While turning to your dishwasher to wash your dishes is likely your preferred habit, there are reasons why you may have to do dishes by hand once in a while. Jillee, of www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com, has some very good suggestions for making hand dishwashing faster, easier, and more thorough. (I appreciate so much how generous she is with her wisdom and research.)

Dry dishes with a microfiber cloth. With just a few swipes, this cloth removes any pesky lingering water, leaving your dishes shiny and streak-free. Jillee recommends those that have a waffle-weave. There’s an 8-pack of them on amazon.com for $15.99 (with hundreds of 5-star rave reviews). Jillee says, “They do a marvelous job of drying, they launder beautifully, they dry quickly after usage, and they’re generously sized.”

Pre-Treat Grimy Dishes. Pre-treating grimy dishes can eliminate the need to soak or scrub them later on. Set the dish in your sink, spray it down, and the soap will break down grease and grime, making it easier to clean. There are lots of internet tutorials on how to make your own DIY power-wash, so there’s no need to actually buy this product.

Erase Scratches. Scuffs and scrapes from being stacked or scrubbed, never fear! I wrote a post about a fix for scratched dishes you can use to quickly erase those unsightly scratches and make your dishes look like new. Gar Keepers Friend® is the product for this job!

Prevent Scratches. Placing coffee filters between dishes will prevent them from getting scuffed and scraped. They’re strong enough to prevent damage, but soft enough to not do any damage themselves. Plus, they’re inexpensive!

Prevent Hard Water Spots. A small dish of vinegar on the top rack of your dishwasher works wonders for preventing hard water spots from forming on your dishes.

Keep Your Dishwasher Clean. It’ll not only run more efficiently, it’ll also clean dishes more effectively.

Change Out Your Sponges. Research shows a grimy sponge holds more bacteria than a toilet seat. Replacing them regularly is the best way to ensure dishes are clean and sanitary. Scientists suggest getting a new sponge every 4 weeks.

Think Outside the Scrub Brush. When your dish cloth doesn’t have enough oomph to remove a baked-on mess in one of your baking dishes, try using a mesh produce bag. Just wad it up and scrub. You’ll likely end up throwing it away, but at least it served a good purpose first.

Use Tools YOU Like. Take the time to figure out what sponges or scrubbers YOU like best for hand dish washing. Some worth considering: Scrub Daddy, Spaghetti Scrub, and Silicone scrubbing gloves. Using your favorite tools always makes the work easier.

Fight Food Residues. Baked-on food residues can be removed and then avoided using Bar Keepers Friend® and a Scrub Daddy®, a dishwasher detergent tabs (those made of compacted detergent powder), or baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.

Use Foil for Easy Cleanup. After-dinner clean-up is quicker and easier when baking sheets or casserole dishes have been lined with aluminum foil beforehand. Just remove the foil, rinse the dish clean, and you’re done.

Use Shampoo in a Pinch. When you’re out of dish soap, a bit of shampoo will tide you over until you can get to the store.