You're right. I do the same thing. My DH, though, will just let them sit until the food on the dishes gets crusty and hard. Urgh!

I wash my dishes by hand now because the dishwasher broke about a year ago, and we never got a new one. To me it is a want, not a need. I will say I hate all cleaning and dishes are no exception - but it was worse having to clean off stuff that came out dirty from the dishwasher, so.....

This is exactly how I do it. Having the water to soak over the day is an effective way to rinse and the dishes never have stuck on stuff when they come out of the dishwasher. I soak and load all day and then run it at night, if it is full, sometimes it's every other day if I we have meals that require fewer dishes. I do wash pots and pans by hand.

If you don't have a dishwasher and would like one, and have a corner to stick it in, I suggest getting a portable dishwasher. We have one we bought off of craigslist for $20, it works great and connects to the sink (we rent so we couldn't install one).

I use the diswasher for about 85% of things. Pots and pans, and thermos get hand washed.

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they always say that running a full dishwasher is more frugal way to go but if you set out the dishes and rised them all at once say in a dish drainer it may be worth it. we use the dish washer except for the big items. I also have tried so many detergent and the electrosel pack work the best i hate the waste of things not getting clean though. it seemes to do the best what does anyone do?

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DISHWASHER!!! I will do the giant pots and pans that don't fit. But I was told by a doctor that he uses only a dishwasher at his house because of the killing germs benefit the dish washer can handle hotter water and steam drying better that your hands can. He told me if I have one USE it especially during cold and flu season and with all this crazy staph stuff going around I will continue. I use mine twice a day mostly because I cook all the time. Speaking of which I just ran out of dishwasher soap...any idea how to make some???? I may start a new thread...

We hand wash everything.

I hand wash 90% of my dishes.. it is relaxing to me.. We never have a full dish washer so i feel it is a waste. I read somewhere that you should not put baby bottles in the dishwasher cause it breaks the plastic down and releases chemicals used to harden the plasic.. Most of my babies dishes, and bottles get hand washed to whats the extra of a few plates and glasses.

I'm a hand washer just because I don't have a dishwasher....yet. I have one sitting in my kitchen taking up space. Just waiting for DH to take out a cabinet to put it in!