Among other benefits, hot water can clean and sanitize dishes better than cold water can.
Here are 12 reasons why you need hot water to wash dishes.
Cooking oils and fats solidify when they get cold, making them difficult to scrape off dishes.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
Soaking them in hot water with grease-fighting dish soap is the solution.
Hard water is often the culprit behind water spots, as it leaves mineral deposits as it dries.
The less time the water is on the dish or glass, the lighter the spot will be.
Dish Soap Often Works Better in Hot Water
Manydish soapswork better in hot water.
This is especially true of powdered detergents.
The heat helps to dissolve the soap, allowing it to more effectively coat your dishes as you scrub.
You’ll save money on your products while still getting the same level of clean on your dishes.
And cold water is more likely to leave behind soap residue than hot water.
The heat breaks down the soap, so it rinses away more easily.
This can make them adhere better to a dish.
Allow dishes to soak in hot water and let it do the work for you.
This reduces the risk of scratching or dropping dishes while you scrub and minimizes the risk of damage.
Thus, you’ll save some water compared to if you had used cold dishwashing water.
The tradeoff, of course, is the energy necessary to heat the water.
You Won’t Freeze Your Hands
Yes, scalding water isn’t comfortable on the skin.
But neither is icy water.
The warmer the water, the more readily the grime will lift off the surfaces.
Hot water is best for rinsing the dishes.
The hotter the water the faster the dishes will end up drying.
This means you may be able to skip the step of hand-drying.
Wet dishes can lead to bacterial growth and cause food-borne illnesses.
Repeatedly putting dishes away wet can raise the humidity levels inside cabinets causing mildew growth.
Dry your dishes completely before storing them to avoid these issues.
Making Water Safe in an Emergency.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Food and Drug Administration.
Why do we use hot water to wash clothes?.
Office for Science and Society, McGill University.
