HOW TO WASH THE DISHES:
THE CHRIS HECKLE METHOD
What you’ll need:
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Dish Soap (any brand)
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Sink with running water
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Steel Scrubber
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Two-sided Household Sponge
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Drying Rack
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Drying Towel
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Rubber Gloves (optional)
Overview
Clean dishes are the first step to reducing the likelihood of bacteria and
foodborne illness you encounter in the kitchen. Some of the biggest things I
notice when people wash the dishes by hand is that they wash with a dirty
sponge, and they do an incomplete job when scrubbing. This set of instructions
aims to address those issues with a two phase scrubbing process and is
intended for the first-time dishwasher or someone who wants to improve the
cleanliness of their dishes.
Time varies by the amount of dishes you have. Expect to spend about 1 hour
for a full sink.
Created By:
Christopher Heckle
August 1, 2015
WARNINGS!
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Read through the instructions in their entirety before you begin.
Hot water can scald. For your own safety keep the water to a
Read through the instructions in their entirety before you begin.
comfortable temperature.
Hot water can scald. For your own safety keep the water to a
Be careful when handling knives or other sharp items.
comfortable temperature.
Handle all fragile items with care to reduce the risk of breaking.
Be careful when handling knives or other sharp items.
Handle all fragile items with care to reduce the risk of breaking.
Instructions
Tip: Steps 3 through 7 should be completed for each item individually. From 8 to the end the
instructions are for the entire lot of items you have washed. To save time, you should
complete steps 3 and 4 as well as 6 and 7 for all items at once. This means you don’t have to
switch between the sponge and scrubber for every item making the process more efficient.
STEP 1
Turn on the sink. Apply soap to the
steel scrubber and run it under the
sink to get it wet. Rub the steel
scrubber together with itself to
create soap suds.
STEP 2
Begin to rinse the dishes, one at a
time, under the running water to
moisten any residue that may be
dried on. Set them back into the
sink to await the next step.
STEP 3
One at a time, begin to scrub each
item using the steel scrubber. Apply
enough firm pressure when
scrubbing to remove all dried food
residue. Go over surfaces more than
once especially small crevices where
dirt can be hiding.
Tip: Use short, quick hand motions as you scrub and try to make a circular pattern when
scrubbing flat surfaces. No visible residue should be left after the steel scrubbing phase.
STEP 4
Rinse the item after using the steel
scrubber. Inspect the item to make
sure no spots were missed. Place
the item back in the sink after
rinsing.
STEP 5
Rinse out the steel scrubber and
place it aside. Apply soap and water
to the sponge. Rub the sponge
together with itself to make soap
suds.
STEP 6
Using the rough side of the sponge,
scrub the item again using the same
small and quick hand motions as
with the steel scrubber. Make sure
to scrub the entire item even if you
can’t see any stains on the surface.
Tip: Don’t be afraid to go over the same surface multiple times as this can only make the
item cleaner. It is better to scrub the entire item more than once than to miss a spot.
STEP 7
Rinse the item and your hands
thoroughly so no soap is left behind
and no soap can transfer from your
hands to the item. Place the item
into the drying rack.
Tip: Make sure to put all bowls and cups facing downward so water can drain properly. All
dishes should be placed as close to perpendicular to the drying rack back as possible to allow
water to run off. Try not to group silverware together to closely otherwise they may not dry.
STEP 8
After completing steps 1 through 7
for all items, let everything dry for
about one hour. In the meantime,
put the sponge, steel scrubber, and
soap away. Rinse out the sponge
and leave it by the sink. If you want
to wipe the sink clean, do not use
the sponge! You want the sponge to
stay clean for the next wash.
STEP 9
After air drying, dry each item with
a clean dish towel. Make sure to dry
each item thoroughly. If you have a
lot of things to dry you may need to
use more than one towel. Mold and
mildew may grow if cups are put
away without being completely dry.
Tip: While this method seem a bit excessive, you can be sure your dishes are clean and it’s
good habit to be thorough when doing any task regardless of how menial it may be. Plus,
you do not want to be embarrassed when guests come over and there is leftover food on
the dishes or food crust in their water cups.