I feel the need to explain and espouse more on the benefits of washing dishes with only water, immediately after using them (which I mentioned awhile ago in this Lower Standards post).
Here's why this method is so wonderful:
Dishes never pile up.
Here is how I stumbled up on this idea:
When using a cast iron skillet, you're not supposed to wash it with soapy water because that ruins it. So, I figured that if you can wash that with just water, then why not take that principle and apply it to the other dishes as well?
And using really hot water sterilizes them. And you're not putting any chemicals on your dishes in the form of dish soap. And it's what you would be doing if you were camping (or, at least it's what I would be doing).
It is just a really, really amazing method, I'm telling you. It could revolutionize the world!
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11 comments:
...but how does the grease come off? The grease is supposed to stay on the cast iron to keep it from rusting, but my glass and ceramic just stays greasy without soap.
I don't know, kastinkerbell. It must be, like, magic or something, because I have seriously never had any problems with grease remaining.
Goofy Mama -- Great blog! Do you not use soap because its easier and cheaper or because there is a problem with the chemicals in soap? I'm not sure what to think because its true that all the chemicals and drugs we use aren't natural but also some have had real benefits for humanity. Soap has cut down on infections and harmful bacteria because people used to die much more often from bad infections. This is a tangent but malaria was completely eliminated in the US with insecticides and chemicals to control mosquitos, people in Africa still die from malaria because they won't allow the insecticides to be used. Some diseases like Smallpox have been completely eradicated with a vaccine, but in the 1900's over 300 million people died of Smallpox, and thats a lot of people. The point is not about washing dishes but I'm just wondering how do we know when modern chemicals are good for us and when chemicals are bad or unnecessary? Is there a rule of thumb?
Anonymous - Great question. The simple answer behind why I don't use soap is because I'm lazy. I will use some natural dish soap (7th Generation or whatever) sometimes if I feel like it.
But the answer to your larger question is a bit more difficult to answer, and I'm not quite sure where to begin. I guess the simple answer to that would be that I don't know yet.
Thanks for the reply! Lazy is a great reason, people should let themselves be lazy more. I know the larger question is difficult and Im trying to figure it out too.
It should also be said that I do enjoy those homemade natural bar soaps. LOVE those. I could spend days just smelling them.
So you dont't know why you do all the things you do?? Seems like a scary way to raise a family!!! Sure hope your kids turn out all right!
That's not very nice.
1st anonymous - Malaria was mostly eradicated in the US due to use of DDT. Though I'm certainly happy we don't have malaria, DDT almost eliminated loads of other species because it compounds as it moves up the food chain (so 1 bug dies from a liitle, which wouldn't kill a bird or a shrew, but when those animals eat 20 bugs, they die, too and then something eats 20 of them and they die... plus in Cuba they realized some pretty nasty repercussions to humans from DDT spraying, especially in children). Not that I'm arguing with your overall premise, just the malaria example. And I don't think they ever used DDT in Africa because the people are highly nomadic, the climate is very different and the country is very poor.
I think probably your water would effect how able you are to use no soap. We have super hard water and even if I scrubbed all day, the grease would still be there.
Goofy Mama - I think on a scale of the worst comments you've received, the 2nd anonymous would score pretty low in my book. Probably not a parent. I do a lot of things because of a gut feeling that it's just better. Or because I'd rather them get the experience of doing things themselves and learning from the experience than having me coddle them and growing up with no history of their own, no self-worth, no pride. Maybe I'll regret those choices, but my kids will always know everything I've done for them was out of the truest love possible.
Rachael -- you make a good point about DDT. DDT is controversial but it also sort of reinforces the point I was making because malaria is a big killer of humans and overall its hard to say America isn't better off without it. DDT was banned largely because of a book called Silent Spring which made some good points but has also been shown to have made some big errors. I guess that ties in with my point, it is hard to know how to handle modern advances and its not black and white. DDT was both good and bad.
I think the same sort of thing is going on with the vaccine issue today. Some people are totally anti-vaccine, and they have their reasons. But (and its a big but) vaccines eliminated smallpox which killed millions and have been very effective against polio and whooping cough and measles (and more). It concerns me that some people wont get their kids vaccinated, and it endangers the rest of society. Kids have died of measles and whooping cough in communities that stop getting vaccinated. Even though the anti-vaccine MMR research (that it leads to autism) done by Wakefield has been shown to be very poorly done and probably complete bunk, some people are still very against vaccinations. Im new to this blog so I don't know where people stand but its really hard to know what to think when you want the best for your kids.
To the mean anonymous comment leaving person,
I think you must be very sad to leave such a thoughtless comment. I hope you find some joy soon.
Goofy Mama's children are delightful, kind, happy, healthy people. You don't have to worry, they will turn out wonderfully!
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