Want to save time, water, money, and energy? Make post-meal cleanup less of a chore with less of an impact on your bank account, your pipes, and the environment by skipping the sink and letting your dishwasher do the work it is meant to do.
Scrape, Load, Run
Scrape as much excess food as you can into your compost pail or trash, then load and run your dishwasher. A few minutes of running your faucet uses more water — and energy if you’re running it hot — than a full dishwasher cycle.
Plus, today’s dishwashers are powerful and efficient enough that a pre-rinse is rarely needed.
Keep It Cool and Flowing
Scraping your dishes instead of rinsing keeps more potential junk that can cause clogs out of your pipes. And more hot water down your drain makes it harder to keep the Tualatin River as cool as it needs to be to stay healthy — especially as we adapt to increasingly warm temperatures in the summer.
Did You Know?
You can save about 100 gallons of water a week and about $135 on your electric bill every year by skipping the sink.
More Ways to Save
For items that can’t go in the dishwasher, fill the sink or a tub with soapy water for scrubbing and only turn on the faucet to rinse — preferably with cold water.
Looking to save even more water, money, and energy while helping to keep our streams and river clean?
- Wash your laundry in cold water.
- Take even slightly shorter or cooler showers.
- Go to a professional carwash rather than washing your vehicle at home.
Learn more about the benefits of skipping the sink, as well as other water-saving tips, from our Regional Water Providers.