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Efficient Dishwashers
It takes less water to wash dishes in an automatic washer than to wash the same load by hand. Studies have shown that the
average hand-washed load uses 27 gallons of water, while the same load in an efficient dishwasher could use as little as 4 gallons --
and come out a lot cleaner!
How can you save water?
If you don't have a dishwasher, you can still reduce the amount of water you use while washing dishes.
Scrape food residue off plates before washing
Begin washing before the food dries on the dishes
Do not pre-rinse the dishes under running tap water
Use two sinks -- one with hot water and detergent, the other
with cold water for a quick rinse
Clean with the amount of detergent recommended by the manufacturer
If do you have a dishwasher, use it, especially if it's a new one. A full, energy-efficient dishwasher
cleans best and has the lowest environmental impact of any cleaning method.
Run the washer only when full.
Scrape food residue off plates and place in washer -- don't rinse in the sink. Manufacturers don't recommend it, and it's not necessary.
Use the pre-rinse cycle on your dishwasher when you feel you must rinse (food drying
before the washer load is full). The pre-rinse cycle still uses less water than rinsing in the sink.
If you're shopping for a new dishwasher, purchase the most efficient model feasible. The Center for Energy Efficiency (CEE) has
developed a list of energy efficient dishwashers, many of which are also water-efficient. The CEE Tier 1 list requires an energy factor of 0.62 or higher; the Tier 2 list has an energy factor of 0.68 or higher.
The Oregon Department of Energy has compiled its own list of efficient dishwashers that have an energy factor of
0.61 or higher and use no more than 6.5 gallons per cycle. Annual water use is based on an
average of 215 cycles per year.
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