The Holiday Hack That Makes Dish Washing So Much Easier

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Those who can't cook, wash the dishes. At least, that's the rule at tons of holiday gatherings — and being on dish duty for a big party isn't for the faint of heart. That's especially true if there's no dishwashing machine at the home where you're celebrating or if the hosts have broken out the fancy china or other household items you shouldn't put in the dishwasher. If you're tasked with the cleanup, you certainly won't want to deal with a mountain of dishes coated in dried, stuck-on food after the gathering. But taking time to do the dishes while the party is going on won't be much fun for you or your guests.

Rest easy, dishwashing crew. Instagram creator @brunchwithbabs has a hack that will help you get those dishes spotless fast so you can get back to all the fun stuff, calling it her "lifesaving tip" for everyone lucky enough to be part of the "Kitchen Patrol." The first step is separation — Babs puts all the plates in one dish bin and all the utensils in a separate one. Then, she fills the bins with hot water and adds citrus peels and a sprinkle of baking soda. Giving your items a nice soak while the party settles down will make washing your dishes easier later on, and keeping the items separated makes the process more seamless.

The cleaning hack Babs shared is a classic. While you can always simplify by putting a few drops of dish liquid into your hot water basin, baking soda and orange peels naturally lift stubborn grime and dissolve gunk. Plus, the fragrance from the citrus adds a pleasant scent to the dirty bin, an especially helpful perk if the dishes are going to be sitting for a while.

Separating the types of dishes into different bins is another solid hack for speeding and streamlining the dishwashing process. Have one for plates, one for utensils, and one for cups. It's especially helpful at big gatherings, where kitchens get crowded and cluttered quickly. Make the bins organized and accessible to guests so they can bus their own spaces. Leaving dishes to soak doesn't just help remove that gunk; it lets you put the tub off to the side and free up the sink or other kitchen spaces as needed during the cooking and cleanup processes. When you're ready to finally clean up after your holiday get-together, everything will rinse right off to make the final wash quick and painless.

If you're hosting this year and want to keep your gathering organized and stress-free but don't have a dish tub to put Babs' hack to good use, check out your local home goods stores or retailers like Amazon. An item like the MontNorth Collapsible Wash Basin is nice for people who have limited space in their homes, since it folds down into a slim, easy-to-store shape. It'll be ready for your hosting gig or any other time you just need to give some dishes a soak.