasher) and then scrub with a brush or a sponge to remove debris and to polish the surface. Use a disposable wipe or roller towel to remove the grubby residue and wipe down with a clean damp cloth.

Note: Take care not to discard fat or grease down your sink due to the risk of clogging, especially with reduced water usage. Use a silicone spatula to remove as much fat and/or grease as possible and discard into your trash bin rather than your sink or drain outside.

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