10 Kitchen Items You Should Never Leave Soaking In Your Sink
After a long evening of preparing and cooking food, it can be tempting to leave all of your dirty dishes in the sink, hoping most of the food and grease will soak off by the time you feel like cleaning up. Many of us place our used cookware in the sink, covered in hot, soapy water, ready to take care of the next morning. However, as convenient as that may seem, it’s not always the best idea. There are some specific types of dishes you want to avoid leaving in your sink, most notably wooden utensils, cast-iron pans, glassware, and electronic appliances. You also don’t always have to soak your dishes even before putting them in the dishwasher.
Cleaning up directly after making a meal is not always the most fun chore, but in reality, leaving your dishes to soak overnight has more cons than benefits. What you can do is “marinate” your dishes, which means allowing them to soak in a soapy solution, but only for about five to 10 minutes. Pro-tip: Use these five to 10 minutes to put other dishes in the dishwasher, wipe down your countertops, and put away leftovers.
Read more: 12 Alternative Ways To Use Dishwasher Tablets Around Your Home
Cast iron
Close up of rusty cast iron pan – P-fotography/Shutterstock
Due to their porous nature, cast-iron pans should never be left soaking in water, as the liquid seeps into the material and can cause rusting. In general, you should never run cold water over your cast-iron dishes as this could risk cracking or warping them entirely. If you are dealing with some super stubborn food stains, try running hot water over the pan or boiling water inside of it, using a clean tool like a nonabrasive scrub pad or sponge to scrape off any leftover crusts or crumbs. It’s recommended that you clean your cast-iron dishes immediately after using them.
Glassware
Close up of person holding glass over sink – Sonsam/Getty Images
Leaving your glassware to soak in your sink overnight is not only harmful to the glass itself, but this habit can even be dangerous for your health. Allowing dirty dishes like used drinking glasses to pile up in your kitchen can be a breeding ground for bacterial growth. You don’t want to be drinking out of a glass that has been sitting with bacteria from raw meat or rotting dairy. Plus, poorly washed glasses can become cloudy, and even their taste can be affected. It’s always best to handwash your glassware right away with warm, soapy water.
Dishes covered in grease
Close up of pan covered in grease – FotoDuets/Shutterstock
As tempting as it may be to toss a grease-covered pan in the sink and forget about it for a few hours in the name of “letting it soak,” you are actually causing more damage to the pan and to your sink drain than you may realize. Not only does this habit allow the oils and grease to spread to other dishes in the sink, but the grease itself can make its way down your drain, harming your home’s plumbing. Instead of letting your greasy dishes soak, clean them with soap and warm water as soon as possible.
Wooden tools
Close up of wooden tools soaking in soap and water – Bowonpat Sakaew/Shutterstock
Chances are, you’ve probably heard this one before: never put your wooden spoons in the dishwasher. This rule applies to all wooden dishes, like cutting boards, utensils, and bowls. This means you also shouldn’t be soaking them in the sink. This habit can cause items to warp, swell, and crack, leading to splintering. Plus, the longer your wooden dishes are exposed to moisture, the greater the chance they will hold onto odors. To disinfect your wooden kitchen utensils properly, wash them immediately after use instead. Always use warm water and dry them completely afterwards.
China
Close up of vintage china tea cups and plates – Pamela_d_mcadams/Getty Images
If you are someone who owns a collection of china dishware, like teacups, plates, and holiday dishes, you should avoid letting these items soak in your sink, as well as putting them through your dishwasher. This type of material is very sensitive to temperature fluctuations, and placing your china in hot water can harm the glaze and create the appearance of fine lines, which is called crazing. Plus, the hot water can wear away and weaken this outer layer, increasing the risk of bacterial growth. It’s recommended to wash your fine china by hand and dry it immediately.
Sharp knives
Close up of sharp kitchen knife in sink – Nadia Audigie/Getty Images
Before you place your sharpest knife collection in the kitchen sink to let them “soak,” you may want to bite the bullet and just wash them. Not only is it a hazard for you and others to have sharp knives soaking in soapy, cloudy water, but it can also cause rust to the blade and damage to the handle. In addition, leaving sharp knives in the sink alongside other dishes can cause damage to your other dishes, leaving chips and scratches. Avoid placing these items in the dishwasher, and always choose to hand-wash instead.
Insulated tumblers
Close up of large white tumbler – Rukawajung/Getty Images
Even if you have old coffee sitting inside your insulated tumbler, staining it, you don’t want to leave it soaking. Extended exposure to hot water can damage the insulation, making your tumbler less effective. Water seeps between the cup’s walls, reducing its temperature-control ability and increasing the risk of bacterial growth. To properly clean an insulated tumbler, wash it immediately with warm, soapy water and use a sponge or a bristle brush. To deep clean, mix baking soda and water to make a paste, then let it sit in the tumbler for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing. Allow it to dry completely before putting it back in your cabinet.
Acrylic dishes
Close up of painted acrylic plate – OlegD/Shutterstock
Another type of dish you should avoid soaking for prolonged amounts of time in the sink is acrylic dishes. Instead of deep cleaning the dish, the hot water can actually damage or deteriorate the finish. Your dishes could even start to appear cloudy after a period of time. Since these items are usually delicate, stacking them or soaking them in the sink could cause them to break or chip due to the weight. Ideally, you should clean acrylic dishes immediately by hand, wipe, dry, and put them away.
Aluminum cookware
Close up of aluminum frying pan covered in burnt stains – Octavian Lazar/Shutterstock
Even though aluminum cookware may seem to need an overnight soak, it can actually do more harm than good. When the metal is left in warm, soapy water, it can corrode the aluminum or damage its outside layers. This can turn the cookware dark brown or black, or cause “pitting,” which occurs when the aluminum’s reaction with soapy water forms small holes or pits in the item. To properly clean these items, use soap and water to remove any grease or food. For tough stains, apply a baking soda-and-water paste to the affected areas and let it sit for about 15 minutes before scrubbing it off.
Items touching raw meat or dairy
Close up of person cutting raw meat on cutting board – iSOMBOON/Shutterstock
One type of item you want to avoid soaking is anything used for dairy or raw meat. This is a health hazard, as raw meat can contain harmful bacteria like E. coli or Salmonella, and allowing your knives, cutting board, bowls, and other dishes to sit in the sink for long periods can increase the risk of bacterial spread. The safest way to take care of these dirty dishes is to wash them by hand immediately. If you have a two-basin sink, you can wash your dishes with hot, soapy water in one and rinse off in the other.
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