Changing my ways- saving energy and water

I have an old Belfast sink and an aluminium bowl. No plastic in my kitchen.
I’m saving gas by washing up many things, like animal bowls, in cold water. I also wash my hands in cold water. I avoid ever turning on the hot tap.
Washing machine running at 30 degrees. Bathing in 6” of water.p
I never give bacteria a thought.

Blooming heck I ve used washing up bowls since I first left home 57 years ago they ve never ever harmed me I can’t take life that seriously
If you really want to save fuel BB ditch your dishwasher I have never seen the point in them by the time you ve rinsed and stacked you could have washed the whole lot by hand not to mention the expense of special detergents and stuff to clean the Appliance with

tanith

What’s the advantage of plug in a washing bowl when you can just tip the water out? What am I missing?

I can’t tip the washing up bowl out as my only functional hand is quite weak. It’s easy to turn the plug to drain the bowl.

We don't use washing up bowls in Australia, that's what the sinks are for.

I just had my octopus bill and have compared the number of units used with last year. There is a substantial difference and I have used 30% less electricity. Simple methods of ahieving this

I turn the kettle off when I hear that loud boiling sound. I have a visible thermometer on that kettle and it always carries on rising when switched off

Anything that can be switched off at the wall has been, especially when going to bed

air fryer mostly now, not so much the oven

Pressure cooking bulk meals to freeze

slow cooker bulk meals to freeze

I only use my dishwasher very rarely now

so far so good, it has been painless.

Ive never owned a dish washer in my life. I just wait a few days for them to mount up and wash all the dishes at once. But then I live alone so waching up twice a week is plenty. Why make work?

I imagine that if you aren’t meticulous about cleaning the washing up bowl after use, then you could risk germs harbouring there that would be best avoided. However, the same could be said of just using sinks, I would have thought - they, too, need cleaning.

I have to say that I’m a bit bemused by “the dangers of a washing up bowl”, because, like anything else you use in the kitchen, if it’s cleaned between uses (ie, wiped round, including round the lip of the bowl, maybe a splash of bleach if it looks particularly grubby with tea stains, etc) and left to dry by either standing it on its side in the sink, or, if your sink is narrow like mine, placing it each side of the sink so it’s sits across the sink, then I don’t see how it is dangerous. Like other posters, wash the least soiled items first, starting with glassware, then finish with pans, followed by a good wipe round as above. Been doing this for years - still here to tell the tale ?. (I do use my dishwasher a lot, though, but the bowl is still very useful).

My washing up bowl came into its own this summer as the waste water was used to water the garden.

I saw stainless steel washing up bowls advertised recently.

I don't understand why a bowl with a drainage hole would be better than one without.

Washing up in my sink would take a lot more hot water , than using my washing up bowl.

kittylester

I doubt this would suit you, Bertha, but we don't accrue much hand washing up so leave it to accumulate and do it last thing at night.

Sometimes I might leave pans to soak overnight and, as if by magic, the kitchen wizard has washed them overnight!
I must train him to put them away as well though.

I had a Joseph draining rack and some other things but found them badly designed and not fit for purpose.

I can’t bear a cluttered sink so have never had a washing up bowl though realise that I may have to modify my water extravagant technique of quick rinse and into the dish washer which is run as full as I can get it. When I get my smart meter (visit cancelled twice) I can compared the fuel costs of different methods.

even flowers are banned now - CRAZY or what!even flowers are banned now - CRAZY or what!

There are good reasons for that.
Nurses don't have time to deal with flowers for a wardful of patients. The water in flower vases can contain bacteria as can flowers themselves.
(Not to mention what happened at Stafford Hosptal)

BigBertha1

In my time I have been an Infection Control Nurse washing up bowls were strictly frowned upon as not being as able to thoroughly clean as a stainless steel sink so I have never had one up until now. I'm am so glad my serious and thoughtful post and actions made you all laugh.

Sorry if you thought we were laughing at you, BigBertha, it was more astonishment, I think.

I was quite startled as it's something I wouldn't have thought of.
In fact, I do remember years ago there as a report that school dinner ladies in some area were being banned from wearing rubber gloves to wash up as they were found to be a source of bacterial infection.

no-one is laughing at you BigBertha, we respect what you did and what you learnt, especially about stainless steel but a stainless steel sink loses heat quickly and is not at all cost effective for washing up. For many, every penny does count

I detest the cheap modern throwaway plastics, especially the washing up bowls, they are relatively soft and scratch easily and therefore would harbour bacteria. I have one outside, would never use it inside my house. A good quality washing up bowl is made from a non-scratch plastic and has legs so that it does not scratch the sink.

I've been using washing up bowls all my life and do not seem to have any trouble with bacteria. I'm healthy, apart from a bad back. So I don't understand. I am absolutely not laughing at anyone, just surprised, that's all.

I wasn’t laughing at you either BigBertha1 - just never heard of a washing up bowl being a health hazard! I expect everything is scrutinised in a hospital setting, even flowers are banned now - CRAZY or what!

I worked across hospitals and community settings which included individual and residential homes large and small.

I got used to people laughing at us as ICNs through large MRSA outbreaks, numerous food poisoning outbreaks, HIV, etc etc but they weren't laughing during the pandemic and they won't be in the next one!

BigBertha - we were not laughing at you. Do understand that as an Infection Control Nurse, you would be aware of so many dangers around us, particularly in a hospital setting, which is where I am assuming you worked.

I would never have a stainless steel sink - detest them both to look at and to clean. Within our own homes, I am sure we keep our kitchen areas clean and hygenic, without going OTT.

I am just a little bored with all these so-called money saving tips, nearly all of which I have done for many years. And, people seem to find such expensive items to purchase in order to follow those.

Managed to survive into my eighties, so for me I must be doing something right. Mind you, the careful instructions on hand washing I received from my Infection Control nurse is something I still follow rigidly.

In my time I have been an Infection Control Nurse washing up bowls were strictly frowned upon as not being as able to thoroughly clean as a stainless steel sink so I have never had one up until now. I'm am so glad my serious and thoughtful post and actions made you all laugh.

I have a 5 litre lakeland bucket from a long time ago, when plastics were of lasting quality, it is the perfect size for standing in the shower with me and will collect shampoo residue and washing soap as well as warm water. It must collect about 4 litres and I don`t stand in the shower for long. Perfect for toilet flushing and the soaps in warm water help keep the toilet bowl white

AGAA4

I have been using cold water for some of my washing up. I only use hot for more soiled dishes. I have been washing in cold water all summer and the quick shower I have in the evening is just warm.

Are you me? The description sure sounds like me, ?

Kircubbin
My shower lasts a minute. I’m not very big ? and I don’t have much hair. ?
We have 2 litres of run off water before the hot comes in. That is captured for the garden, cooking, tea.
No water is wasted in our house.

a good quality bowl with a plug, joseph joseph has a special drainage plug which clears water away without my precious organic berries and veg going down the plug hole.