Best method for doing dishes by hand?

Haha how weird...I've always washed dishes your way, and I thought it was the best way to do it...you're totally right, because how would dishes get clean soaking in leftover food? Gross

Don't let her get to you. Becoming a mother-in-law is a big life change, just like getting married. Anyway, there's no right or wrong. As long as all the surfaces get soaped up and rinsed with hot water, it's fine. Complete sterilization is not achievable and isn't even all that desirable with normally healthy people.

you're doing it the same way i do it, your mother in laws way is the way my grandma does it, which i think it gross but when im at her house i do it her way when she's not looking before we eat i wash my dish my way before she can even see me lol. i know rude but i agree with the whole bath thing =)

hmmm i think your way is better, in terms of cleanlineness. i have been doing dishes your way and have wondered if there is a better way. i guess our way is good. i think the way your mother-in-law does it is gross, but i wouldn't say anything to her unless you want drama. in-laws are annoying ;/

I wash dishes by hand just as you do but don't see anything wrong with either method. As long as you get all the food off and rinse well in water to get the detergent off, that's what matters. One batch of water to clean and one to get the detergent off. I see no benefit to soaking the dishes in hot soapy water except if food needs to be soaked off. Don't see how that would get rid of bacteria unless the water was almost boiling or had bleach in it.

I completely agree with your way. My grandfather does the dishes the same way your mother-in-law does it. It's completely disgusting whenever he washes the dishes. But, you shouldn't tell her "No, you're wrong!" This is just a stupid reason for your mother-in-law to pick on you and show her superior in the house. She pretty much is superior over you because she's older (and possibly in some points wiser) and it is her son. You can't except a son to just dump away his family for you. Besides, she might come in handy for advice in the future.

Sweetie, I guess your M-I-L never worked outside of the home. She had all the time in the world to be fancy schmancy about it. Actually, you're both doing dishes in an acceptable manner. Half of the world would be dead by now from bacteria if she was right. Just do it her way when she's around, because every time your hubby gets a cough or flu, she'll say it's because of your dish washing method. Just use hot water and you'll be fine.

Everyone I know has always run a sink full of water and soap and place dishes in the water and scrub them. If someone in your family has the flu or bad cold, use some chlorine bleach in the wash water and allow their utensils to soak for a minute to kill the germs. Ask your mother-in-law if she would buy you a dishwasher - that will settle the arguement.

I don't think either is a wrong way. My mother does it your mother-in-law's way. I do both. I rinse what I can off the plate, put it in the sink with soapy hot water, let it soak for a few minutes, and scrub with a washcloth. Then I return to the other sink and rinse with hot steaming water. I either dry it with a towel or set it to dry on a towel, depending on how much time I have. And this is only for dishes and pans that don't fit in the dishwasher, or aren't dishwasher safe. Which reminds me...I have to do the dishes...Thanks.