This Cleaning Habit May Be Wasting Gallons Of Water Per Year

There are two types of people in the world when it comes to washing dishes: an avid hand washer or a dishwasher user. Some people enjoy the satisfaction and peace they feel when washing dishes, while others prefer to get it done without lifting a finger. Depending on which category you fall into, you may be wasting water and doing more harm to the environment than you know. Maybe you're even a little bit of both, but studies show that one is actually better for the environment than the other, and this may come as a huge shock to most. 

If you're a pro at hand washing dishes, you may find it hard to believe that you're actually wasting more water than a dishwasher, but you are. According to Brightly, hand washing dishes accumulate up to more than two gallons of water per minute wasted down the drain, while dishwashers generally use two to eight gallons of water each cycle. Talk about a drastic difference. You can't save the world, but you can surely do your part to save water and the environment. It's easy, effective, and most importantly, it makes a greater impact.

Dishwashers are convenient, and they do your work for you just with the touch of a button. It's hard to imagine that an electrically operated machine that is constantly spitting out water is more energy-friendly than hand washing dishes, but according to CNet, it surprisingly is due to upgrades in 2013 for newer models. According to CNet, an energy-efficient dishwasher can use up to 3 gallons per load, saving 5,000 gallons of water every year. 

You might've thought you were doing your diligence by washing your dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher, but it's quite the opposite. If you think about it in-depth, it makes sense why your dishwasher is more eco-friendly than hand-washing dishes. According to CNet, when you're washing your dishes by hand, your water heater actually has to warm up to produce hot water for you while most newer dishwasher models have installed heaters that require less energy to heat up than your water heater. So in the process of hand washing, you end up using and wasting more water than you need to.

If you're used to traditional hand washing or don't have a dishwasher, don't worry because there are measures you can take to get the job done efficiently. Avoid having the water running the entire time, as doing this can easily waste two to twenty gallons of water during your time spent washing dishes, according to Brightly. 

To lessen your water usage, if you have a two-sided split sink, Brightly recommends filling up half of one side with hot water and dish soap while filling the other with hot water. This can also be done with a bowl if you don't have a split sink. Wash and transfer your dishes from one side to the next and let them air dry. On the other hand, when it comes to your dishwasher, you should always avoid rinsing your dishes before placing them in the dishwasher because it's extremely wasteful. According to Consumer Reports, you're wasting more than 6,000 gallons of water from your household alone each year. As long as you get rid of the big food chunks, you're good to go without rinsing.