Table of Contents
*This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
When your goal is to trim down expenses as much as possible, it is important to understand how the impact of your regular actions around the house may affect your recurring expenses. Washing dishes in inevitably a regular chore in many households, and this is not a process that is free of charge. After all, everything from heated water and soap, energy for the dishwasher and more can impact your cost associated with washing dishes. By learning how to save money when washing dishes, you can more easily reduce your regular expenses and enjoy the benefit of financial savings going forward.
You Can Save Money When Washing Dishes If You…
Preparing meals and snacks at home can save you money in comparison to dining out, but this action inevitably results in the need to do dishes regularly. The good news is that there are numerous steps that you can take when you want to know how to save money when washing dishes at home that are highly effective at producing desired results. Consider following some or all of these tips going forward to save money on this important task.
1. Wash Your Dishes By Hand
If you are looking for an excellent way to save money when washing dishes, consider avoiding the convenience associated with using a dishwasher. Instead, spend your time washing dishes by hand. You may use less water and energy overall when you take this step. This is because you will only need to fill the sink with soapy water once and run the tap intermittently to rinse dishes in comparison to using a voluminous amount of water and energy to run the dishwasher. In addition, liquid dish soap may be used more scarcely than dishwasher detergent, and it is also more affordable to buy.
2. Avoid Running the Water Non-Stop When Washing the Dishes
If you intend to save money on your dishwashing chore by washing your dishes by hand, remember that the use of water costs you extra money. One way to conserve water with this process and to save money while you are washing dishes is to turn the faucet off when you are scrubbing dishes in the soapy water. Instead, only run the tap when you are actively rinsing your dishes. Consider washing several dishes and placing them in the empty side of the sink. When you have multiple dishes that are ready to rinse, turn the fresh water on so that you can rinse them all at the same time. You can also gather together a larger load to wash by hand rather than washing your dishes after each meal.
Bonus read: How to Save Money on Soap
3. Use Coupons for Dish Soap and Detergent
Regardless of how you wash your dirty dishes, you can also learn how to save money when washing dishes through the use of coupons. You can often find in-store or online coupons on popular brands of liquid dish soap and dishwasher detergent. Remember, however, that items with coupons are not always the best deal available. For example, a generic brand may be more affordable than a leading brand that has a coupon available on it. Carefully analyze the cost of each item that you may be suitable for your needs. Taking available coupons into consideration, determine which products may be most affordable to buy and use overall. Pay attention to how many loads you can complete for the price to find the true value.
4. Avoid a Heated Drying Cycle
If you need or want to use your dishwasher, remember that the heated drying cycle can use a substantial amount of energy. You could potentially save a considerable amount of money while washing your dishes regularly in your dishwasher when you simply turn the heated drying cycle off. If you are concerned about water spots on your dishes, you can always pull the wet dishes out of the dishwasher to dry them yourself with a towel. Over the weeks and months to come, this effort can save you a small fortune.
5. Only Run the Dishwasher When You Have a Full Load
Your dishwasher will use the same amount of water and energy to wash a full load of dishes as it will use to wash a light or partial load of dishes. You can decrease the number of times that you use water and energy for this purpose by only turning on the dishwasher when you have a full load. Another great idea is to pull very large items out of the dishwasher to wash by hand. This will free up additional space in the dishwasher to place multiple smaller items in it. Avoid over-filling the dishwasher. When you load a dishwasher too full, all of the dishes may not get cleaned. This could actually result in the need to re-wash dishes, which does have a cost associated with it as well.
Recommended read: How to Save Money on Electric Bill
6. Use a Low-Flow Water Faucet
Regardless of whether you are using your sink to pre-wash or rinse dishes before placing them in the dishwasher or to wash your dishes by hand, you can decrease the amount of water used by investing in a low-flow faucet. This type of faucet may also use less hot water to keep your energy bill as low as possible. If you have been wondering how to save money when washing dishes, you will see that this is an affordable upgrade that could continue to save you money on water and energy costs for years to come.
7. Invest in a Tankless Water Heater
Because hot water is necessary when you pre-wash or hand-wash your dishes, you should consider ways to save money on heated water. A tankless water heater only heats water on demand, so you do not have to pay for a tank to keep water heated for long hours each day when you are not using it. A tankless water heater may also help you to save money on heated water when cleaning the house, bathing and more. If your current hot water heater needs to be replaced soon, consider the benefits associated with upgrading to a tankless model.
8. Upgrade to a More Energy Efficient Dishwasher
If you are focused on finding out how to save money when washing dishes, a closer look at your dishwasher is in order. You may think that all models of dishwashers use roughly the same amount of water and energy to run, but this is not the case. By reviewing some of the many dishwasher models available for sale today, you may discover that some dishwasher models have considerably better ratings in these areas than others. Upgrading now could result in ongoing savings each time you wash dishes in the future.
