I tried not to get too panicked at the thought of handwashing dishes for three months after my dishwasher went out midway through Thanksgiving meal preparations. Your grandma and grandpa washed their dishes by hand every single night for over 50 years!! I think you’re going to be just fine washing them for three months, Mary. This is what I told myself as I read the expected delivery date, which was three months out, for the new dishwasher we’d be getting back in November. Well guess what? Not surprisingly, I am on my third “delivery date” change and am going on five months of handwashing so I have had a lot of practice and have learned a thing or two. The next date I’ve been given is for April 5, so here's hoping that April 5 is a very exciting day in our household. 

I know many of you have experienced this with various appliances during the pandemic--I am certainly not alone there. I tell myself how thankful I am that it is my dishwasher instead of my washing machine! I am so thankful I haven’t had to go to the laundromat every week the last five months. It could be much worse!

Anyway, I have really gotten into the swing of things with the handwashing thing and it has become a chore that I quite enjoy now. I actually prefer to do all the washing on my own and just have a bit of downtime. Then I enjoy chatting with one of my kids while we dry and put away all the dishes. Here are some of my favorite products I have come to love that have earned a permanent spot in my kitchen. 

Scrub Daddy Products

I was introduced to Scrub Daddy sponges and other products from a woman named Vanesa Amaro on TikTok nicknamed “The Queen of Clean on TikTok”. She cleans homes for a living and shares a lot of tips and her favorite products. She swears by the Scrub Daddy sponges for not only the kitchen, but for scouring the bathrooms as well. The Scrub Mommy sponges, like the pink one pictured above, have the holes for the eyes that are useful for cleaning the bottom of a glass vase or jar and being able to use your fingers to grab the sponge easily back out using those two holes. The smile on the sponge is supposed to be used to easily wash both the front and back of a spoon at the same time. I had no idea there were practical reasons for the cute smiley face :)

I also love their new Scrub Daddy microfiber cloths (you can easily get these products on Amazon or in most stores). They are so thick and plush--they almost remind me of a plush throw you might have on your couch. They are particularly great for dusting around the house, but are fantastic for washing dishes or countertops as well. I really love them and would recommend them. Look at the difference here between the Scrub Daddy microfiber cloths on the left versus regular microfiber cloths folded in fourths on the right. The plushness kind of speaks for itself.

I also have the scour sponges and just regular rectangular Scrub Daddy sponges, which are color coordinated so I can easily keep track of which colors I use for the bathroom or kitchen. I love all of these. I find them to be well worth the money—they last such a long time and there really is something durable and tough about their particular foam they use.

Favorite Dish Soaps

I have really fallen in love with Dawn Powerwash, which is another product recommendation from Vanesa Amaro. I love how it sprays out a thin layer, covering a big area. If I have any dishes that have stuck-on food I like to get them a bit wet, spray with Dawn Powerwash and let that soak and work its magic while I wash a few other dishes. Within a couple minutes, all the gunk wipes away really easily with a cloth or sponge.

If I have really baked on stuff in a frying pan that needs scouring, I do a good layer of Dawn Powerwash, and a generous sprinkling of Bar Keeper’s Friend and scrub away with a green Scotchbrite pad. Works like a charm!

For all my regular dishes I usually like to use Mrs. Meyer’s Dish Soap. It is a more natural product and is better for the environment and my hands.

Thin Flour Sack Towels

My favorite towels to dry dishes with by far are thin cotton flour sack towels. I got some really great thin cotton flour sack towels I got from Amazon in a 10-pack. This particular kind of towels have been used forever for drying dishes--long before dishwashers were ever invented. They absorb water so well, yet are thin enough they are perfect for cleaning all the way to the bottom of tall glasses.

A Tablet, Good Portable Speaker And/Or a Good Set of Earbuds

I have come to appreciate this time to myself to chill and do this simple, satisfying task. But I love making this task even more enjoyable by propping up my tablet and watching a favorite show, blasting some fun loud music on a portable speaker nearby, or catching up on an uplifting podcast on my earbuds while washing and drying.

Have you purchased any new appliances during the pandemic that were delayed? What did you order and how long did it take to actually get to you? Also, do you have any other handwashing tips or tricks or products that are must-haves? Please share any of your ideas or stories in the comments below.