Save on Dishwashing

To wring the most savings you can from your dishwasher, use the lowest (briefest) setting and don't pre-rinse. If you are concerned about dried-on food staying on the dishes, do what we do. Put the dishes on the floor and let the pets lick them clean (only if you didn't have onions or other foods that are not good for pets)! Also, we put dishes in the sink, briefly, and let the water that runs over them as we wash our hands and do other chores rinse them automatically.

Dishwashers Really do Save Energy

For years we never considered buying a dishwasher because we thought they used too much water and energy. Then I read in Consumer Reports magazine that, no matter how frugal you are, washing a sinkful of dishes used at least 4 gallons of water (plus the energy to heat it). We got an old dishwasher for free, that used only 7 gallons for a day's worth of dishes. Now, we have an Energy Star model that uses about 5 gallons. We use the shortest cycle we can to save energy - you can always spot-clean if a dish or two comes out with a bit of soil left on it.