Hey, Green Junkie!
I am always looking for fun new ways to conserve energy, water and be less wasteful in my everyday life, and one of the first places I look is in my daily routines and chores.
So many of our daily tasks can be done with our eyes closed, so we often stop looking at how we can refine or tweak these practices, and that’s why I like to re-visit them frequently, to see if there’s an area for improvement.
One area I have improved over the years is dishwashing.
Kitchen clean-up is something you have to do at least once a day, or if you have a big family – you might just be doing it several times a day. So this is the perfect task to tweak, improve and learn a few tips and tricks that can help you conserve water and save money.
In this episode, I am helping you improve your daily dishwashing chore and teaching you how to help our planet along the way.
Here’s what to expect:
- The great debate: is it better to hand wash or use the dishwasher
- Tricks to keep your sink clean
- What detergents and cleaners should you be using with your dishes
You’ll discover that and so much more in this episode.
By the end of this episode, Green Junkie, you’ll be able to save water and be a little more sustainable and energy-efficient in your kitchen.
If you love this podcast, be sure to leave a review and share a screenshot of this episode with your IG stories. Tag @greenjunkiepodcast so I can shout you out and publicly say thanks.
Thanks for listening and being here.
Your green bestie,
Xoxo Stephanie
Previous Episodes Mentioned:
Episode #2 Five Simple Ways to Reduce Waste
Episode #6 Sustainable Bathroom Tips
Episode #7: Green Grocery Shopping
Sources:
https://www.theyummylife.com/wash_dry_and_store_used_plastic_bags
https://grist.org/living/whats-the-most-eco-friendly-dishwasher-cycle/
https://simplelivingmama.com/how-to-clean-the-sink-drain-with-baking-soda/
https://www.greenmatters.com/home/2019/02/06/A94CNpj_a/dishes-zero-waste
https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2020/10/sustainable-living-how-to-use-less-water-to-wash-dishes/
Resources:
Eco-friendly Swedish dishcloths: https://naturescircle.com/collections/all
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Come join the Green Junkie Facebook Group
Become a Green Junkie Insider and gain access to bonus content
LISTEN BELOW
TRANSCRIPT FOR EPISODE 15
0:08 Hi, Green Junkie, I'm your host Stephanie Moram, and today, I want to talk about how you can wash your dishes and still have a positive impact on the environment.
0:17 Seeing that the holidays are just around the corner, I thought this would be a great topic to tackle since many dishes will be washed over the next couple of weeks. Washing dishes every day doesn't seem like it's a big deal to our planet. Still, plastic bristles from brushes can go down our sink into our waterways, negatively contributing to our ecosystem.
0:39 The number one way we can stop these different microplastics from affecting our marine life, ecosystems, and even ourselves is to adhere to more simple, zero waste dishwashing routines. It's important to make as many eco-conscious decisions as possible, even when it comes to washing our dishes.
0:59 By the end of this episode, Green Junkie, you will know new ways to modify the mundane dishes of dishwashing to make it a little more eco-friendly If you love hearing new ways that you can reduce your impact on the environment – please subscribe to my Green Junkie podcast on whatever platform and get your podcasts. That way, you'll never miss another green living episode.
1:22 Now, let's get started. I=First, I want to talk about the great debate – the dishwasher versus hand washing your dishes. Many people waste gallons of water when they dash their dishes by hand. That's because faucets can release about 2.2 gallons of water per minute. Of course, that depends on the faucet that you were using and the make of the faucet yada yada yadi; it just depends. But on average, it's 2.2 gallons.
1:58 The dishwasher, on the other hand, can wash more dishes quickly using about six gallons of water. And if you're using a dishwasher with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency, and it's an Energy Star certification, you will use less water per load, about four gallons.
2:18 So, let's talk about ways you can green up your cleanup when it comes to the dishwasher. And then we're going to touch on hand washing. Saving the most energy comes down to the heat used in a short cycle; let's say 15 minutes may cost more since it uses massive amounts of heat and power. Right. So what about the other settings that we might see on our dishwasher.
2:43 So picking air dry instead of heat dry, good old evaporation dries your cups and plates just as well as extra heat but uses 50% less energy, super mind-blowing that is a lot less energy. If you don't have an air-dry setting, turn the dishwasher off and open the door. That's what I do. And then I put like a cloth between the door. And so it's just kind of opened a little bit.
3:11 Do you know anything about the rinse settings on your dishwasher, such as settings that use extra water on dishes and run through a complete cycle with a rinse, so you're double the rinse. So double the cost, double the amount of water used. So you don't want to pick the extra rinse setting. Then you want to avoid the heavy-duty setting. Those also bring tons of water because it suds up to clean those dirty dishes. So an option could be yes, you're still using water. But it also could be that you could fill up a little bit of your sink and let your dishes soak that are super dirty. And this way, you don't have to use the heavy-duty setting. And you're going to save a little bit of water.
4:00 My final dishwashing tip is never run it without anything less than a full load. So when you are using your dishwasher, make sure it's loaded with dishes, not two cups, one plate and a fork. Because yes, you are wasting tons of water if you are not using a full load.
4:20 So now let's touch on hand washing. What are some tips for hand washing because if you're like, I don't want to use a dishwasher? I don't own a dishwasher. I am going to clean my dishes the old-fashioned way. And that's cool, right? That's cool. You get to choose how you wash your dishes. So I'm going to give you a couple of tips on how you can maybe make it a little bit more green.
4:44 When you're filling the sink. Only fill it with the amount of water that you need. When handwashing dishes, try to do a big load versus a small load. So you know, maybe in the morning, you want to wait till all the breakfast dishes are done before you wash them, or perhaps you'll wait till lunch, and you'll wash the breakfast and the lunch dishes together.
5:05 Another tip is to use a bin in the sink; you'll use less water. And then you can maybe use the water somewhere else. Often, if I have leftover water, I will dump it outside. And that way, the grass is getting a little bit of water versus just going down the sink. Handwashing can be a great way to eliminate energy because you are probably being a little more conscious of the amount of water used as the flow of water. So when you're washing your dishes by hand, try not to let the water run while you are scrubbing them.
5:41 And also, let's touch on the rinsing of your dishes, correct, so they get full of suds, and then we rinse them right. So what you can do is start by rinsing your sponge or whatever you're using to wash your dishes, scrub your words, and then you save the rinsing step for last. Make sure to clean the dishware right away to avoid hard stuck on the gunk. If you need help determining if hand washing or using a dishwasher is better for the environment. You can reach out to me at the link in the show notes. And you can pick my brain about this very topic.
6:20 But we are now going to jump into what about the detergent of the soap you're using when it comes to washing your dishes. I'm going to get on my soapbox, no pun intended and explain how refilling your dish soap and dishwasher detergent can reduce your carbon footprint because you're using less plastic.
6:40 I love refill stations; I love bulk stores. And when it comes to your soap or your detergent, you can take a bottle of a plastic bottle you already have at home. And you can go to those stores and refill them. So you are reducing the amount of plastic that you're using, and that is being created. Then there's also the option of tablets. I do not use these, but I know many people that do, and it is a small tablet that you put into your container. So you can, you know, reuse an old plastic container, and then you fill it with water, so it's a concentrated tablet. And this way, there's less packaging involved by buying this product if you decide that a refill station or a bulk store is not for you.
7:31 When it comes to the dishwasher. I buy these small tablets; they come in compostable film cellulose, and I pop it in my dishwasher, and my dishes come out great. I don't refill at a bulk refill station. I feel like the tablets do a good job of cleaning my dishes.
7:53 Another option for cleaning your dishes, if you're looking at washing them by hand, is bars of soap. Just like the soap you use to clean your body, you can get soap that is specifically designed for washing your dishes. So you do the same thing – you grab your sponge or cloth or brush whatever it is you're using to clean your dishes, and you rub the soap on it, and then you wash your dishes that way, and a bar soap does look kind of nice in your kitchen. Although dirty dishes may unnecessarily pile up, we don't have to create more waste. That's why using these dish soap bars is great for the environment because there's less packaging and there are no plastic bottles, and as I mentioned, a bar soap looks lovely on your counter.
8:36 How about we talk about what you're using to clean your dishes. So we talked about the soap and now what are you putting that soap on when you are washing your different dishes. I have a couple of options for you that are a little bit more eco-friendly. You can reuse old cloth that you have at home like an old t-shirt, or I don't know some rag you have at home you can use that to wash your dishes and that way you don't have to buy something new.
9:00 I like to use these Swedish clothes. They are super hard, and then when they get wet, they kind of get super absorbent, so they're hard and then when they get wet, they soften. If you're looking to buy something new, you could do that option of getting Swedish cloth. I will link it in the show notes to take a look at it. I love them because they're super absorbent, and they are compostable once they kind of fall apart. I recommend staying away from synthetic fibres like microfibers when it comes to cleaning and even drying your dishes. Microfibers can be treated with chemicals – not all, but they can be – and they release micro-plastics with every wash. Think about how that will impact the environment because those microplastics are being released into our water. So like I said, you can use old fabric, the sweetest cloth, to wash your dishes. But if you are also looking for something new like the Swedish cloth will be a new item that you will buy go in the direction may be of organic cotton versus regular cotton because a lot of pesticides are used to create that cotton.
10:07 So you got a cloth, you can use a Swedish cloth and buy a new cloth, but what about sponges and scrubbers and those kinds of things. So most sponges on the market are made of plastic and can be chemically treated. Typically they're yellow blue, or like those green sponges. And they also release microplastic fibres into our water. But like I said, there is always a sustainable option; you can find sponges made of grown coconut fibres with 100% of vegetable, plant cellulose, non-toxic adhesive, and that's the adhesive to keep the top layer stuck to the rest of the sponge. And that's when it comes to sponges.
10:47 When it comes to brushes, you can find sustainable options as well. Most brushes that you see on the market are full of plastic – the bristles are plastic, the adhesive is made with some melted plastic, everything is made of plastic, it seems in our world. But you can find other options. I've seen some made of coconut bamboo teak with wood handles plant fibres, again with the coconut fibres. I found one on freetheocean.com where they sell a wooden dish brush with a replaceable head. The handle is made of wood, and then the bristles are made from the agave plant. But then, the great thing about it is that you know over time, these brushes have wear and tear – instead of replacing the whole brush, you have the option to replace the part where the bristles are, and then you're reducing what ends up in the landfill.
11:43 A couple more tips for you guys when washing your dishes. When you're drying your dishes, you can use an absorbent mat as that'll help to dry your dishes faster. Just wash it often because you don't want any mould to grow on your mat. You could also use a drying rack and find a more sustainable option: wood versus plastic or stainless steel.
12:06 And don't forget when you're doing your dishes by hand; you want to make sure you clean your sink. I'm surprised at the number of people that do not wash their sink, I mean, you're putting your dishes in there, and then you're not cleaning your sink, so I suggest cleaning the drain and your sink. I clean mine once a week. So I use baking soda and vinegar as two ingredients to unclog and clean the drains. When it comes to baking soda and vinegar, you can carefully boil it put boiling water down the drain. Next, you pour one cup of baking soda and then the vinegar mixture down the drain; you cover the drain with a plug wait about 10 minutes. Finally, you pour another pot of boiling water down the drain. And your pro tip is to use a one-to-one mixture of baking soda, vinegar and water. And I also scrub inside my sink with vinegar and water as well.
13:04 And lastly, on the topic of cleaning, I'd love to mention plastic bags. They can be used for almost anything, but they're a significant contaminant to recycling facilities, waterways, roadways, or ecosystems. I dislike plastic bags. So if I do happen to get a plastic bag, whether it's a compostable one or a regular plastic bag, when I order my veggies locally, they happen to come in this small compostable bag. So what I do is wash and reuse that plastic bag instead of trashing it or throwing it in the compost right away. So super easy. I scrub it with a little bit of soap and water. But I do them all simultaneously not to waste any water. And a pointer is don't wash and reuse bags that contain any raw meat like that goes without saying you don't want to reuse bags that have like any raw meat on them, you want to rinse it and then put it in the recycling if your recycling facility accepts plastic bags.
14:14 And another tip is when you dry them – dry them one way and then flip them inside out to dry the other way. So then you're making sure that you get it right really, really well. The next time you find yourself standing over a sudsy sink, try to be more mindful of how you wash the dishes and how it can impact the environment. Think about the products and the habits that your own family has during dishwashing and start making minor adjustments so that they're a little more eco-friendly. My hope is that at least one of these Zero Waste tips can help you live a little more green. For more inspiration on how to live a greener lifestyle, you can listen to my podcast episode called Green Grocery Shopping, Sustainable Bathroom Tips or find Simple Ways to Reduce Your Waste.
15:03 Please stay connected with me on Instagram at Green Junkie podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Green Junkie podcast on the platform you're listening to. If you would like direct access to me, your green living expert, you can click the link in the show notes. Or you can ask me questions and get a customized plan on how you can live a little greener. Because if you're curious about zero waste, living, sustainable fashion, or wondering how to read food cleaning and product labels, I have you covered; hop on a one-on-one call with me as your green Google and pick my brain. Again, you can click the link in the show notes to learn more about how I can support you on your journey to living more green. Thanks for listening, and I'll see you next Tuesday, Green Junkie.
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