# To rinse or not to rinse **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817 "2003-10-16T18:00:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mukluk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@Mukluk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mukluk)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/1 "2003-10-16T18:00:34Z")
Do you, or should you rinse your dishes after they are hand washed? Why or why not? Mrs. Mukluk and I have been having a regular discussion lately (at about 6:30 PM each night) šŸ™‚ about this and are wondering what dopers think. I was sure this would have been in the archives, but it doesnā€™t seem to be. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/2 "2003-10-16T18:28:09Z")
Soap can act as a powerful diuretic if its residue is not completely removed from eating surfacs. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/3 "2003-10-16T18:48:34Z")
Rinse. Thatā€™s always been a peeve of mine in one of my favorite movies, _Bedrooms & Hallways_. Darren and Leo are talking while cleaning up after breakfast. Leo is just stacking them to dry after washing them. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/4 "2003-10-16T19:00:48Z")
Iā€™m extremely anal about rinsing, especially cups. Iā€™ve been known to rinse a cup for over a minute. I donā€™t know what Iā€™d do without a dishwasherā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![breaknrun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@breaknrun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breaknrun)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/5 "2003-10-16T19:28:00Z")
You mean you wash the dishes, in soapy water I presume, and not rinse them afterwards? Doesnā€™t your next meal taste soapy? The few times I have failed to thoroughly rinse a drinking glass , I have tasted the soap the next time I drank from that glass. Soapy milk is just yuckky. Iā€™m not especially finicky either, I mean I once wrestled a chunk of beef brisket out of my dogā€™s mouth and ate it (seasoning tip: barbecue sauce covers up dog drool just fine.) In my defense, I donā€™t usually spend much effort cooking for myself and that brisket was 3 hours worth of work. ---
**Author:** ![Mukluk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@Mukluk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mukluk)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/6 "2003-10-17T00:59:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*Soap can act as a powerful diuretic if its residue is not completely removed from eating surfacs. \*\* Interesting, you wouldnā€™t happen to have a cite for that would you? As for the tast, Iā€™ve never really tasted soap before, I just never liked the idea of the possibility of having it in my food or drink. (I ate enough soap as a kidā€¦ šŸ˜› ) ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/7 "2003-10-17T05:04:39Z")
Is this even a question? How could you not rinse? Do you mean that she just pulls the dishes out of the soapy slimy nasty water and stacks them to dry? Ew! FWIW, the standard restaurant/health-department approved method for wanshing dishes is to use 3 steps: wash, rinse, sanitize. Sanitizing is putting the dishes in a weak disinfecting/bleach solution for a certain number of minutes. At home, people donā€™t usually sanitize, but as far as I know, rinsing is pretty standard. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/8 "2003-10-17T10:01:03Z")
What about people who skip rincing and dry immediately? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/9 "2003-10-17T12:57:13Z")
This canā€™t be a serious question. I mean, do you rinse YOURSELF after washing? Well then why the fuck wouldnā€™t you rinse something you eat off of? Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/10 "2003-10-17T13:18:14Z")
Many people find the soap quite sufficiently gone after drip-dry or certainly wipe-dry. Is it really necessary to swear at them? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/11 "2003-10-17T13:54:36Z")
How much soap are people using who donā€™t rinse? My dishes are covered in suds when Iā€™m done washing them, no amount of dripping or wiping is going to get rid of that. I always rinse until there isnā€™t any soap left before putting them on the drying rack. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/12 "2003-10-17T14:08:48Z")
I think the OP is a little bit vague. If he means ā€œdo you wash (soak, soap, sponge, run under clear water, put in drainer to dry) your dishes, then, before putting them away, run them under clear water again?ā€ then, no, I donā€™t. But if he means soak, soap, sponge, put directly in the drainer without running under clear water, then thatā€™s just plain wrong. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/13 "2003-10-17T14:09:06Z")
I certainly rinse, because as many people before have stated, the dishes, cups, etc., are covered with soap suds. Perhaps we are misinterperting the OP somehow? ---
**Author:** ![Scarf-Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Scarf-Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarf-Ace)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/14 "2003-10-17T14:09:17Z")
In defense of non-rinsers: the surface of most crockery and cutlery is smooth - the dirty water runs off fairly quickly leaving negligible residue. If however I was washing something with a rougher surface I would definitely rinse. Have done it this way all my life and never once tasted soap. ---
**Author:** ![Mukluk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@Mukluk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mukluk)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/15 "2003-10-17T14:29:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bonnie Chancie \* > \*\*ā€¦If so, ask the Ann Landers question - are you better off with him or without him. If the former, do all the dishes yourself and taste your food right again. \*\* Actually this isnā€™t a relationship issue for Mrs. Mukluk and I, we both rinse our dishes (despite having a single sink - a double sink would be easier). The topic of discussion for us is that some of our relatives are ā€œnonrinsersā€ and are quite happy in their ignorance of the merits of rinsing. Kalhoun: I can see that you are quite passionate about your dish rinsing. Iā€™m glad that we are in agreement - I certainly wouldnā€™t want to be on your bad side on this. Imagine your reaction to a more substantive subject! ---
**Author:** ![Mukluk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@Mukluk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mukluk)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/16 "2003-10-17T14:34:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by norinew \* > \*\*I think the OP is a little bit vague. If he means ā€œdo you wash (soak, soap, sponge, run under clear water, put in drainer to dry) your dishes, then, before putting them away, run them under clear water again?ā€ then, no, I donā€™t. But if he means soak, soap, sponge, put directly in the drainer without running under clear water, then thatā€™s just plain wrong. \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SirRay \* > \*\*I certainly rinse, because as many people before have stated, the dishes, cups, etc., are covered with soap suds. > Perhaps we are misinterperting the OP somehow? \*\* No misinterpretation - the question is indeed do you rinse in clear water after washing in soapy water, or do you wash in soapy water and place on the drainer to let the water and soap (hopefully) drip off. Most people seem to rinse - are there any more who donā€™t rinse??? It would be especially entertaining to get a militant nonrinser to go head to head with Kalhoun! šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/17 "2003-10-17T14:40:23Z")
Also note that dirt and grime gets stuck to the soap, per [Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_398.html) so if the soap doesnā€™t get completely rinsed away, the dirt stays. ---
**Author:** ![breaknrun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@breaknrun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breaknrun)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/18 "2003-10-17T16:36:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meta-Gumble \* > \*\*In defense of non-rinsers: the surface of most crockery and cutlery is smooth - the dirty water runs off fairly quickly leaving negligible residue. If however I was washing something with a rougher surface I would definitely rinse. > > Have done it this way all my life and never once tasted soap. \*\* Yeah but soap is sticky and it sticks to the dish, not the water so the dirty runoff water isnā€™t gonna carry all the soap with it. Maybe it has to do with dishwashing technique or how much soap is in the water in the first place but I can almost always feel (and definitely taste) soap residue on the glasses after a casual rinse. ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/19 "2003-10-17T17:00:54Z")
Didnā€™t used to (growing up and living in Ireland) do since I moved to Sweden and **mrsIteki** nearly died when I did the dishes. She still tells people about the barbaric Irish. Then they laugh at me. ā˜¹ I understand its partially cultural, read something a while back about how the danes donā€™t rinse either, but then that could have been just propoganda šŸ˜ƒ To make it a bit clearer for those who canā€™t get their heads around it, here is how it used to go: Fill sink with hot water, add washing up liquid. Wash items in order of dirtyness (all should have been scraped off and rinsed quickly under hot water before this to loosen ā€œthe worstā€). So, glasses, then cutlery, then plates, finally pots etc. Put plate in soapy water, scrub with brush, take from soapy water, put in rack. Yeah, itā€™s disgusting, but it never bothered me at the time. Same as with the shoes/carpet deal. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817/20 "2003-10-17T20:29:29Z")
Any soap residue in the glass will ruin the head on beer. Rinse is required for beer steins. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-rinse-or-not-to-rinse/207817.md?page=2)