Guest Blogger: Which Saves More Water – A Dishwasher or Sink?

Guest Blog #80, Entry #530, May 22, 2011

If you talk to different homeowners, many of them swear up and down that they love their dishwashers, why others still prefer to use the traditional sink to wash their dishes. While either preference has its pros and cons, have you ever considered which one uses more water, and which one saves water?

Which saves more water? A dishwasher or a sink?

Image courtesy of Kitchen interior Design

Today, Guest Blogger, Amy Fowler gives tips for deciding which cleaning method, dishwasher or hand washing dishes in the sink will save you water, and which may be better for your home.

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Since the day the dishwasher first appeared on shop shelves, the argument for and against them has continued with no set conclusion in sight.

The reality is that advances in technology have led to the production of increasingly more efficient dishwashers that use less and less water. In fact, the dishwashers of today use considerably less water than would be required to wash the same amount of dishes by hand.

For example, approximately 1,000 gallons of water per year is required in order to wash one full load of dishes every two days. Using sinks and taps to wash the equivalent amount of dishes would use approximately 6,000 gallons a year.

How do sink and dishwashers compare for saving water?

Image courtesy of C Bath

While these statistics would make it appear plainly obvious that the dishwasher is the more environmentally friendly option, things are never that simple. Many people rinse their dishes before they place them in the dishwasher – this alone uses around an extra 20 gallons of water per load. By rinsing first, the total amount of water used is almost equal to that used in hand washing.

There is also the environmental cost of producing and transporting the dishwasher itself to consider. Vast amounts of fuels are needed in the production of large white goods such as dishwashers, and considering the often limited lifespan of a dishwasher (around 10 years) there is also the intermittent impact of replacing the dishwasher to take into consideration.

In contrast, not only is the production of the alternative sink and tap considerably more environmentally friendly but good quality products (try Franke sinks as an example) should last for many decades, therefore removing the impact of replacing said goods on a regular basis.

There is also the point that dishwashers use quite large amounts of electricity to complete a cycle. This is in comparison to the sink and tap combination which in most cases, uses none. Hand washing is definitely the more economical option with regards to energy use should the sink be filled with hot water, then the tap turned off whilst the washing up is completed.

Drawer dishwashers are ideal for smaller loads

Image courtesy of Home Appliances

Yet both man and machine can be harmful to the environment for one reason – both dishwashing tablets and washing up liquids are very bad for the environment and human health. Not only do they leak harmful pollutants into the water (which not only harms wildlife but eventually ends up in our drinking water) but when the products are used they release pollutants into the surrounding air which will enter the lungs.  Thankfully, there are environmentally friendly alternatives to both products. While these often cost slightly more than chemical equivalents, the knowledge that you, your family and the environment are safe should make the extra expense more than worth it.

However, if you are going to shun the sink and embrace the dishwasher, take these four points into consideration:

1. – Only ever run the dishwasher on a full load
2. – Don’t rinse the dishes before they are placed in the machine
3. – Use the coldest wash possible
4. – Buy ecological dishwasher tablets

By following these points it shouldn’t matter whether you choose to purchase Franke sinks for long-term washing, or whether you choose to leave the dishwashing duties to the dishwasher alone. By following the above four tips, you can ensure that using a dishwasher is as environmentally friendly as possible, regardless of the long anticipated conclusion to the never-ending dishwashing debate.

This article was written by Amy Fowler on behalf of The Kitchen Appliance Centre. Amy writes on a variety of topics including ways to help the environment by investing in quality, long-lasting products such as Franke sinks.

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