Washing-up mistakes you’re making including ‘correct’ order to tackle the dishes

Washing-up is a chore that no one enjoys, especially if you’ve let it pile up.

But if you often find yourself having to re-wash your pots and pans, you’re probably cleaning them all wrong.

Experts have shared the most common mistakes you’re making and how to fix them – including the order you should wash up in.

Before you get started, you need to invest in a pair of marigolds, says Good Housekeeping.

Wearing rubber gloves will allow you to increase the temperature of the water, which helps to kill off germs and break down grease.

“Bacteria can thrive in cooler temperatures, so hotter water can kill nasty germs as well as break down grease, giving you a shiny and clean wash”, it explains.

Ensure to scrape your plates thoroughly before attempting to wash them up.

Leaving food debris on your dishes will not only clog your drain but also makes your scrubbing redundant as you’ll just be smearing grease and grime around the plate.

Soaking them in hot, soapy water will also make washing much easier.

Using dirty sponges or brushes is another reason why your plates aren’t coming up clean.

Although they may look clean, they hold a lot of bad bacteria, so you’ll just end up spreading the germs.

Good Housekeeping suggests machine-washing any cloths regularly and cleaning slightly damp non-metal sponges in the microwave for 40 seconds.

However, it’s not only important to have a clean brush, but the right brush.

Using a brush with a rough scourer could damage items that are made with plastic or anything with delicate patterns. For these dishes, use a cloth instead.

And you could also be washing up in the wrong order.

Throwing all of your dirty kitchenware into one sink is a major no-no as all of the bacteria and germs will spread.

Instead, begin by washing your glasses, then mugs and side plates.

Follow up with any large plates and cutlery.

Then, tackle any serving plates, pans and trays as these tend to be the dirtiest.