We are buying a new house that was built in 1939. I LOVE it!
The only issue I have is that there is not a dishwasher!!!!!! Don't laugh, but I have never lived without a dishwasher before. My Dad works for Maytag so ...yep we had all appliances you can imagine as I grew up.

Anyhow, until we can afford to re-do the kitchen or buy a freestanding dishwasher I am in desperate need of everyone's best tips on how to handle washing dishes by hand.

Should I pick up one of those dish drying racks? What works best for you folks out there!?!?

Check Craigslist for a used one...a lot of people buy freestanding ones and find they don't have the room, etc. My mom AND my grandmother did this at seperate times! LOL Also, don't know if you would consider it or not, but could you share pictures of the house?? That is my DREAM to live in a house that old!! LOL I love antiques..and I could LIVE in one!!!

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I would love to post the picture....but they just took it off-line today since we are now officially "pending" sale. I will have to stop by it one day and take some pictures of my own!

I'm excited, it has the original wood floors, 4-bedrooms, built-in white cabinets in living room and dinning room. It is in a great neighborhood with new side walks and a park with-in walking distance.

I'll have to check craig-list. Thanks, and good idea!

This is the first house we have ever had that actually has a built in dishwasher (house is more than a 100 yrs old too, we just bought it in Nov) About 8 yrs ago after the birth of my 5th child my dh bought a portable dishwasher and we used it up until we moved. I loved it!!!! But actually, washing dishes is not so bad at all. buy a dish drainer and let the dishes air dry. Make sure you do not let too many accumulate. And do not buy the cheap detergent because they will not cut grease or clean well!! Dawn works really well.

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~Happiness is a large family~

My friend has a dishwasher- though she washs by hand. I tell her she is crazyLOL

She uses a rack and wears gloves. She fills 1 sink up with a little hot water and soap and just basicaly uses it to get the scrub brush wet. She does not fill the sink up and soak the dishes.

Suggestion-my brother bought a house (not as old as yours) that did not have a dishwasher. He took out the cabinet next to the dish and put a small dishwasher in. It really was not that expensive. It was worth it to him (really his wife) to lose a cabinet though get a dishwasher. They have those smaller ones for apts.

If you hate doing dishes by hand like i do.......portable dishwasher is the way to go!! I just recently bought a used one after going about 5 years without one and i am loving it!

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"Go on, get outside, get the stink blown off ya!!"

I have to warn you, a drying rack will end up ruining your tile counter tops - and I'm betting that's what you have. It has been my experience that a drying rack never does catch all the water.

I would use the double sink or two tubs method. Fill the first tub with hot, soapy water and wash all the dishes. As you wash them, drop them into the second tub that is filled with VERY HOT water - as hot as you can get it. This is your rinse water. If you're doing a lot of dishes, you may have to change this water frequently. Then had this hot rinsed item to the person standing next to you who is drying - presumably hubby - or you can switch off. He'll wipe the item dry with a clean dishtowel (preferrably not terrycloth) and stack them so they can be put away.

If you are working alone. Still use the two tub method except stack all the dishes in the rinse water and leave them there. Then empty the first tub, clean it out, and set the dish rack inside the tub inside the sink. Take the dishes out of the rinse tub and put them in the dish rack until you can dry them one by one. Alternately, some people place the soapy dishes directly into the dish rack in the sink and skip the second rinse tub. Then they run very hot water over the soapy dishes in the rack to rinse them off, then dry. The risk with this method is (1) not all the soap may get rinsed off and (2) dirty water may accumulate in the sink and contaminate the clean dishes as you're rinsing them.

No matter what you do, I encourage you to put the dishes away immediately otherwise your kitchen sink becomes nearly useless.

If you have trouble finding space in your current kitchen set-up, they do make a narrow dishwasher that fits into tight spaces. They aren't cheap but you could probably find a used one. If you buy a new one, you can incorporate it into the design of your new kitchen and end up with 1 and 1/2 dishwashers. Now that would be luxury!

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

My house was built in 1918 last time the kitchen was remodled was about 1958-59 we had no dishwasher when we moved it either. There was room for a portable and we got one, but it was a lemon.....Fridgedare (sp?) anyway when they work their great. We were finally able to remodel the kitchen and now I have a built in and added a cabinet where the portable used to be.

I would love to see pics of your built in cabinents. We have one with the leaded glass its very pretty.

Just a word of caution on the portable dishwasher, if you decide to go that route, they are very hard on floors. Both my brother and we had a portable dishwasher and it ripped up the floor in both of our kitchens. My brother replaced the flooring in his house and they opted to wash dishes by hand -- we didn't have that option.

We live in an antique 200 year old house with no dishwasher. We have always had one and got used to just doing the dishes by hand now. My Dh is awesome about doing dishes so we split the chore and I can't wait till the kids are old enough to pitch in! You could always get one of those drawer dishwashers, they are pricey but take up little space and would probably fit in better with your decor. We were going to get one but it would take up some of our already short supply of cabinet space.