- The ‘Sud’s Law’ order of washing up advises starting off your wash with glasses
- Roasting tins should be left until last, after serving dishes and pans are washed
- Rubber gloves are recommended as they allow washing water to be piping hot
Years of relying on dishwashers may mean millions of Brits have forgotten how to wash up by hand.
But now household experts have come up with their own ‘Sud’s Law’ – a set of guidelines for the kitchen task which even includes the right order in which to wash up the dirty crockery and cutlery.
The domestic gurus of the Good Housekeeping Institute have created their own checklist for those who have forgotten the basic art of doing the dishes.
Reliance on dishwashers means millions of Brits don’t have to think about the correct way to wash up dirty utensils and crockery
The process starts with glasses, moves on to mugs and cups and finishes with pans and roasting trays, said the guide.
Other tips are also important, it added, including wearing rubber gloves for the chore as it allows the water to be piping hot and more effective at killing germs lurking on the china.
Changing the water halfway through is also a must as is the simple but messy job of scraping as much food off the plates as possible before putting them into soak.
The GHI guide said: ‘Whether you’ve got a dishwasher or not, sometimes there’s no escaping the washing-up.
‘But if you ever find that you just can’t get your crockery clean, or that your cutlery has lost its shine, it could be how you’re washing up that’s to blame.
‘Not getting rid of food debris before you wash up not only clogs the drain but also makes your scrubbing redundant; all of your dishes will only end up soaking in grease and dirt.
According to the Good Housekeeping Institute, glasses are the first thing that should be washed up when following the correct order
‘And if your pans are burnt or stained then a soak in hot, soapy water will make your wash much easier.’
The other advice is over the equipment used – washing up brushes house bacteria so are not ideal and, if used, should be changed regularly. Dishcloths should be machine washed regularly and non metal sponges should be dampened and put in the microwave for 40 seconds to zap bugs.