# Do you wash dishes with hot water or cold water? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 16, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447 "2009-12-16T03:40:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/1 "2009-12-16T03:40:54Z")
…when you’re at home. I believe I’m one of the rare types who washes with cold water. Most would argue against it, but I get things done the same way as others. Also saves on the electric bill. How do you wash your dishes? What’s your reasoning to do so? ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Harley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Race\_Harley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Harley)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/2 "2009-12-16T03:48:50Z")
For me, hot water for two reasons… (1) warm-to-hot water is more comfortable to the hands and (2) anything on the dishes come off faster with warmer water. I couldn’t imagine washing a pan that had bacon grease or some type of sauce with cold water. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/3 "2009-12-16T03:56:01Z")
also it’s a lot easier to dry a warm plate than a cold one. ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/4 "2009-12-16T04:21:04Z")
> [@Race\_Harley](#): > > I couldn’t imagine washing a pan that had bacon grease or some type of sauce with cold water. That’s about the only time I’d use hot water. Most times though, there isn’t gunk on things, and it isn’t necessary. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/5 "2009-12-16T04:21:11Z")
If I’m washing dishes by hand I use hot/warm water. It helps dissolve things faster. ETA: No gunk on things? Do you put food in your dishes? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/6 "2009-12-16T04:24:35Z")
Hot. Always hot. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/7 "2009-12-16T04:25:04Z")
As hot as I can stand it. And I tend to wash dishes… very thoroughly. I’m probably obsessive about it. (Also, I hate doing dishes.) My friend’s wife washes in cold water. She doesn’t speak English, but she made it clear I should wash in cold water. I don’t know why. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/8 "2009-12-16T05:06:00Z")
Is it sanitary to wash dishes in cold water? (without adding bleach to compensate) ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/9 "2009-12-16T07:48:58Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > ETA: No gunk on things? Do you put food in your dishes? 😛 Yes, but they don’t sit in the sink for a week, so extra food washes right off. 😛 Currently 28 to 1 on this one.. boy o boy.. I’m special. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/10 "2009-12-16T12:52:03Z")
Hot water. We have solar heating anyway, so the energy savings are moot. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/11 "2009-12-16T12:56:06Z")
> [@EpicNonsense](#): > > Yes, but they don’t sit in the sink for a week, so extra food washes right off. I imagine that what you prepare and eat does make a difference in how much stuff is left on your dishes. The things we cook and eat can make a pretty serious mess, sometimes. Syrup, gravy, cheese sauce, oatmeal, etc. are more easily washed off in hot water. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/12 "2009-12-16T13:20:00Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Is it sanitary to wash dishes in cold water? (without adding bleach to compensate) I was taught that, for sanitary reasons, dish washing water should be as hot as you can stand it. I remember the Home Extension agent coming over to my then sister-in-law’s house and actually demonstrating. The agent also said to wash cups & glasses first, silverware & plates next, and pots & pans last. Found this on [about.com](http://about.com) : > [@](#): > > 4 Reasons to Use Hot Water When Washing and Rinsing Dishes > > 1. Cleaning Power- Washing dishes in hot water actually helps to lift away and clean dirty dishes reducing the amount of time you’ll have to spend scrubbing and reducing the need for extra dish cleaning products. > > 2. Killing Bacteria and Microorganisms.-Hot water is needed to effectively kill bacteria on dishes. It may seem like you can squeeze a little more use out of a dishpan full of cool water, but compromising your families exposure to bacteria is not worth the extra trouble of running a new pan of hot water. > > 3. Cutting grease.- Water temperatures under about 90 degrees will leave a nasty greasy film on your dishes as they dry. Grease cutting ability is severely hampered by cool water leaving your dishes less than clean. > > 4. Drying Time- Hot water dries much more quickly on dishes than warm or cool water. Dishes can essentially dry themselves if the water temperature is right. As an added benefit, dishes will dry spot and streak free with hotter water. Many people try to conserve hot water during the rinsing part of dishwashing and just hand dry dishes. Keep in mind that pools of water and wet dishtowels are a haven for bacteria. You may have just spent a lot of effort to get dishes clean only to allow them to become contaminated. ---
**Author:** ![legalsnugs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/13 "2009-12-16T14:04:24Z")
Wash in hot. Rinse in cold. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/14 "2009-12-16T14:40:10Z")
There’s a reason that automatic dishwashers don’t have a “Cold” setting. ---
**Author:** ![fervour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@fervour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fervour)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/15 "2009-12-16T14:50:34Z")
My water heater is so far away from the kitchen sink that if I’m washing by hand I’ll usually wash in cold. If I am running the dish washer, I let the faucet run until the water is hot so that the washer won’t have to heat the water. ---
**Author:** ![spoike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@spoike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spoike)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/16 "2009-12-16T21:00:55Z")
When I was a teenager, I worked at a muffin place in a mall. One of my jobs was washing all the baking apparatus that was used during my shift. The water heater was not big enough for the space, and so, each night, I’d run out of hot water about halfway through. The first part of the cleaning, when I had lots of hot water, was easy-peasy. Once I ran out, however, it became a royal fricking pain. Sticky stuff like muffin batter does not come off of bowls very well with cold water. Anything that has any fat or grease in it also is difficult to clean properly. I _could_ do it, to be sure, but it took me much longer than it would have with hot water and required much more effort. It also required far more water and soap. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/17 "2009-12-17T17:58:08Z")
Hot hot hot water. I’m OCD and that’s one of my things. I am constantly changing the water if it gets cool and by the time I’m done with dishes, I end up changing the water about a half dozen times or so. I end up running out of hot water in the heater by the last load, so I put a big spaghetti pot of water on the stove to heat it, so the last sinkfull has hot water. I’m a freak. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/18 "2009-12-17T18:03:35Z")
Hot water in the winter, cold water in the summer. ---
**Author:** ![StinkyBurrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@StinkyBurrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StinkyBurrito)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/19 "2009-12-17T18:28:53Z")
A comfortable “warm” here. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447/20 "2009-12-17T19:54:45Z")
> [@fervour](#): > > If I am running the dish washer, I let the faucet run until the water is hot so that the washer won’t have to heat the water. Dishwashers heat the water to 130 - 140 degrees, so your dishwasher is probably heating the water anyway even if it starts off pretty hot. And if your dishwasher is installed correctly it’s connected to the cold water supply, not the hot (though most people who install them think that’s dumb and hook them up to the hot water supply). Just let the dishwasher do its thing - they are pretty efficient. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-dishes-with-hot-water-or-cold-water/521447.md?page=2)