Does A Dishwasher Save Water?

As someone who cares about the planet, you already take a lot of steps to reduce your environmental impact. You made the switch to reusable paper towels, you turn off the lights when you leave a room, and you wouldn’t dream of leaving the water running while brushing your teeth. You may have even committed to hand washing your dishes to conserve water. What you might not know, though, is that when it comes to dealing with dirty dishes, hand washing isn’t always the best way to go. In fact, using your dishwasher is likely a more eco-friendly option. 

Does a dishwasher save water compared to washing dishes by hand? Should you rinse your dirty dishes before putting them in the dishwasher? Keep reading and unlock the answers to these questions and more! 

Yes, Using a Dishwasher Saves Water. 

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This might come as a surprise, but running your dishwasher conserves more water than washing your dishes by hand, as long as you do it properly. The average kitchen faucet pours out roughly two gallons of water per minute, and it takes approximately 15 seconds for most folks to hand wash a dish. In other words, you’re probably using about half a gallon of water to clean every single one of your “normal” dishes. That doesn’t include those extra dirty pots and pans that take way longer to clean. 

In comparison, an Energy Star-certified dishwasher uses under four gallons of water for an entire cycle. Yes, you read that right. Your dishwasher uses roughly the same amount of water in an entire cycle as you’d use in about two minutes while hand washing. As long as there are more than eight dishes in the machine, you’ll save water every time you run a load. Of course, waiting until you have a full load is the most efficient option. 

What About Rinsing?

If you are thinking that pre-rinsing your dishes will reduce the amount of water your dishwasher conserves, you’re right. Fortunately, there’s no need to rinse your dishes before putting them in a modern dishwasher. 

That’s right, it’s time to kick the pre-rinse to the curb! 

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Today’s dishwashers are designed to tackle even the dirtiest dishes. In addition, pre-rinsing could prevent your appliance from doing its job. Unlike the appliances of yesteryear, modern Energy Star-approved dishwashers have sensors that tell them just how dirty the load is, so they can adjust the cycle accordingly. Rinsing your dishes off first wastes water and could cause your dishwasher to misread the soil level, preventing it from cleaning properly. 

Still Not Convinced? 

Using your dishwasher and skipping the pre-rinse doesn’t just save water. It saves money, too. According to Energy Star, the combined cost of water and electricity when washing dishes by hand averages more than $1,700 over 12 years, which is the typical lifespan of a dishwasher. In comparison, running your dishwasher for the same amount of time will only cost you around $463. Even when you factor in the upfront cost of a dishwasher, the savings are still pretty huge. 

Reducing Your Environmental Impact Even Further

Changing the type of detergent you use reduces your ecological footprint, too. Switch to plastic-free dishwasher tablets, and you’ll be doing your part to keep your dishes clean without worrying about contributing to plastic waste in landfills. Plus, our dishwasher tablets do an exceptional job of removing even the most stubborn stuck-on food. They even cut through grease, leaving nothing behind but sparkling clean dishes. 

While we don’t recommend pre-rinsing your dishes, it’s a good idea to scrape large pieces of food into the trash. Instead of using a disposable paper towel, try a reusable one. It will get the job done just as easily and doesn’t create any additional waste. 

When you must wash something by hand, use as little water as possible. Instead of letting the water run while you scrub, turn it off after dampening your sponge or dishcloth. Then, just turn it back on for a quick rinse when you’re finished. 

Conclusion

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If hand-washing dishes is one of your least favorite chores, you should be thrilled to learn that using a dishwasher is a more eco-friendly option. We recommend running full loads whenever possible, but as long as you’re washing at least eight dishes at a time, using your dishwasher is still the best option. And when you use plastic-free dishwasher tablets from EarthBreeze, you’ll be taking an extra step to reduce your environmental impact.