# How many of you do this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 27, 2008, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054 "2008-04-27T06:10:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/1 "2008-04-27T06:10:38Z")
Okay, I know it’s trivial, but it matters to me. How many of you, when washing silverware, separate it out (i.e., forks together, spoons together, etc.) as you put it in the dish drainer? (or load the dishwasher this way.) Do you put it business-end up, or business-end down? Bonus question: Do you wash silverware by putting it all into one big container and swishing it around with some soapy water? And then put it in the drainer however you happen to pick it up? As you might suspect, yes, you are adding fuel to the fire of inter-roommate politics. But I won’t quote you personally. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/2 "2008-04-27T06:18:22Z")
I take three or four in a handful but give each one a thorough soapy wipe and then rinse. They all go in the silverware holder in the dish drainer to air dry, business end up. ---
**Author:** ![bufftabby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bufftabby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bufftabby)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/3 "2008-04-27T06:31:29Z")
One at a time with a soapy sponge after sitting in the hot water for a few minutes, business end up, in no partcular order most of the time. Sometimes I’m feelin’ fancy, and I separate them in the drainer, but not often. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/4 "2008-04-27T06:32:49Z")
Feelin’ fancy. Heee! That’s cute! ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/5 "2008-04-27T06:45:36Z")
[QUOTE=brujaja] Okay, I know it’s trivial, but it matters to me. How many of you, when washing silverware, separate it out (i.e., forks together, spoons together, etc.) as you put it in the dish drainer? Do you put it business-end up, or business-end down? Bonus question: Do you wash silverware by putting it all into one big container and swishing it around with some soapy water? And then put it in the drainer however you happen to pick it up? [/QUOTE] 1. Depends on the time: sometimes I separate it, but I never really think about it that much or put effort into it: ie if a fork is with the knives, i’ll let him hang out with the edgy crowd for a while. 2. Business end down if I know I’m going to be unloading them. I’ve learned from personal clumsiness that this is best for all parties involved if I’m the guy unloading them. Bonus Question: I like the big container method, and I tend to scoop them up as i see fit and just place them into a somewhat organized manner (See #1). ---
**Author:** ![Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buckler_of_Swashing)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/6 "2008-04-27T07:02:25Z")
Inter-roommate politics indeed. I load the dishwasher with all identical cutlery types together. My house-mate does not.\* \*Why? For the love of Og, _why?_ _cries_ ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/7 "2008-04-27T07:07:46Z")
I soak 'em in a container filled with hot soapy water, (if I have it, I add a tiny bit of bleach) business end down, then they go into the dishwasher only knives go business end down, everything else is eating end up (got tired of typing business end:D). ---
**Author:** ![Leah\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/57b2e6/32.png) [@Leah\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leah_M)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/8 "2008-04-27T07:17:57Z")
[QUOTE=CanvasShoes] I soak 'em in a container filled with hot soapy water, (if I have it, I add a tiny bit of bleach) business end down, then they go into the dishwasher only knives go business end down, everything else is eating end up (got tired of typing business end:D). [/QUOTE] You shouldn’t be doing your business and eating with the same end! :eek: (I do the same, soaking in a container of hot sudsy water, before rinsing and re-scrubbing any pesty stuck-on stuff.) ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/9 "2008-04-27T08:04:35Z")
[QUOTE=Buckler of Swashing] Inter-roommate politics indeed. I load the dishwasher with all identical cutlery types together. My house-mate does not.\* \*Why? For the love of Og, _why?_ _cries_ [/QUOTE] My dishwasher instructions suggested the random mixed-up method maximizes cleaning, so that’s why I do it. (I.e., two forks nested together will not present as many surfaces to be swept clean of…all that stuff.) ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/10 "2008-04-27T08:06:20Z")
[QUOTE=brujaja] Okay, I know it’s trivial, but it matters to me. …As you might suspect, yes, you are adding fuel to the fire of inter-roommate politics. But I won’t quote you personally. 😃 [/QUOTE] The rule in our house has evolved to: Barring negligence that could result in actual health hazards or gastric disturbances, if someone does not like the way something is done–dishes or any other kind of housework–that person is free to take on the job. Forever. Amazingly, there are very few complaints. ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/11 "2008-04-27T08:28:31Z")
They go into the dishwasher in a very random way. I sort them into the draw once they’re cleaned. Downside of being a modern man is I get to do all the housework, the upside is it’s always done to my standards. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Them](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Them](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Them)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/12 "2008-04-27T08:59:23Z")
Good heavens. Have you people never worked in a restaurant?! Procedure: 1)Soak in soapy water, all of them (I use an old ice cream tub I keep in the sink) 2)Use sponge to get bits off 3)Rinse in running and/or poisonous water (poison being whatever that stuff it is that restaurants use) 4)Put in drainer, _business end DOWN_; you want your grimy hands touching the part you’re about to eat with? You rich lazy brats with your dishwashers and electrical light-bulbs and shoes and all that newfangled sh\*t… ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/13 "2008-04-27T09:31:22Z")
Dump load of cutlery into sink, to one side. Put a dash of soap on sponge. Wet cutlery. Close faucet. Scrub each item, transferring to other side of sink. Open faucet again; rinse cutlery (dangerous items must be rinsed individually for safety reasons, others can be done in handfuls so long as I make sure all pieces are rinsed thoroughly). Deposit in basket: sharp knives go business-end-down; large items (carving knife, ladles) to one side, making sure there isn’t too much contact with underlying surface. Forks, spoons and those knives I have which don’t cut anything tougher than york ham (they don’t even cut salami well) go business-end-up, as that means more of their surface gets into direct contact with the air. The other day I yelled at Mom for putting her sharp knives (the ones made from surgical steel, which make T-bones peel off the bone just by glaring at them) business-end-up. I’m not interested in running to the hospital with somebody’s fingers in an ice-filled zipped bag! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/14 "2008-04-27T09:50:31Z")
I keep the sharp stuff separate. The rest goes in the hot soapy water. I pick up 3 or 4 at a time and scrub them, then rinse them and chuck them in the drainer willy nilly. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/15 "2008-04-27T10:39:18Z")
When I am putting flatware into the dishwasher I generally put the “business-end” up. I don’t have a concrete theory as to why; I was either told or I read somewhere that this results in cleaner flatware. I do not sort it by type. (Spoon, fork, knife, etc.) Whichever flatware slot in the dishwasher is least full is where it goes. (My theory, such as it is, being that the more spread-out the flatware is, the cleaner it wil be.) FWIW, I would like to know which side the OP is on. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/16 "2008-04-27T12:22:59Z")
[QUOTE=brujaja] Okay, I know it’s trivial, but it matters to me. How many of you, when washing silverware, separate it out (i.e., forks together, spoons together, etc.) as you put it in the dish drainer? (or load the dishwasher this way.) Do you put it business-end up, or business-end down? Bonus question: Do you wash silverware by putting it all into one big container and swishing it around with some soapy water? And then put it in the drainer however you happen to pick it up? As you might suspect, yes, you are adding fuel to the fire of inter-roommate politics. But I won’t quote you personally. 😃 [/QUOTE] I’ve never even thought of putting in the compartments by “type.” But it’s a fantastic idea and I’m going to try it as I assemble the next load. The worst part of dishwasher technique is putting the silverware away. P.S.: Don’t nest your spoons. Put some up and some down so they get clean. P.P.S.: My girlfriend lives with her mother and her mentally “off the beam” brother. He accuses her of something just short of attempted murder if she puts knives in pointy-end up. ---
**Author:** ![FourPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e0b2c6/32.png) [@FourPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FourPaws)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/17 "2008-04-27T14:33:44Z")
[QUOTE=brujaja] Okay, I know it’s trivial, but it matters to me. How many of you, when washing silverware, separate it out (i.e., forks together, spoons together, etc.) as you put it in the dish drainer? (or load the dishwasher this way.) Do you put it business-end up, or business-end down? Bonus question: Do you wash silverware by putting it all into one big container and swishing it around with some soapy water? And then put it in the drainer however you happen to pick it up? As you might suspect, yes, you are adding fuel to the fire of inter-roommate politics. But I won’t quote you personally. 😃 [/QUOTE] Business end up, but I don’t care if spoons, knives, and forks mingle. ---
**Author:** ![chicken\_wire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@chicken\_wire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicken_wire)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/18 "2008-04-27T14:57:30Z")
I don’t get asked to wash up much, I take too long (but the results are great). Fill the sink with the hot water and detergent. All the cutlery goes in the sink, if it’s not there already. The dirty crockery and glassware on one side of the sink. Start washing the glasses first, then the plates, then anything else not too cruddy. Before I go for anything that’s really going to muddy the waters, it’s the cutlery’s turn. Remove each piece one at a time, cleaning with the dishcloth and other brushy scouring devices as required. I get in between the tines of forks and such with the brush. Group the knives, forks and spoons by type, business end up, in a recently washed tumbler or mug (or three). Then do the pans and such. Wipe down the side recently vacated and set up the drain rack thingy. Empty sink. Rinse everything on the way back across to the rack. _Then_ dry and put away. If I had to do it all the time there’d be a real conflict of interests between speeding up the process and thoroughness. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/19 "2008-04-27T15:42:21Z")
I give each piece a soapy wipe (hate finding dried food on my fork!). It all goes into the drying rack business end up _except_ the major knives. A former roommate of mine very seriously slashed his hand on a knife that was pointy side up in a drying rack. He’s got a seriously cool scar now. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054/20 "2008-04-27T15:49:34Z")
This will throw a runcible spoon in your poll: My husband and I have been married for almost 13 years. He came to the marriage with a set of stainless flatware, as did I. To this day, he eats with “his” silverware, and I eat with mine. No particular reason, and we’re not particular about using the other’s if we run out, we just automatically reach for our own forks. I think one reason is that our silverware drawers are extremely shallow and won’t accommodate all the silver, so we have to separate it. So when I load the dishwasher, I put “his” in one compartment and “mine” in another. Business side DOWN. One of these days I’ll mix up the silver in the drawers and surprise him and then he’ll know we are well and truly married. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-do-this/447054.md?page=2)