OT-I HATE APPLIANCES

"Lucille" ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

Hey we're not that backwards ! I would drop the stuff off at the laundromat each week.

Bruce ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

There's another thing about dishwashers. Today I was up at sunrise and made the base layers of the trifle, got the ham started in the pot etc. and slowly filled the dishwasher with the accumulated dishes and saucepans that happen.

Now I am sitting down with a coffee, planning my next move and the dishwasher is doing the honours lol That will continue all day until everything is done. What would be the virtue in me washing all those dishes ?

Now let's hear the arguments for hand washing dishes lol

If someone took away my dishwasher, I wouldn't miss it. I've got lots of things that I won't wash in the dishwasher.

I can't make a coherent arguement for handwashing. I only know that I like to play in the water...color me - Aquarius!

Donna in Virginia

"Donna" ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

I was crafty, my mother left me a lovely antique Wedgewood dinner service, it was handpainted and definitely not safe for the dishwasher

- went to my eldest daughter, she has a husband who is happy to wash by hand. I enjoy eating on it at her place though !

I do wash my crystal though, just no way to tell what mix of lead is in old crystal and it can go milky in the dishwasher and there is no way to reverse the process.

Aquarius would seem a good argument !

You certainly won't hear any arguments from me. I rented in Brooklyn and didn't have a dishwasher until I moved to Florida. I made a sacred vow that I will never, ever be without one again.

Washing dishes by hand is just such a waste of time and energy, not to speak of raising the water bill.

Lucille

Funny, I'm the same way with Roomba (robotic vacuum). It does one room, I do something else (usually dishes as our dishwasher is also broken). Then I send it to the next room and mop the room it's just done. Though, I do mop faster than Roomba vacuums, so there is break for coffee frequently.

Tara

Tara D ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

I've wondered about those vacuums - how do you find it ? Is it efficient, does it go under sofas etc. ? Would love to know.

I saw an ad the other day for a Roomba version that is a mop - even more time for coffee I think! :P MelissaD

For you, I think it would be great. You live alone, have complete control over the house clutter. Didn't you move to a condo, so you have one floor (maybe two)? Perfect choice.

Major point, you have to rethink 'how' you vacuum (or at least I did). You have to clear the room first since you obviously aren't there to pick up this and that to vacuum under it. Long term, it's easier to declutter, than do this each time you run it (major advantage in our house).

It works way better (well, the same, but uses way less battery power) on square and rectangular spaces rather than angular shapes, but the common model at CanTire comes with virtual walls so you can create rectangular spaces.

I tend to run it on Spot (6' radius) clean in a room, pile the stuff we haven't managed to remove (in case you think we've gone totally stark) in that circle, then do the room. The only things in the circle are a pedestal table, foot stool and plant stand. It clears every thing else in there. I do pile my dining chairs in the living room while I vacuum in there. Too many legs, confuses the poor thing and kills the battery. You do learn where it tends to get stuck repeating itself. My kitchen table is pedestal, and it's a problem. I simply Spot clean under it, and put a box between two cross pieces, and Roomba is fine with it.

It's great under furniture. It fits under my kitchen cabinets, but it's a tight squeeze under the bathroom ones. Mostly, the cabinet ends up hitting the Off button. That CanTire model also comes with a remote, a godsend when the thing decides it's finished when under a bed or sofa.

The dog has even accepted Roomba, which is more than can be said for my upright. Course, Roomba runs somewhere at least once a week, not so much the upright*. :-)

Forgot to mention, I love the thing. Have talked two coworkers into getting one and they love it too. I've run it in rooms I thought were clean, and it still picks up dust and such in the filter.

Tara

Tara D ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

Yes I did, you're right, but no clutter ?? lol I'm getting worse, not better in that line.

There's a point, I didn't consider poor Bucket in this configuration, he hates vacuums, of any ilk.

I'll stay with the Dyson awhile yet I think though I suspect Roomba has more patience and would actually take more swipes of the same area than I do with the Dyson. It's a job I like to get over fast, very fast lol

I can only think of one ... on a cold winter's day, it warms your hands.

However, when I open the dishwasher, I can not only warm my hands, but steam-clean my sinuses, because it uses much hotter water than I can stand in the sink.

Hey, and mine too. When Roomba first ran, he ran after it barking his fool head off. Mac turned around to me to see how proud I was, and Roomba hit a wall and came back at him. Touched his rump end and changed direction again. Mac went after Roomba again, with more vigor.

These days, as long as Roomba doesn't go after his cookies, all is fine with the world. Heck, I can even put up an invisible wall and have roomba within 3 feet of him, and he's fine.

But just drag out the upright and the dog is nowhere to be seen.

Youtube is just full pets and Roomba hilarities.

Tara

Ah, we agree again on something. Years ago I used to be a messier cook, but as my learning continued (and after spending some time in a real kitchen) I became a really neat cook. So to speak. So, like you - I pile things up and wash as I go. When there is a break in processes - I load up the dishwasher with what it's getting, and wash what needs the handwash (some of the pots). I'm happier, and at the end of the feasting - the kitchen isn't the total disaster it used to be. It's the timing of the dishwasher loads that's always fun - I hate unloading it - but that's a small price to pay.

ellice

LOL. The dishwasher is definitely more sanitary, but I use scorchingly hot water and wear gloves doing stuff by hand. Still - I don't totally mind the hand stuff - but I'd much rather use the appliance. Much.

Although, the new sink - when the counters go in - is a wonderful 10" deep - so that the big stockpot can go in. We got one with a small 2nd bowl- the veggie prep thing that has the disposal, and a huge main bowl.

Ellice - not too far from Donna in Virginia

I understand that. My antique dishes definitely get the handwash treatment. Surprisingly, my cousin has been putting her mothers gorgeous Wedgewood - gold - has a griffin pattern on it (you can't get it here - have to get it in the UK) in the dishwasher. It's only about 30 years old, and has been doing fine.

The new dishwasher has the special china/crystal cycle - which pumps air in with the water so the spray is gentler. I've done the non-antique dishes in it.

I haven't put my waterford through - but the "everyday" crystal does go thru. Only with gel detergent - never powder. And well spaced out.

Doesn't it just.

ellice

We've been looking at those - wondering how they'd work. We have a Dyson - which is great - but I'm lugging with it. Finally bought a 3-speed Shark portable broom/vacuum thing - as with the dog I just need to be doing the stairs a lot. The Roomba does look tempting.

ellice

ellice ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

This is really old and hand painted, we are sure just looking at it that the dishwasher would be a killer. Not about to take a chance anyway, it's circa 1900.

LOL! I *love* your explanation, Mirjam!!!

Joan

I'm sure it's lovely. I wouldn't chance it either. I have - somewhere in the cartons in storage) some early-mid 19th century Japanese dishes. They're very interesting - kind of an orange full border, and a cut-off corners kind of shape. They have hand=painted trellis/vines pattern as best I can remember. Evidently my great-grandmother brought them over on the boat with her - and they had been in the family quite some time. So, they don't get used much, and are definitely not going into the dishwasher.

Amazingly - I think that my mom's Royal Doulton service actually faded from the dishwasher - but, who knows.

Ellice