Which is more environmentally friendly: dishwasher or sink washing?

This is some information I found off of Care2.com (hope it helps):

Dishwashing Vs. Hand-Washing

Which method uses less energy? Well, it depends on how old your dishwasher is, what settings you use, and how you would wash the dishes by hand. Studies are showing more and more that, when used to maximize energy-saving features, modern dishwashers can outperform all but the most frugal hand washer.

If you currently wash dishes by hand and fill sinks or plastic tubs with water, it’s pretty easy to figure out whether you would use less water with a dishwasher. Simple measure how much water it takes to fill the wash and rinse containers. If you wash dishes by hand two or three times a day, you might be surprised to find out how much water you’re currently using. Newer dishwashers use only 3 to 10 gallons per cycle.

Scrape, Don’t Rinse

Studies show that most people pre-rinse dishes before loading them into the dishwasher. Modern dishwashers—certainly those purchased within the last 5 to 10 years—do a superb job of cleaning even heavily soiled dishes. Don’t be tempted to pre-rinse dishes before loading; simply scrape off any food and empty liquids and let the dishwasher do the rest. This will save you time as well as water and energy. If you find you must rinse dishes first, get in the habit of using cold water.

When Filling the Dishwasher

Load dishes according to manufacturer’s instructions. Completely fill the racks to optimize water and energy use, but allow proper water circulation for adequate cleaning.

Wash only full loads.

The dishwasher uses the same amount of water whether it’s half-full or completely full. Putting dishes in the dishwasher throughout the day and running it once in the evening will use less water and energy than washing dishes by hand throughout the day. If you find that it takes a day or two to get a full load, use the rinse and hold feature common on most newer models. This will prevent build up of dried-on food while saving time and water compared to pre-rinsing each item. The rinse feature typically uses only 1 to 2 gallons of water.

Use Energy-Saving Options

Pay attention to the cycle options on your dishwasher and select the cycle that requires the least amount of energy for the job. Use the no-heat air-dry feature on your dishwasher if it has one. If you have an older dishwasher that doesn’t include this feature, you can turn off the dishwasher after the final rinse cycle is completed and open the door to allow drying. Using the no-heat dry feature or opening and air-drying dishes will increase the drying time, and it could lead to increased spotting, according to some in the industry. But try this method some time to see how well it works for your machine.

Turn Down the Water Heater Temperature

Since the early 1990s, most dishwashers in the U.S. have been sold with built-in heaters to boost water temperature to 140-145 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature recommended by manufacturers for optimum dishwashing performance. The advantage to the booster heater is that you can turn down your water heater thermostat, significantly reducing water-heating costs. Resetting your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (typically halfway between the “medium” and “low” settings) will provide adequate hot water for your household needs.

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RE:

Which is more environmentally friendly: dishwasher or sink washing?

Which is the better option for the environment - to run a *full* dishwasher or to wash them by hand in the sink?

Eco Friendly Dishwasher

We have a dishwasher which is not plumbed in. I always wash up by hand, but to make it efficient i only do it when there is nothing clean in the house at all, which actually means i never do it because my wife ends up doing it. This is a political issue, because it means a woman is doing the housework rather than a man. If i did it, i believe it would be friendlier than a dishwasher, but as it is, it would mean having to deal with stuff piled up all over the place and possibly decomposing food, flies and the like (though this has never happened to us), so it isn't very friendly to the domestic environment even if it is to the planet.

However, dishwashers are supposedly more energy and water efficient.

I'm with Bob. It is a close call. If you have a huge dinner party and will end up with a washer full of dishes - it's probably better to go ahead and use the washer. If you're very conservative/careful about the water you use when sink washing it can be better (especially if you're not washing a full load). Just another quick thought - only run the washing machine when you have a full load of clothes too - it's more efficient.

I was surprised about this answer...I read it somewhere about a year ago - but it's true. Crazy that a machine can be more efficient!

You already received a lot of good answers, but I was just going to add that you can also save energy by not running the drying cycle. I usually stop the dishwasher at that point and prop open the door to let them air dry.

and, as someone else said, be sure you only run it when it's full- it will use the same amount of water regardless if the dishwasher is completely full or only 1/3 full. So, make the most of running it.

If the dishwasher is fairly new and energy efficient, than normally if it's full the dishwasher would use less water and be more environmentally friendly.

It's a close call. But, if you use water carefully, sink washing.

There's not enough difference for anyone to give up their dishwasher.

There are plenty of better ways to help the environment.

Hand washing uses less energy.

Also a dishwasher (at least ours) does more damage to the dishes. For example knives with wooden handles, pots and pans are now faded.

well what if you get a energy efficient dishwasher and use that everyother day while the other days you sink wash