Eating dinner is an everyday occurrence. So is cleaning up from the meal. Do this ONE THING to make cleaning dishes easier and quicker after meals.
I swear, didn’t I just feed these people yesterday? And they want dinner again tonight? The nerve of them!
Sure, it’s quick and easy to just pop a pre-made meal in the microwave or oven, but I prefer to cook meals from scratch. I enjoy cooking, and I like to know exactly what goes into the food I feed my family. The downside…. lots of dishes. Some nights I make some of those wonderful one-pan meals, although it still dirties more than that one pan (think cutting board and knives, cooking utensils, etc.). Other nights I make more extravagant meals, such as Garlic and Herb Cheese Fondue, and that’s where the dishes really start to pile up.
Even though it makes a mess, I still cook those meals. Why? Because cooking is still fun for me. Because they are meals we enjoy as a family. And because being in the kitchen is a peaceful place for me in the evenings.
The part I don’t enjoy? The clean-up. Seriously. Grimy pans covered in oil and bits of whatever was cooking. Utensils with food crusted to them. Rings around the pan from the water or sauce line when you boil something. Not to mention any of the other small gadgets with food that seems infused into the sides. It’s just gross!
Originally Published On: August 24, 2017
Last Updated On: April 3, 2020
Do this ONE THING
Throughout my years of cooking and baking, I have learned one trick that saves me a lot of time cleaning after we enjoy those delicious meals at dinner time:
Soak your pots and pans in water as soon as you can!
It’s as simple as that! I know some people who clean as they go. But some meals, like my Hawaiian Chicken Recipe, you have to continuously stir. So trying to clean as you work is just not possible.
Cleaning after Meals FAQ
Why does soaking work?
The water starts to break down and loosen anything left in the pan. Then when you go to clean it after dinner is over, you don’t have to scrub so hard. Depending on the meal, I’ve had some pans that I’ve had to leave soak overnight because the food was so stuck to the pan.
Hot or cold water?
When doing dishes, you should always use warm to hot water. I have my water as hot as I can handle it and keep a pair of cleaning gloves under the sink for those times I need the water even hotter. Typically, when cleaning dishes, you are cleaning off oil and grease. The hot water will help to melt anything on the pan, and also helps kill any bacteria as well.
What if the pan is still hot?
If the water is also already hot, then you may be ok to fill the pan. I typically wait until it cools just a little. You never want to run cold water on a hot pan because it can warp your pan. The metal expands when it’s hot and putting it under cold water that quickly can cause it to shift shape slightly as it retracts.
Why does this save time?
In my experience, it helps save a lot of time because I am not fighting to scrub the pans. If I let them soak even for 10-15 minutes while I clean up other things from dinner, such as our plates and cutlery, I can clean the pots and pans just as quickly. When the food has been crusted/baked/burned into the pan, it takes a lot more effort to scour the pan to get it off. You can also destroy the finishing on the pan if you start to scrub too hard or use abrasive materials to wash the pan. I prefer to use a scrubbing brush made for dishes, it’s soft enough to not damage my cookware, and doesn’t start to smell like a washrag does.
What if it’s too late and the pot/pan is really bad?
I start by trying to soak with some dishwashing soap in the pan. Usually, this will get most things out for me. Otherwise, I found a blog post here that details How To Clean the Absolute Toughest Pots & Pans.
My Nightly Routine
To help out, here’s my typical nightly routine:
- Cook dinner
- Clean as I go as much as possible
- Enjoy dinner with my family
- Soak any pots/pans as needed
- Start washing everything else
- Clean the pots/pans last after they’ve soaked
- Finish by wiping down the counters and stovetop
When I follow this routine, I find that cleaning after meals isn’t too bad. Some dishes are worse than others. But this makes it go pretty quickly.
You title totally snagged me! Ha! Thanks for the tip. Soaking definitely saves a lot of scrubbing time.
I see so many people scrub and scrub. Just soaking, even for 5-10 minutes, can make such a difference!
Super love the idea!!! I honestly had no idea that soaking helps that much, super cool…
Oh my gosh, it helps so much when you go to wash the dishes!
Love this cleaning idea I do some soaking the Pan before I cleaning it my mom told me about that. these tips would help a lot to save time cleaning in the kitchen.
I am all for anything that saves time cleaning the kitchen!
Soaking is always great advice. My dad has always taught me to clean up as I go along while cooking too, as there are then less dishes to do at the end – it makes such a difference!
I try to clean as I cook as much as possible, too. But some meals just don’t have the downtime needed for that. So, that’s when I make sure to soak dishes while we eat so it’s easier to clean up afterwards.
I soak pans and pots once in a while as I am the only one that uses it and I don’t have anything that really sticks to the pans. But, I always wash in hot waters and also soak in hot water (even month is burners).
The hot water is what really makes a difference when cleaning up the dishes, even if you don’t soak them beforehand.
Usually by the time I get done cooking, the last thing I want to do is clean dishes. I can definitely throw the pots in the sink and let them soak to make up clean up time easier. Thank you!
I hate washing the dishes, too. But soaking them for a bit definitely makes the job easier!
I always dread washing the dishes after cooking and eating dinner. But soaking them in the sinks helps a lot. I also use warm water all the time
Yes to this! Soaking is so important. I soak my pans immediately after cooking with them while we eat. It makes washing up so much easier!
I am all for making cleanups easier! Cleaning up after dinner is the worst because it is usually late and I am so tired!
100% agree. If you don’t get those pots and pans in water.. FORGET it!! Countless hours cleaning dried off gunk. Such a smart Idea.
Great cleaning tips. My problem is I stop at the soaking step on the list and they soak all week. Haha
This is a great routine. I actually do always soak my pots and pans – how else could I get them clean?!
I was surprised how many people don’t do this one sple thing. Grest article and soaking asap is the key!
I agree with soaking. I do this for 15 to 30minutes and cleaning is much easier. Warm to hot water is way better, and I never leave the kitchen dirty before bedtime. Feels good waking up and being greeted with a clean kitchen in the morning.