Memory Monday: Dishwashing

My Great-grandmother Becker

Dish Washing Made a Pleasure

I keep reading from this book and see so-o-o many differences between my life and those who came before me. The following is from a 1913 book titled Things My Mother Used to Make. My maternal grandmother would have been about ten when this book was written. I’m not sure my great-grandmother really took pleasure in washing dishes for her large family.

Dish Washing Made a Pleasure, p. 104

First of all, remove all refuse from the dishes. Place them near the sink, large plates at the bottom, then the smaller ones, then saucers. Have a large pan full of very hot water. Make a good soap suds by using a soap shaker. Wash the tumblers and all glassware first, and wipe at once. Use a handle dish cloth (which can be bought for five cents), for these, as the water will be too hot for the hands. Wash the silver next. Have a large pan, in which to place the clean dishes, cups and bowls first. When all are washed pour over them boiling or very hot water, and wipe quickly. Pans and kettles come last. Always have a cake of sand soap or a can of cleaning powder, for scouring the pie plates and bottoms of kettles. It is very little work to keep baking tins and kitchen utensils in good condition, if washed perfectly clean each time they are used.

Wash the dish towels, at least once every day, and never use them for anything else. With clean hot water, clean towels, and plenty of soap dishwashing is made easy.

If you live in New England, your sink will be in front of a window. Be sure and plant just out­side of this window nasturtiums, a bed of pansies, morning glories and for fall flowers, salvia. These bright blossoms will add to your pleasure while washing dishes.

            I guess I’m missing something that make the above a pleasure. For us, we just  swipe anything left on the plates, then use the dishwasher (the electric one, not my husband). Afterwards, he puts them back in the cabinet. Now that’s a pleasure.