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Welcome to Clean Enough, a new kind of cleaning column for busy home cooks who have better things to do than scrub and sanitize around the clock. Every other week, neurodivergent writer and mom Emily Farris shares tips, tools, and products that can help you stay on top of the dirtiest spots in the kitchen while also dispelling a few cleaning myths and cutting down on clutter.
I’m not necessarily a person who hates hand-washing dishes, but I definitely need to be in the right mood to enjoy it. Most often, that mood strikes when I have a dining room full of dinner guests (and especially if one of them is my mother). The rest of the time, washing dishes is a daunting task I’ve been known to put off until I’m completely out of clean knives, cutting boards, sheet pans, or anything else that shouldn’t go in the dishwasher.
Luckily, with the right combination of prep work and products—and, of course, good music—I’m able to get myself in the perfect mindset for washing dishes even when I really, really, really don’t want to. So, whether you already don’t mind the act of doing the dishes or you’d rather be doing anything else, here are seven ways to make hand-washing dishes more fun.
Clear your drying area—completely
Putting clean dishes back where they belong is among my least favorite household chores. I’d seriously rather clean a toilet than empty the dishwasher or dish rack. But hand-washing dishes is much less annoying when you have ample air-drying space, so be sure to completely empty your dish rack or drying mat before you start. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you could give your dish rack a wipe down (vinegar is great for getting rid of hard water spots) or swap in a fresh microfiber mat. And if either has seen better days, it might be time for an upgrade because you definitely don’t want to put clean dishes on a not-so-clean surface.
Make sure you have the tools you need (and maybe a couple you don’t)
When was the last time you replaced your sponges, dish brushes, and scrubbies? If your sponge smells bad and your scrubbers are no longer actually scrubbing, you need to toss them immediately and replace them with something more effective—and also more fun. And if you like to soak certain dishes or if you have a very large or very small sink, consider a washing-up bowl. Also necessary: plenty of absorbent, lint-free kitchen towels.
Splurge on smells
I’m a person who’s motivated by nice scents the way kids are motivated by candy, so when I really need to get my ass in gear to clean, I load up on the smell-good stuff. In addition to scented dish soap, I like to burn a lavender or lemon candle to set the mood.
Accessorize
Properly suiting up can make the act of hand-washing dishes more fun—and sometimes even less painful. Dish gloves can keep your hands safe from scalding water and unidentified dirty dish sludge while an apron can keep your clothes clean and dry. My colleague Genevieve swears by the blue dish gloves below, and the pink ones came out on top in our product testing.
Put on your favorite tunes
I have a playlist I like to put on when I clean (and yes it definitely has some Lizzo on it). But I can hardly hear anything coming from my phone over the sound of running water and motorized dish brushes. That’s why I keep a water-resistant portable bluetooth speaker in the kitchen. The Sonos below can be connected to your smart home system, too, so you can simply say, “Google, play my dish washing mix” to get the cleaning party started.
Stand on something squishy
Kitchen floors rarely have any give and my knees will be the first to tell you that pretty little vintage rugs aren’t much better when you’re standing in the same place for 20 to 30 minutes. But put a cute anti-fatigue mat in front of your sink and you’ll want to stand there forever. Okay, maybe not forever, but definitely long enough to wash all of the dishes and wipe down the counter.
Clean your sink when you’re done
Washing the very last dish is so satisfying. But not quite as satisfying as making your sink sparkle when you’re done. I like to give mine a quick scrub with a scrubby or brush I use exclusively for this purpose. Then I fill the sink with hot water and a scoop or two of Tide with Bleach powder and let it soak preferably overnight, or at least for however long it takes to wipe down the counters and all the other kitchen surfaces. And if you have a garbage disposal, be sure to clean that too.
