Save Money and Recycle While Washing Dishes

That horrible shower gel you got as a prize at a bridal shower or that shampoo that sets your hair on end can be used to presoak pots and pans. Just add a couple of teaspoons to the pan or baking dish along with enough hot water to cover the burned-on food and wait. Shower gels and shampoos along with liquid hand soap that strips oil from our skin or hair are perfect for getting tough grease out of cookware. And they soften baked-on food sometimes better than dish soap. You can even get cheap shampoo from Wal-Mart for about a dollar a bottle, which is less expensive than dish soap.

You know those green plastic baskets you get your blueberries in? You can use them on the top rack of your dishwasher. They hold small items like lids, which would normally slip through the holes in your dishwasher rack.

And they can do double duty recycling. When I am ready to change contact lens cases, I put my old contact lens case and its two lids open side down in one berry basket. I place a second berry basket on top to hold the lens case down so it doesn't fly free in the dishwasher. This position also allows the lens case to drain completely between cycles. And, the wash cycle along with the chlorinated detergent disinfect the case thoroughly. Be sure to close the lids on the case when it is dry, and store it in a clean place.

If you are getting white flakes on your dishes and pans after the complete cycle of your dishwasher, you are using too much dishwasher detergent. If you have soft water, it will not dissolve all the soap completely. Extra detergent is unnecessary if you rinse the leftover food from your dishes before you load them in the dishwasher. We have found that our dishes have no residue on them if we just fill the prewash soap dispenser. The dishes don't need washed twice. You've already done it. You may be able to use a shorter cycle or one less rinse cycle. This will save you money on your water and energy bills.

Here are a couple of additional timesaving tips:

Did you know you can clean your combs in your dishwasher's silverware rack? And your hairbrushes may be top rack dishwasher safe? Just remember to remove all the hair first.

You can use a bottle brush to clean wire whisks easily. Just push the brush gently through the tines of the whisk.