We wash pots and pans by hand, and everything else in the dishwasher. I set it on a timer to run in the middle of the night, using the "timesaver" wash setting and the "air dry" setting. It's a shorter cycle that gets everything just as clean as the other settings. In the morning, most everything is dry, but I quickly go over some things with a towel.

I also don't completely fill up the detergent cup anymore either. I read a tip that suggested you read the recommended amount that's on the box of detergent. Mine says 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons . . . I'd been using almost triple that!

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Attaining financial freedom is like eating an elephant . . . it takes one bite at a time.

I use 1 Tablespoon in mine, and vinegar for a rinse aid! I never use the heated dry. I don't care if its cheaper than handwashing its worth every penny to me!

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Have a bootiful Halloween!

This sounds great. Where do you put the vinegar? In the "Jet Dry" compartment?

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"A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families…"
Psalm 68:5-6a

Yes, I just started doing it so far they look great

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Have a bootiful Halloween!

We put our plates, bowls, our glasses, and all silverware (for sanitizing) in the dishwasher. We maybe have to run it once or twice a week as it is just DH, DD (16 mo. old) and myself.

Every night, I do any pots and pans, DD's sippy cups and character plates and bowls, and all gladware type containers (they get spotty in the dishwasher) by hand. I fill the sink up about 1/3 full; if we have no pots or pans then around 1/4 full. Wash all dishes and place in other side of the sink while they are still soapy, then I rinse everything at once. I am so used to doing this that it is no problem and it is part of my evening routine. And since all my DD's cups and plates get washed every day, we don't have to buy and store lots and lots of cups and plates.

Generally I put Everything that Can go in the dishwasher, in the dishwasher. I got this from dh, when he was single. I'd go over for dinner, and he'd be putting everything in the dishwasher, and he asked me, "If it can go in, why not?!"

So I've been doing that too for 10 years. HOWEVER, I have to admit, the dishwasher takes up so much of my time! When you cook every night, at every meal, you get a ton of dishes, especially when you put everything in. Every day I'll have to run a load, every morning unload. It takes a lot of time.

So sometimes on the weekend I'll hand wash everything as we dirty it, and on these weekends I make sure we are very very conservative on what we use. Every glass gets rinsed out and used all day. If I use a teaspoon to put sugar in coffee, it just gets rinsed in hot water and back in the drawer it goes.

It does seem backward, but it was a joy waking up this morning and not automatically having to work. As far as saving $, I only use a teensy amount of dish soap and a paper towel to hand wash. Then I use that one paper towel to clean the countertops, rinse it out, and then use it on the next batch of dishes. No stinky dish cloths, no need to put That into the washer, no gas drying, no folding and putting away. Totally worth it to me. Now if they only make biodegradeable paper towels!!

Gosh Stormy, I am like your dh. If it can go in the dishwasher, why not? That is why we have it!!! We run our dishwasher at least once a day on weekdays (when I work and the kids are at school/daycare) and twice a day on the weekends. We have a minimum of 7 people in our family and I do not care to be doing dishes all the time. We have trained the kiddos to put their dishes in the dishwasher when they are done eating. As I said before, I did turn the heated dry off my dishwasher, and I do not fill the detergent cups up all the way, but I would never not use my dishwasher!!!

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~Happiness is a large family~

Growing up, we didn't have a dishwasher & it was my sister and my chores to clean up the supper dishes. We didn't know any better...until I got married. Our new apt. had a dishwasher. I thought it was the greatest thing ever invented! Then we moved into a house without a dishwasher. I slaved over the dishes all day everyday for 3 years! Nightmare! We are back in an apt. WITH a dishwasher & I thank Jesus for it everynight!

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Countdown Clocks at WishAFriend.com

I don't have a dishwasher, and there isn't much room for one in my tiny kitchen. There is a spot with a water hookup on the opposite side of the kitchen from my sink, and hubby wants to put a dishwasher there. Well, it is the only place where a freezer can fit, and I really want a freezer. So this is our argument. He has even said both can fit there, but I don't see how. And I wouldn't want a dishwasher if it was not right next to the sink.

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I have nothing to declare except my genius."
- Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) upon arriving at U.S. customs 1882

Using a dishwasher is cheaper and it sanatizes better than handwashing ever could. So I am saving my hands, water and DR. bills.

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"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous