Comments on: Eco-quandary: Wash dishes by hand or with dishwasher? http://www.cheaplikemeblog.com/eco-quandary/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/ Where economy and ecology meet the good life. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:09:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: cheaplikeme http://www.cheaplikemeblog.com/eco-quandary/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/comment-page-/#comment-1307 cheaplikeme Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:41:22 +0000 http://cheaplikeme.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/#comment-1307 Interesting. A lot of dishwashers come with a "sanitize" cycle. It takes longer (and uses more energy) because it has to heat water extra hot. I've never bothered to use mine. Oregano oil is also anti-bacterial ... I've used it, heated gently, to ward off an ear infection. Interesting. A lot of dishwashers come with a “sanitize” cycle. It takes longer (and uses more energy) because it has to heat water extra hot. I’ve never bothered to use mine.

Oregano oil is also anti-bacterial … I’ve used it, heated gently, to ward off an ear infection.

]]> By: Schelli http://www.cheaplikemeblog.com/eco-quandary/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/comment-page-1/#comment-1306 Schelli Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:21:58 +0000 http://cheaplikeme.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/#comment-1306 Regarding sanitation...most household dishwashers and hot water hand washing do not get hot enough to kill bugs..that happens around temperatures they use in autoclaves! Hot water does loosen grime and dried on stuff though. If you want an eco-friendly sanitizer for the kitchen/bathroom/dishrack where ever..add plain ol' white vinegar :) If you rinse in a shallow pan, add your vinegar to that (about 1/4-1/2 cup) rinse the dish and let it dry with the vinegar on it. The smell goes away when it dries, and it can be just as effective as bleach in killing those bugs (it takes longer to work though) It also leaves your glasses nice and sparkly after handwashing. For other kitchen stuff..I use a strong 50/50 solution of vinegar and water for counters, stoves etc..with some thyme oil and lavendar oil added. Lysol disenfectant gets it's action from thymol..which comes from the thyme oil. Regarding sanitation…most household dishwashers and hot water hand washing do not get hot enough to kill bugs..that happens around temperatures they use in autoclaves! Hot water does loosen grime and dried on stuff though.
If you want an eco-friendly sanitizer for the kitchen/bathroom/dishrack where ever..add plain ol’ white vinegar :) If you rinse in a shallow pan, add your vinegar to that (about 1/4-1/2 cup) rinse the dish and let it dry with the vinegar on it. The smell goes away when it dries, and it can be just as effective as bleach in killing those bugs (it takes longer to work though) It also leaves your glasses nice and sparkly after handwashing.

For other kitchen stuff..I use a strong 50/50 solution of vinegar and water for counters, stoves etc..with some thyme oil and lavendar oil added. Lysol disenfectant gets it’s action from thymol..which comes from the thyme oil.

]]> By: Julian http://www.cheaplikemeblog.com/eco-quandary/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/comment-page-1/#comment-1305 Julian Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:24:08 +0000 http://cheaplikeme.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/#comment-1305 The most efficient dishwashers use about 10 litres of water per load (down from an average of 60 litres in 1965). I just did a SMALL load of dishes and used 6 litres. A dishwasher washes probably 6 times as many dishes in one load. Energy use is about 300 kWh per year (some 2008 models go as low as 230 kWh). This includes the energy used to heat the water (your water heater) and is 95% less than dishwashers built in the early 70s. So the amount of energy and the amount of water go hand-in-hand. Also, if you look at the entire life-cycle of a dishwasher (from production to use to disposal of the product), about 95% of the energy is used during the use of the product, not in manufacturing. Hmm... the only issue then is the cash to buy one of these efficient models. Or maybe I should just get a solar water heater and then the electricity use wouldn't be an issue! My sources are: http://www.appliancemagazine.com/ae/editorial.php?article=1393&zone=215&first=1 and Natural Resources Canada 2007 EnerGuide Appliance Directory. The most efficient dishwashers use about 10 litres of water per load (down from an average of 60 litres in 1965). I just did a SMALL load of dishes and used 6 litres. A dishwasher washes probably 6 times as many dishes in one load.

Energy use is about 300 kWh per year (some 2008 models go as low as 230 kWh). This includes the energy used to heat the water (your water heater) and is 95% less than dishwashers built in the early 70s. So the amount of energy and the amount of water go hand-in-hand.

Also, if you look at the entire life-cycle of a dishwasher (from production to use to disposal of the product), about 95% of the energy is used during the use of the product, not in manufacturing.

Hmm… the only issue then is the cash to buy one of these efficient models. Or maybe I should just get a solar water heater and then the electricity use wouldn’t be an issue!

My sources are: http://www.appliancemagazine.com/ae/editorial.php?article=1393&zone=215&first=1 and Natural Resources Canada 2007 EnerGuide Appliance Directory.

]]> By: MandyMom http://www.cheaplikemeblog.com/eco-quandary/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/comment-page-1/#comment-1300 MandyMom Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:09:12 +0000 http://cheaplikeme.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/#comment-1300 My dishwasher doesn't work, so we use it as a drying station after I handwash the dishes. I can see how handwashing would add up the gallons if you keep the water running and don't fill up the sink or a bin and soak the dishes in soapy water. My dishwasher doesn’t work, so we use it as a drying station after I handwash the dishes.

I can see how handwashing would add up the gallons if you keep the water running and don’t fill up the sink or a bin and soak the dishes in soapy water.

]]> By: Claire Walter http://www.cheaplikemeblog.com/eco-quandary/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/comment-page-1/#comment-1304 Claire Walter Wed, 10 Oct 2007 04:33:39 +0000 http://cheaplikeme.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/#comment-1304 Related to the topic is how one heats water, whether for dishwashing, laudry or showering/bathing. When our water heater died a few years ago, we bought a gas-fired, on-demand water heater. It takes up very little space, is responsive and does not keep cooking along to heat 30 or 50 or whatever gallons of water when no one is using water -- or even when no one is at home. Related to the topic is how one heats water, whether for dishwashing, laudry or showering/bathing. When our water heater died a few years ago, we bought a gas-fired, on-demand water heater. It takes up very little space, is responsive and does not keep cooking along to heat 30 or 50 or whatever gallons of water when no one is using water — or even when no one is at home.

]]> By: Faculties http://www.cheaplikemeblog.com/eco-quandary/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/comment-page-1/#comment-1303 Faculties Sun, 07 Oct 2007 19:39:23 +0000 http://cheaplikeme.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/#comment-1303 To save counter space, get one of those dish racks that fits over one of the sinks. Here's one: http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/10550_expandable-over- the-sink-dish-drainer.htm When you put the dishes away, you can put the rack away under the sink too. (I just leave mine in place all the time, though.) To save counter space, get one of those dish racks that fits over one of the sinks. Here’s one:

http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/10550_expandable-over-
the-sink-dish-drainer.htm

When you put the dishes away, you can put the rack away under the sink too. (I just leave mine in place all the time, though.)

]]> By: cheaplikeme http://www.cheaplikemeblog.com/eco-quandary/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/comment-page-1/#comment-1302 cheaplikeme Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:05:36 +0000 http://cheaplikeme.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/#comment-1302 Great point! We have only three of us, but we eat most meals at/from home, so we run the dishwasher every day or every 1.5 days. Great point! We have only three of us, but we eat most meals at/from home, so we run the dishwasher every day or every 1.5 days.

]]> By: Melissa http://www.cheaplikemeblog.com/eco-quandary/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/comment-page-1/#comment-1301 Melissa Wed, 03 Oct 2007 01:30:10 +0000 http://cheaplikeme.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/eco-quandary-wash-dishes-by-hand-or-with-dishwasher/#comment-1301 I am loving our new dishwasher, purchased after the previous one no longer cleaned the dishes. I think ours saves us water, because other than when we have people over, the dishwasher goes for days without running, and the sink/counter remains empty of dirty dishes. If I had to clean up after us after each meal (keeping in mind there are just the two of us), I'd waste a lot more water on 2 people-worth of dishes to have enough water in the sink to wash with and rinse with. Good luck deciding! I am loving our new dishwasher, purchased after the previous one no longer cleaned the dishes. I think ours saves us water, because other than when we have people over, the dishwasher goes for days without running, and the sink/counter remains empty of dirty dishes. If I had to clean up after us after each meal (keeping in mind there are just the two of us), I’d waste a lot more water on 2 people-worth of dishes to have enough water in the sink to wash with and rinse with.

Good luck deciding!

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