p. 13 | Scientific Dish-Washing

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 7, 1911

Scientific Dish-Washing

MANY housekeepers spend half a lifetime at the work before they learn that there is an easy, scientific, mechanical, and cleanly way to wash dishes, says a household journal. It is not an uncommon thing, if one can get a peep into the average kitchen during this operation, to see a pan of water, not very warm, but very greasy, with particles of food floating on the top of it, and a pile of dishes covered with bits and scraps standing ready for a bath in this not very inviting liquid.

The scientific dish-washer either scrapes off or rinses off all loose particles from her dishes before she puts them into the water. She begins with the larger plates, putting them into the pan first, adding the others by sizes until the pan is full. Cups and other articles are placed around, then over all is poured hot soap-suds,—not boiling hot, but quite as warm as the hands can be put into comfortably. The cups and saucers are, of course, the least dirty, and are washed first. By the time the plates, that may be greasy, are reached, they are warmed through, and are cleaned much more readily than if they were suddenly put into the water and washed. At this stage it is a good plan to put into the water, in addition to soap, a teaspoonful of washing-soda, which should be kept in a convenient vessel over the sink.

One good housekeeper has a dish-pan almost double the usual size. In it every dish is put, silver and all, then the hot water is poured on, a large quantity being used; and this is really an economy in time and strength, provided water is plentiful. As for greasy dish-water, good housekeepers should never have it. An abundance of hot water, good soap, a little soda, and dishes properly scraped off before beginning, are all that is required. Dish-cloths are among the neglected items in kitchen economy. As a rule, it takes a good deal of nerve to touch the average dish-cloth. It should be one of the first lessons taught to the young housekeeper that her dish-cloths should be immaculate. “I never hang my dish-cloths up until they are so clean that I could use them as napkins, were it necessary,” was the instruction of a noted teacher of household science. It pays to take time to put the dish-pan, kitchen sink, and cooking utensils in excellent order. If sense and soda are used, but little additional time is required, and the satisfaction of it is ample compensation.—Selected.