Washing dishes with a lot of detergent...
By yspmyl
@yspmyl (3435)
Malaysia
October 3, 2010 7:09pm CST
I found out one thing, when ever my mother in law came to our house, the detergent depleted so quickly that I have to buy a few litter to keep it at home. My mother in law, she likes to use a lot of detergent when she is washing the dishes, a 900ml detergent can finished within a week, and my house only have 3 adults and 2 children. When she wasn't around, the detergent can last at least more than half a month. So what do you think? Is it she have used excessive of detergent? Or just my own perception?
5 people like this
12 responses
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
4 Oct 10
Hi Yspmyl,
That's a lot of dish soap. Is she rinsing them properly? I have found that if I use too much soap that it is just hard to rinse it all out of the plastic cups especially. Plus it takes much more water to rinse them so if you pay for your water bill then that is likely to go up. Dish soap is very concentrated and you don't need a lot of it for a small amount of dishes. I think I would say something to her or take of the dishwashing job myself.
1 person likes this
@shia88 (4571)
• Malaysia
4 Oct 10
Hi Sid,
I agreed with you..using too much detergent to wash plate,we also
need more water to rinse them clean and it definitely will make
the water bill hike up.
I always rub those oily plate for more detergent and for those not that oily,
i believe I don't need that much detergent to clean them up.
Hi Ysp,
Maybe you can try Sid's suggestion to clean the plates by yourself,
instead of letting your mother in law to do it.Of course, you also can't stop
her to do it,you can always give her an excuse to let
her rest and watch TV and washing dishes can be done by you only.
See whether this method will work out or not.
@yspmyl (3435)
• Malaysia
4 Oct 10
Hi Sid & Shia,
Yes, I used to wash the dishes by my own when I am at home, but I am not at home, she will take the turn to wash all the dishes. I can't help with this. She just like to put a lot of detergent and thinking that it will make the dishes cleaner. But I can't directly mention to her that she use too much of detergent, because she is my mother in law! When talk about the water bill, yes, you reminded me that it goes up as well. What can I do? That is my mother in law!
@hotaru_serizawa (69)
• Indonesia
4 Oct 10
I don't know, maybe she just used to use that much detergent in her own house, feel satisfied if she can use much bubles to wash the dishes hahaha...
If you consider about it so much, then you should talk to her about this. But sometimes this kind of simple problem can be very sensitive between a wife and her mother in law. I think, just don't let your mother in law washing the dishes, make a good excuses or make her do another task like playing with your children, cleaning the floor or something else.
If the problem persist, try to talk to your husband, maybe he have good solving for your problem.
1 person likes this
@yspmyl (3435)
• Malaysia
4 Oct 10
Yes, that is her habit I think, she just like to use a lot of detergent just to wash a few plate where as one drop of the detergent can actually clean quite a number of dishes. But she just squeeze a lot on every plate.
You are quite right that I can't really tell her not to do it that way, she might be thinking that I do not like her. As we all know some people are quite sensitive like what you say.
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
4 Oct 10
Are you talking about detergent for a dishwasher or are you talking about washing soap for hand washing the dishes? It may be that she's not used to washing with a dishwasher if that's the case, or it could be that she likes to use more so she can be sure the dishes are clean. Maybe instead of letting her start the dishes or do the dishes someone else in the house can so that it saves on the dish washing detergent.
1 person likes this
@yspmyl (3435)
• Malaysia
4 Oct 10
Hi SomeCowgirl,
I am talking about the dishwasher detergent, the detergent is the same liquid type detergent that use at my mother in law house as well. I just cannot understand why she use so much of detergent just to wash a few dishes. That is really a waste.
1 person likes this
@aeiou78 (3445)
• Malaysia
4 Oct 10
Just because of the detergent, you are concerning so much.
ha! ha! ha! If you love your wife, then you have to respect your mother-in-law.
Am I right ?
Anyhow, you must ensure flushing the dishes well. After washing everything, I prefer to flush with hot water to clear all oof the remaining detergent on the dishes.
If you don't believe, you still can smell the detergent when you flush with the hot water.
You can show it to your mother-in-law so that, she will not using so much of detergent. It is really unhealthy.
1 person likes this
@yspmyl (3435)
• Malaysia
4 Oct 10
Love and respect are totally a different thing. I do not too concern about the detergent but just would like to know why she use so much of detergent just to wash a few dishes. And what worry me is if the detergent was not clean or rinse properly and there may be residue left on the dishes and what will happen when we consume our foods. That is why nowadays people getting all kind of diseases like cancers. Of course, when I smell the plate, I can still smell the smell of the detergent. The worst part is when the detergent finished, she will just use the cloth's washing powder to wash the dishes, you can imagine that the cloth's washing power content some brightener which is not allow in food. Don't you think that is scary?
@jerikjames (1041)
• Philippines
4 Oct 10
I want a lot of bubbles when washing the dishes, so I also get to use a lot of detergent. I think the amount your mother-in-law uses is just fair for someone who uses a lot of detergent. Our former house helper could finish 1 and a half liters for one week which annoys my mom. So I don't think your mom-in-law is going overboard. 
If she were my mom-in-law, I think I would just find it funny and amusing. I would tell her though that she could dilute some of the detergent in water. She would get to have the bubbles she want, and the it would also save detergent. 
(Assuming of course that it's a liquid detergent you're using at home )
If she were my mom-in-law, I think I would just find it funny and amusing. I would tell her though that she could dilute some of the detergent in water. She would get to have the bubbles she want, and the it would also save detergent. (Assuming of course that it's a liquid detergent you're using at home )1 person likes this
@yspmyl (3435)
• Malaysia
4 Oct 10
I do not think that she wanted the bubble when washing the dishes, LOL, she probably think that if she put more detergent, she would probably get a cleaner dishes. That is what she though. And my wife have explained to her and she still using the same amount, it is not so funny because I am the one who come out money to buy the detergent. I can save the money for better food if she know how to save the detergent...
@polkafranzi (15)
• Austria
4 Oct 10
I think she may well have used lots of detergent. It's not unusual, some people use loads whereas others think 1 drop will do every job going. I personally get through a 500ml in a month, that's 2 people in the house. So yeah i'd call it a bit excessive, and I can't see where that many dishes are coming from but hey, that's just how she does it.
@TrvlArrngr (4045)
• United States
4 Oct 10
I tend to use more dish soap if it smells good or has a good foam. One of my friends has an automatic dish soap dispenser that shoots out just a squirt at a time. Maybe you need one of these when she is over so she does not use as much? Though she might think it is fun to use and waste even more. lol.
@shia88 (4571)
• Malaysia
4 Oct 10
Hi,
That is bit too much for your mother in law to finish up
900ml detergent within a week. I believe she has used that detergent
too much,but then you don't have the right to tell her not
to use that much detergent.
Some old folk may get angry easily,so what you can do is add bit water
to the detergent ,so that i looks more and can last slightly longer.
My mother in law always bought those big bottle of washing detergent and everytime we want ot wash plate, we pour abit and add some water,it will become alot and
still have lot bubbles and the plates all wash clean too.
@yspmyl (3435)
• Malaysia
4 Oct 10
Haha! Brilliant Idea! I will try to use this method and see whether it can save me some detergent. I think this method will work and I do not need to confront her and telling her that she used too much of detergent. And I will never tell my mother in law that she did wrong, just because she is my mother in law...
@epicure35 (2814)
• United States
4 Oct 10
I cannot be sure, because, if it's dishwasher detergent and "a few dishes", it might be best to wait for a full load before washing them, or maybe do them by hand.
I use a good bit of liquid detergent when I do my dishes; I don't have a dishwasher.
@yspmyl (3435)
• Malaysia
5 Oct 10
We are washing the dishes by hand, my mom in law and I are using the same liquid detergent and we can clean the same amount of dishes with large different amount of detergent, that is why I do not understand how she use the detergent. The detergent is kind of concentrated type that you just need a few drop and you can wash a lot of dishes.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
4 Oct 10
Using a lot of dish soap is not the answer to washing dishes. Scrubbing them is what makes the fifference. A little bit of dish detergent can go a long way. @alaskanray (4636)
• United States
4 Oct 10
LOL...I don't know, really. It sounds like my sister's house, though. Whenever I visit her, she complains that the toilet paper and milk and water are being used too much. She forgets she has extra bodies in the house using those things. 
@yspmyl (3435)
• Malaysia
4 Oct 10
I don't think I didn't count her in when I use the detergent. When she is not at our house, the same amount of detergent can last for months and when she was here, the detergent just gone too fast. I am not skeptical about how she use but just wonder why she need to use so much detergent to wash that a few plates, and if the detergent is not rinse properly, there will be a lot of residue be in our stomach.
1 person likes this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
4 Oct 10
You are right there. Have you asked her about it? Maybe she has an explanation. Good luck!
@devijay78 (1573)
• India
5 Oct 10
Hi. There are some people who think that when they use more detergent or soap, the cleaning is much more efficient and no amount of proving otherwise will make them change. I know this because my maid does it all the time and does not listen even if I prove it to her.
