Dishwashing/Tools

Hand Tools

Rag

The humble rag is among the most versatile of the tools available to a dishwasher. From cleaning dishes and glasses gently, to wiping down the sink at the end of the night, the rag offers a gentile and flexible approach for cleaning light messes.

Sponge

The sponge is a step up above the rag in terms of ability to clean small portions of an item thoroughly. A soft side allows for a similar level of gentleness to the rag, while a more abrasive side tackles tougher grime and debris.

Steel Wool

Steel wool is among the harshest hand tools, and is an invaluable asset when cleaning material which has been caked onto pots and pans.

Never use Steel Wool on Teflon or similar coatings. This will likely destroy the coating.

Cleaning Block

Cleaning blocks can be used on items with very hard caked on debris.

Water

Tap

A standard tap can be used to fill up a sink, or to provide running water over an object during scrubbing.

Sprayer

A sprayer separates a stream of water into a number of droplets. Many sprayers propel these droplets faster than the continuous stream of a tap, allowing more easy removal of grit and grime. Most sprayers require manual operation.