washing up liquids

[Jim Hawkins]

Why are these liquids so concentrated ? People naturally assume they're supposed to use them at the strength supplied. Well, the manufacturers certainly want you to use them at that strength, because that way you get through them a lot quicker - so you need to buy more. But these liquids are far more concentrated than the requirement of washing dishes calls for. A perfectly clean wash can be had with the stuff diuted 10 to 1 with tapwater. And the mixing with the washing-ip bowl tapwater will be quicker too, because of the lower viscosity. So when you empty the next container, keep it and refill it with water and 10% of the liquid from that new one !

Jim Hawkins

[stuart noble]

10 to 1? More like 100 to 1.

[ARW]

Get a dishwasher. Cheaper and cleaner than hand dish washing.

[Tim Watts]

On Monday 02 December 2013 21:07 Jim Hawkins wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Good move - people do tend to squeeze a boatload onto a sponge to wash one mug when literally a drop would do.

It's a bit different if doing a sink full of greasy stuff - then you might actually need a good squeeze!

As they used to say: Mr Coleman makes his money not from the mustard people eat, but from what they leave on their plates!

[Tim Watts]

On Monday 02 December 2013 21:25 ARW wrote in uk.d-i-y:

+1

And less boring!

And a better place to store the dirties instead of a festering mountain by the sink :)

[Artic]

Jim Hawkins scribbled...

They've also trebled the size of the spout (!) hole in recent years. A gentle squeeze shoots out a massive load...

[Tim+]

Because water is heavy and expensive to transport?

Well yes,

Um, only if you're really really stupid.

I have no problem using it by the drop if required.

Tim

[Graham.]

+1 and earlier, in another thread, I mentioned that I use only about 30g of powder in the washing machine and get good results.

[The Other Mike]

Don't get a dishwasher

By the time you've soaked the baked on difficult bits and then stacked the stuff in a precise manner in a dishwasher its already washed and draining.

Ten minutes later, after the worktops are wiped down and the rubbish placed in the dustbin the newly washed cutlery and crockery can be placed back in the cupboards.

[ARW]

Fuck that. Load the dishwasher and then press start button- you get a cleaner and a cheaper wash than hand washing.

[Bob Eager]

+1

[Jim Hawkins]

We only use the dishwasher for more than two placesettings. Much too energy-costly to use when it's just the two of us.

Jim Hawkins

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

On Mon, 2 Dec 2013 22:02:33 -0000, Artic

[Dave Liquorice]

+1

One small quick squirt probably about 5 ml into the sink does the whole washing up. Just occasionally if there is a lot of oil/fat the suds will start to disappear by the end but normally they don't. Which indicates I ought to use even less...

SWMBO'd on the other hand uses huge amounts, sink more or less overflowing with suds. A bottle will last me the best part of two months, if she does a few washes it'll be half that time. B-(

[John Rumm]

Better still, have two dishwashers, then you can have one "dirty" and one "clean" in rotation - and no need to empty one completely before loading ;-)

[meow2222]

1-2ml per 1-2 gallons is about 1 in 4000.

What one would gain by diluting to 10% I cant imagine. Would it go mouldy?

NT

[Adrian]

Gawd, no.

The serviced office I used to work in did exactly that - cheap cash'n'carry washing up liquid, runny as anything and utterly useless. To get _anything_ useful, you had to use about a quarter of the bottle. Total false economy.

[Adrian]

Indeed. And with a half litre of a "big-name" brand costing One Whole Quid...

[SteveW]

I can see one positive with diluting it in the bottle. Many people also use the washing up liquid for washing their hands in the kitchen and it is very easy to use more than needed; pre-diluting it would tend to mean less wasted.

SteveW

[mogga]

Why stop at 2? Apart from room that is.

I have a dishwasher and wouldn't be without it. Sadly the odd thing does need handwashing cos it won't fit in.