| Author | |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 7:49am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Recently, I've heard others extoll the benefits of having NO dishwasher.
Our 1990 KitchenAid that came with the house is not getting the dishes clean. The powdered soap is not always dissolving (whereas, it had been consistently), and often, the dishes are dirtier after all is said and done than when they went in 
Honestly, rewashing dishes after they come out of the dishwasher dirty (my husband will continue to wash them in dishwasher, REFUSING to accept the truth that a dishwasher just CANNOT remove dirt once the dishwasher has heat sealed it onto the dish  ) makes me C.R.A.Z.Y.
It is all I can do not to weep at the overwhelming prospect of it, seriously.
That said, dh tried cleaning the dishwasher with vinegar and baking soda yesterday, and it didn't seem to make a difference. I don't know that I could effectively handle much more "trial and error" that results in hours at the sink washing what seems like every dish we own.
Dh's parents raised 12 children and have never owned a dishwasher.
I, on the other hand, grew up with one and hand washing was something you only did on an individual basis for those few items that couldn't go in the dishwasher.
So, I don't really have much of a reference for a "system" that does not involve the dishwasher. Especially when I do not trust my children to wash the dishes. I barely trust them to unload the dishwasher without breaking everything. Dh is the youngest of 12, so he only remembers washing dishes when there was lots of labor to go around and take turns.
I'm not excited at the prospect of researching a dishwasher right now (or paying for it). I've heard that the Miele is really the only brand that is built to last anymore, with even Bosch now being made in China, but that is major $$$.
I know that the only way to really know is to just try it, but I'm interested in hearing the experiences of others, either how they love their dishwashers, went for years without one and now would do without, or how you've always had one, and now you love washing by hand. Or maybe you would not have gone without when your children were still small? Also, what "systems" do you use for hand washing?
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 7:59am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Frustrating, Lindsay. I had a few thoughts: I prerinse. I know I shouldn't, but I view the d/w more as a sanitizing and final clean. If I have to scrub, that means no D/W will be getting that off. It will just bake on.
Secondly, I took apart my MIL's d/w. Check the upper sprayer and other places (there's a filter on the door for her model) to make sure there is no food or other particles clogging the holes. In her case she doesn't pre-rinse and what I found was awful. No water could come out.
I'm sure that's not your problem, but I thought I would mention it.
Also, make sure you run your hot water from the tap before you run your d/w, so it will be the hottest when you run it.
Is your detergent still in the dispensing cup? Is the cup opening when you run it? Ours isn't popping open, so we just put the detergent at the bottom of the d/w. Not ideal, but it works for us.
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
St. Ann
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 20 2006
Location: Germany
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2137
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 8:41am | IP Logged
|
|
|
22 years is a pretty long lifetime for a dishwasher! I am impressed. I can hardly imagine you getting any more life out of it. Repairs are expensive enough and at that age it can only mean the beginning of the end! I am speaking from experience and am facing the same dilemma. A new dishwasher or wash everything by hand? We turn on the dishwasher 2 - 3 times a day.
11years ago I tried to "save" money and bought a Siemens instead of a Miele. We have had many repairs in the last 3 years. The last time I told dh that the next time it breaks down or doesn't clean properly we should consider NOT repairing. Even here in Germany Miele is the most expensive, but has by far the best reputation. I have a Miele picked out  .
__________________
Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Chris V
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2009
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1598
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 8:49am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Before we moved into our new house, my old dishwasher was 18 years old, my husband was constantly fixing it.
Life before twins: I would do the dishes as they dirtied - so each time something was used, I would just wash it right then and there. Made for a wonderfully clean kitchen all the time! ... And not much need for a dishwasher.
Life after twins: dishes piling up in the sink until I finally have time to do them at midnight  . Without a dishwasher, I would be washing the dishes with my weeping tears! ... Though I do still compulsively pre-rinse, but with a new dishwasher now, I'm sure I could get away with not.
__________________
Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11) 
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Betsy
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 02 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1962
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 8:56am | IP Logged
|
|
|
CrunchyMom wrote:
I've heard that the Miele is really the only brand that is built to last anymore, with even Bosch now being made in China, but that is major $$$.
|
|
|
I am no help on the hand washing, but I would second what you say here. I put in all Bosch appliance in my kitchen (5 yo) and the are HORRIBLE.
We have already had a $300 repair on the dishwasher, we have had our stove replaced once, and it continues to work very, very poorly. The repair man has been to our house a quite a few time, but I have just given up on it now. They only thing that has not had issues is the microwave, but that is only because I don't ever use it.
On the other hand, I have a Miele washing machine and dryer. 
__________________
ImmaculataDesigns.com
When handcrafting my work, I always pray that it will raise your heart to all that is true, modest, just, holy, lovely and good fame!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mommy4ever
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 08 2011
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 596
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 9:28am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have a dishwasher that does what you say. It's not necessarily the end, but you need to do some dismantling to check it out.
It depends on your water, it really does. There can be hardwater deposits that is now catching food.
Dh every few months takes our racks out, then dismantles the lower spinner, takes out the screen. Sometimes the deposits need to be chiseled free. The first time we did it we were shocked! Now we do it routinely and it really really helps.
As well, I don't know if the older dishwashers have the same issues, but open the door, grab a wet rag and wipe under the lip of the door. There is lots of stuff accumulated thereon ours, my moms, my mother in laws, etc. So it can be a common catch all spot. I find that when it starts getting gritty, that is a spot.
Also, I use a product called LemiShine, and it is WONDERFUL! I had cloudy glasses, and NOTHING was getting it clean.
Before I added the LemiShine
 
After 1 wash with LemiShine:
 
Oh, one other thing..... do you use vinegar as a rinse agent? It isn't always recommended depending on your water. For us, it increases the deposits. It hardens the detergent used. When we first had it serviced, he'd never seen such hard deposits, and then was saying to clean it, run the dishwasher until it starts spinning, then add 1 cup of vinegar with NO DETERGENT as with the water our city has, along with detergent and vinegar makes it nasty.
LemiShine also has a rinse agent, here it is way cheaper that the other rinse agents, plus is has a nice lemony scent, and is a green product :) they have 3 products. An additive, which is what I used for the dishes, I use it about 2x a month, when I start to feel residue on the dishes. A machine cleaner, use that once a month, and the rinse agent.LemiShine I don't often recommend a product, but this one is fabulous.
Also, despite what the commercials say, dishwashers don't come with a garbage disposal, so dishes SHOULD be rinsed. I fight with the kids on this one here. BUT, if you put some warm soapy water, then have a rag on a stick(make sit fun), each dish gets dipped and swished, and voila, ready to go it. It only takes a moment.
Now if you can't get it to work. You do need to reset your routine to handle dishes. I went about 6 months without a dishwasher. And i did find the kitchen was cleaner without the dishwasher. After breakfast, everything got washed, and dishrack loaded. then in an hour, I put it away(time for snack then, right) Snack dishes typically take about 2 minutes to take care of.
While making lunch, typically, I filled the sink with warm soapy water, as i finished using, I tossed in there. After lunch, those were a breeze to wash up, washed our bowls, and plates and set to dry. There is something about a rack of clean dishes beside the sink that looks wonderful. Since the sink is full of water, everything gets wiped down.
Now, your kids are little yet, but somethings you can have them do. they can handle anything plastic to put away, utensil, etc. Getting them into a routine of helping will make it easier when they are older to get them involved. Right now it is exciting to help mom, later not so much, but they will see it expected. You might want to create a chart for them. So there is no fighting about who gets to help. AND dh is capable too. I know, he is hanging on to that dream of dishwasher working yet. But he can put supper dishes away while you bathe or put kids to bed. He doesn't need to wash them, but he could put them away. Every little bit helps. As to him putting in the dishwasher, just take them out and wash them if it isn't working. You're the one dealing with it, if it doesn't clean them. Show him what it's doing. Ask him to just rinse and leave in the sink. Takes even less time than putting in dishwasher.
Hopefully, you get something sorted out soon. It is frustrating when a helping appliance actually creates more work.
__________________
Mom to 4,
1 graduated June 2012
1 in Catholic school
2 homeschooled(one considering art school!)
ardently praying for a new addition to our family.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 9:47am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Right now, my oldest two unload the dishwasher, but I don't really trust them to get dishes clean handwashing. Maybe I would be surprised, lol.
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Servant2theKing
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 13 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1505
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 10:05am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Lindsay, washing dishes by hand can actually be enjoyable, especially if you use a few helpful strategies.
~When cooking or baking keep a sinkful of fresh, sudsy dishwater ready; soak, then wash, pans and utensils as much as possible before a meal ~ cuts down immensely on after meal cleanup.
~We scrape and rinse plates when necessary, and soak caked on cookware. Silverware is placed in the bottom of the sink to soak. We wash glasses first, plates and bowls second, silverware, then pans. It helps a great deal if you wash all like objects at the same time and sort them together in the dish drainer as you wash, streamlining the process of putting things away.
~Chore Boy makes a scrubbing cloth called Golden Fleece, which cleans thoroughly and is friendly to dishware and cookware. They hold up very well to repeated washings in the washing machine! They're not always available in stores lately, but amazon carries them: Chore Boy Golden Fleece Be aware, one box has 2 cloths ~ some listings are for 2 count, but those appear to be for just one box of two cloths. The listing above is for a single box of 2 cloths and has free shipping (not super saver, but still free ship).
~It's not unusual for us to change dishwater, especially for larger dishwashing sessions on holidays or when we have visitors.
~Absorbant dishtowels are very helpful (microfiber towels don't absorb very well). My mil uses older flannel receiving blankets from thrift shops ~ she cuts them down to a more manageable size and hems the edges ~ they are surprisingly absorbant. Newer flannel does not work well for this purpose.
~A good dish drainer with looped prongs on the side for glasses and a silverware strainer can be very useful. The larger size drainer and drainboard which fit on a counter hold a great deal more than the sink size. We've been very happy with this Dish drainer and this Drain Board
~Dish drainers tend to collect dirt. It can be helpful to adopt a regular routine of washing your drainer. A cleaning brush or old toothbrush makes the job easier.
~If your dishes expand beyond your dishdrainer, place a towel on the counter for larger objects like mixing bowls or pans.
~Putting dishes away from the drainer can be just as easy as putting things away from a dishwasher. In fact, air drying can eliminate time spent drying. Putting dishes away before beginning the next meal can lessen after meal chores. Even better ~ setting the table with air dried dishes and silverware can lessen unnecessary motion for everyone!
~Young children can be trained to help with dishes. If you're worried about breakage, unbreakable dishware can be much less expensive than a new dw. Of course, mom or dad should handle knives and other sharp objects, or extremely fragile items ~ we always place those separate from the rest of the items needing to be washed ~ sharp knives behind the faucet, fragile items on the counter, out of reach ~ both are washed separate from everything else.
~We usually:
~store food from the table
~put away all condiments and leftovers
~soak pans, wash table and counters
~clear dishes in the order we wash them
~meanwhile, the dishwashing person prepares fresh
dishwater (unless pre-meal water is still usable)
Washing dishes by hand can take as little time as rinsing and loading a dishwasher when you have a system.
__________________
All for Christ, our Saviour and King, servant
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 10:53am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thank you, Servant! That was helpful.
Do you have a two bowl sink?
I only have a single, though it is pretty big. I was thinking that I would need to use a dish tub and have the faucet to the side for rinsing under running water. Right now, I fill the whole sink, and it makes it a challenge to rinse. Normally, when using a working dishwasher, I'm only cleaning a few things and just use a bit of soap on a cloth or use the big mixing bowl or pot I'm washing as a temporary wash pan for the smaller things. But, it is trickier when doing tons (though, I understand that ideally, if doing it habitually instead of a whole dishwasher load+ at a time, it won't be such a monumental task.
I called a trusted appliance store, and the man said that my model of dishwasher will never actually die.  This confirms the house inspector's claim last year that if I wanted that dishwasher to die, I'd have to take it out into the yard and shoot it. 
Apparently, the old model KitchenAids and Maytags that were built to last have metal gears. The gears never break, but they do wear down and become less efficient, so things don't spin as fast, etc...
Obviously, he is a salesman, but he did say that 22 years was probably pretty good and not worth repairing. He did say that we could buy a new motor for it for about $500 if we wanted to repair it.
The lowdown he gave, for those interested, was this:
He ranked the dishwashers- Miele
- Bosch
- KitchenAid
He said that Bosch went down in quality when decided they wanted to be competitive in places like Lowes and Home Depot, but you can still get a "better" Bosch, it just costs as much as a Miele.
And for the money, he would recommend the higher end KitchenAid for about $899, which is comparable in quality and both are going to be 10-12 year machines. The higher end Bosch is a lot more at $1299
A Miele will be a 20+ year machine, the low end model comparable in cost to the high end Bosch at $1299
One thing of note, though, is that through the end of the year, Miele is running a unique special that discounts only 2 of their models, the black and stainless models with front controls. They are marked down $400, so the black is only $899.  He said that in discussing it with another rep, they decided it must be about the cost of production. They are trying to make dedicated customers of the 20-30 year old set who wouldn't consider paying more than that but will love them at that price and buy them down the road. It does seem an effective long term marketing strategy.
Of course, not everyone NEEDS a 20 year machine, in that, many people are not planning to stay where they are more than 10-12 years. But it is a good deal! And it is nice to know it is running through the end of the year so we don't have to make a rushed decision like when you see a killer Memorial Day sale or something.
So much to ponder! 
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Barbara C.
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 11 2007
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 882
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 11:20am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I used to have to hand-wash dishes a lot when I worked in food service, and I used to find it a relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of waiting on customers. But it's a different story with kids.
I hand-washed dishes for about a year and a half when our old one broke, and I felt the money for a new one needed to be spent on other things. Some days, when we were really busy, it was really hard to get to the dishes and they would really pile up. And standing there to do the dishes seemed to really take a toll on my back and legs. Then there was the stress of keeping the little ones occupied and out of my way while I was trying to work (too many little helpers).
When we finally got a new dishwasher (I went cheap), it was a real load off of me. Since our hand-wash only days we've added two new members to our household (a baby and my mother-in-law) and the number of dishes used each day has seemed to skyrocket even more...and we use a lot of paper plates.
You could give hand-washing only a trial period of a month or two. I think the biggest issue is getting people to reuse the same cup over and over throughout the day instead of getting a new one every five minutes.
__________________
Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Servant2theKing
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 13 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1505
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 11:21am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Lindsay, we have a double bowl sink, but a dish tub should help with rinsing to the side while doing dishes by hand.
I forgot to mention, you can get something called a dishwand for washing single items in between meals. You fill the handle with soap, which dispenses as you wash. You don't need a full sink of water when using a dishwand ~ just place items under running water, wash with the wand, then rinse, all in one action.
HTH, while you ponder the big decision whether to replace your dw.
__________________
All for Christ, our Saviour and King, servant
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 11:24am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Barbara C. wrote:
| I think the biggest issue is getting people to reuse the same cup over and over throughout the day instead of getting a new one every five minutes. |
|
|
Absolutely. It used to be a lot better when my boys used their designated water bottles all the time except at meals (we only drink water in between meals), but after many years of constant use and abuse, they weren't as appealing to use. I finally bit the bullet and replaced them over the weekend since summer is upon us, so hopefully that helps on this front as well.
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 11:42am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Just like any job, a bit of training will go a long way. AND if you start now with working with them, the job will be rather appealing than not since working with mom is a good motivator. It doesn't really take that long to do the dishes by hand if they're done immediately. I mean you rinse and load the dishwasher right? so add in the extra step of just washing instead of rinsing and voila you're done before you know it.
And yes with a single sink get a dish tub to put in it. Use a large pot or bowl for now until you get one.
And one other thing to consider with dishwashers.. when they say it's a 12 yr machine.. etc.. they mean with "normal use".. and normal use is a 4 person family that everyone is gone from the house during the day at work or school so at most they might run the dishwasher twice a day, but very likely only once a day.
You're fairly close to that Lindsay, but like for us.. a 12 year machine.. might last us 4-6 years.. because we'd have to run it 2-4 times as often as their "normal use". And it is the amount of use that dictates the life of the machine.. not the calendar.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
AmandaV
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 27 2009
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 707
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 12:29pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Can't read all the responses right now, but we really like our Bosch. Its our second one (the first was in our old house and we were so sad to leave it.) after about 6 months in this house with the standard builder's dishwasher we decided to invest in one again, even though we didn't own yet. Its like night and day. We also use finish tablets which are great. I couldn't deal with all the gunk, day and night... we did save some money by my husband installing. It was a pain but it helps with the cost, which can be high. We got a mid range and I can give you the exact number later. I'm happy with it. Only once every 20 cycles do I get even one item with gunk.
__________________
Amanda
wife since 6/03, Mom to son 7/04, daughter 2/06, twin sons 6/08 and son 7/11, son 1/2014
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 12:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Good point, Jodie. And I do run the dishwasher a couple of times a day as it is. For for the first half of the dishwasher's life, it was a retired couple using it, and for the second half, a widow. I'm guessing that my family of 6, twice a day habit has probably aged it rather rapidly in the past year!
For those of you who are so saavy on maintenance, cleaning, and care:
The soap is not dissolving completely.
Does that indicate anything other than the type of build-up that's been described as a culprit?
Also, it is an older washer, so for instance, there is the heating element exposed in the bottom. I can't see a clear indication for how to disassemble it like I had for our old (newer) dishwasher in the old house. Am I just not looking in the right place, or is what is being described as intense cleaning only possible on newer models?
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mommy4ever
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 08 2011
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 596
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 1:00pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Lindsay, under the washer on the outside, there is a kick plate that pulls off, there is often a full schematic hidden under there for any repair man coming in. I have a heating element in the bottom of mine, that isn't where it dismantles. There should be something that screws off on the spinner at the bottom. once that is out, you can see some screw of some form, they are not your typical screws, they are like a star shaped allen key.
Recommendation, lay things out in order that you removed them, so you assemble it in order. Easier not to lose a piece or reassemble wrong.
Some piece are pressure clipped, others have screws or twist of pieces, depending on the unit. HTH.
__________________
Mom to 4,
1 graduated June 2012
1 in Catholic school
2 homeschooled(one considering art school!)
ardently praying for a new addition to our family.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: June 05 2012 at 1:20pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
look it up online too.. there's tons of repair info online for free.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Ruth
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 04 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5007
|
| Posted: June 06 2012 at 1:54pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Our dishwasher broke 2 weeks ago and after going through 2 dishwashers in 7 years, my husband and I decided we're not going to get another one. It's taken some getting used to, but I actually enjoy han washing dishes now.
Servant, I LOVE everything you suggested. 
Servant2theKing wrote:
Lindsay, washing dishes by hand can actually be enjoyable, especially if you use a few helpful strategies.
~When cooking or baking keep a sinkful of fresh, sudsy dishwater ready; soak, then wash, pans and utensils as much as possible before a meal ~ cuts down immensely on after meal cleanup.
~We scrape and rinse plates when necessary, and soak caked on cookware. Silverware is placed in the bottom of the sink to soak. We wash glasses first, plates and bowls second, silverware, then pans. It helps a great deal if you wash all like objects at the same time and sort them together in the dish drainer as you wash, streamlining the process of putting things away.
~Chore Boy makes a scrubbing cloth called Golden Fleece, which cleans thoroughly and is friendly to dishware and cookware. They hold up very well to repeated washings in the washing machine! They're not always available in stores lately, but amazon carries them: Chore Boy Golden Fleece Be aware, one box has 2 cloths ~ some listings are for 2 count, but those appear to be for just one box of two cloths. The listing above is for a single box of 2 cloths and has free shipping (not super saver, but still free ship).
~It's not unusual for us to change dishwater, especially for larger dishwashing sessions on holidays or when we have visitors.
~Absorbant dishtowels are very helpful (microfiber towels don't absorb very well). My mil uses older flannel receiving blankets from thrift shops ~ she cuts them down to a more manageable size and hems the edges ~ they are surprisingly absorbant. Newer flannel does not work well for this purpose.
~A good dish drainer with looped prongs on the side for glasses and a silverware strainer can be very useful. The larger size drainer and drainboard which fit on a counter hold a great deal more than the sink size. We've been very happy with this Dish drainer and this Drain Board
~Dish drainers tend to collect dirt. It can be helpful to adopt a regular routine of washing your drainer. A cleaning brush or old toothbrush makes the job easier.
~If your dishes expand beyond your dishdrainer, place a towel on the counter for larger objects like mixing bowls or pans.
~Putting dishes away from the drainer can be just as easy as putting things away from a dishwasher. In fact, air drying can eliminate time spent drying. Putting dishes away before beginning the next meal can lessen after meal chores. Even better ~ setting the table with air dried dishes and silverware can lessen unnecessary motion for everyone!
~Young children can be trained to help with dishes. If you're worried about breakage, unbreakable dishware can be much less expensive than a new dw. Of course, mom or dad should handle knives and other sharp objects, or extremely fragile items ~ we always place those separate from the rest of the items needing to be washed ~ sharp knives behind the faucet, fragile items on the counter, out of reach ~ both are washed separate from everything else.
~We usually:
~store food from the table
~put away all condiments and leftovers
~soak pans, wash table and counters
~clear dishes in the order we wash them
~meanwhile, the dishwashing person prepares fresh
dishwater (unless pre-meal water is still usable)
Washing dishes by hand can take as little time as rinsing and loading a dishwasher when you have a system. |
|
|
__________________
Ruth
mom to 7 miracles
My family blog
Loreto Rosaries
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Dana
Forum Newbie
Joined: April 19 2010
Location: Alabama
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 40
|
| Posted: June 06 2012 at 3:49pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I would agree that you could come up with a routine for hand washing now, and maybe for the time being it should be seriously considered if the finances aren't there. I know right now I have a frustrating battle going on with hard water, and I second the LemiShine recommendation. I'm considering filing a formal complaint with our nearby Publix for not carrying the powder additive anymore. 
All that being said I still think about times with newborns, illnesses, and crazy, mixed-routine times when a dishwasher would be helpful.
Maybe if you got one you could limit yourself to two loads a day and the rest handwashing and encouraging the boys to wash their individual cups, plates, etc. I need to get to that step with my own. Right now if we ring the sink or garbage can appropriately and left on the table we are doing well. Ask me where a large percentage of our utensils ended up before I discovered what was going on????
__________________
Dana
wife to Andre and mother to dd (06/07), ds (12/08), dd (7/10), and ds (6/12)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
|
| Posted: June 07 2012 at 7:37am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Where do you put additives and rinse aid if your dishwasher doesn't have a rinse aid dispenser? We used to use it (though, I've not tried lemishine), but we haven't with this washer because we didn't think it "took" it.
We have well water with a high iron content, though we also have a whole house softener system.
I went yesterday and bought dish gloves, lol, so I think we will try to do without for a while. I'm content to wait and not rush a new one and see if we can figure a solution for this one, except only for the fact we have family coming to stay with us the first week of July and large FHC party that week. I guess I probably need to make myself content, but with all the preparations (including fairly major projects like an outdoor shower), experimenting with solutions for the dishwasher feels overwhelming.
__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Dishwasher or No? Hand washing Routines?
