How to Make Doing the Dishes Faster, Easier, and More Convenient

Let’s be honest—doing the dishes is the absolute worst part of cooking. I love making delicious meals when I have the time, but that sink full of dirty pots, pans, and utensils waiting for me afterward? Not so much. Over time, though, I’ve figured out a few tricks that make cleaning up way less painful. If you want to speed up dish duty and make it a little more manageable, here are some game-changing tips that have saved me time and effort.

1. Use Pre-Cooked Meat Instead of Raw (Saves: 5-10 minutes)

Raw meat comes with extra mess—cutting boards, knives, and sometimes even bowls used for marinating. Plus, there’s the added task of disinfecting everything afterward to avoid cross-contamination. Find pre-cooked meat that you actually enjoy the taste of, and then use that instead of raw. This not only speeds up meal prep but also means fewer dishes and less cleanup. A win-win!

2. Wash As You Cook (Saves: 10 minutes)

I used to let everything pile up until the very end, which made the whole cleanup process feel overwhelming. Now, I make it a point to wash items as I go. While something is simmering or baking, I take a few moments to rinse off cutting boards, knives, and mixing bowls. By the time dinner is ready, I’ve already tackled most of the mess.

3. Use Fewer Dishes (Saves: 2 minutes)

I used to grab a new utensil, bowl, or cutting board for every step of the recipe. Now, I try to reuse the same items whenever possible. For example, if you aren’t cooking with raw meat, you can use the same cutting board for veggies and protein—just giving it a quick wipe in between. Also, one-pot and sheet pan meals are my best friends since they drastically cut down on the number of items that need washing.

4. Line Your Pans with Parchment Paper or Foil (Saves: 5 minutes)

Baked-on food can be a nightmare to scrub off. Taking a couple extra seconds to line my baking sheets and roasting pans with parchment paper or foil means I can just toss the liner when I’m done—no scrubbing required!

5. Get the Right Tools for Easy Cleaning (Saves: 3 minutes)

A good scrub brush and a quality dish soap make all the difference. I keep a dish brush with a built-in soap dispenser handy, so I can quickly tackle dirty dishes without having to deal with a messy sponge. Also, investing in a silicone spatula instead of wooden utensils makes cleaning much easier since food doesn’t stick as much.

6. Pre-Soak Tough-to-Clean Items (Saves: 5 minutes)

Not exactly a confidential Pentagon secret here, but it’s worth adding to the list all the same. Scrubbing dried-on food is exhausting, I let soaking do the hard work for me. As soon as I finish with pots and pans, I fill them with warm, soapy water and let them sit while I eat. By the time I’m ready to clean up after the meal, everything wipes off effortlessly—no elbow grease required.

7. Empty the Dishwasher Before Cooking (Saves: 5 minutes)

A full dishwasher means dirty dishes pile up in the sink during meal prep, making cleanup more chaotic. Before I start cooking, I make sure the dishwasher is empty and ready for new dishes. That way, as I cook, I can load it up immediately instead of letting everything sit in the sink.

Final Thoughts

Doing the dishes sucks and it always will. The best any of us can hope for is making it suck LESS. So pop on a podcast or an audio book, and with a little forethought you can shave about 15 minutes off that dreaded post-meal cleanup marathon.