I understand that I live a privileged life. I don't really deserve to complain about a lot of things– I have a happy family, I'm pursuing a college education, and I have a roof over my head. That being said, there is always one first world problem that I can't help but gripe about from time to time– one that has been considered universally annoying to even the most patient of roommates after a period of time. Something seemingly low-key, but can be incredibly frustrating in certain circumstances: people who don't wash their dishes.
Look, I know life can be hectic. Not everyone has the time to wash their bowl of cereal before class, and maybe it's a longshot that the pasta Tupperware won't be left in the sink after dinner when you have several hours worth of work-related things to do. I get it– it's only human.
That being said, what I DON'T understand is how people can leave dishes in the sink for days– even weeks– on end without giving it a second glance. No matter where I've lived, I've had to deal with unclaimed dirty dishes. So here's a couple points for all the individuals who, perhaps, don't see this for how rude and irritating it actually can be:
1. It takes an exceedingly minimal amount of effort to wash dishes after you cook something.
Yes, I know it's annoying, and yes, I understand that you probably have better things to do. Honestly, though, the entire process takes maybe 10 to 15 minutes maximum (depending on how difficult it is to scrape whatever you were cooking off of pots and pans). With enough grit and determined scrubbing, you'll be done in no time– and the best part is, you won't have to worry about it later! If everyone just washed their dishes the moment they were done using them, they wouldn't have to worry about cleaning mountains of plates and silverware. Only in a perfect world...
2. I don't know if you've heard yet, but there's this magical machine that washes dishes for you... it's called "the dishwasher."
Mind blowing! Who would've known...but on a serious note, simply rinsing a plate and tossing it into the dishwasher is even easier than washing it by hand. It takes *maybe* a maximum of 30 seconds of effort per dish when choosing this method. Honestly, there's really no excuse to not put your dishes immediately into the dishwasher, at the very least. If you can't even make time for that, then order takeout.
3. Dirty dishes start to smell after a while, and it's pretty horrible to live with.
Have you ever had to walk up to a sink to find giant bowls filled with remnants of days old, drenched leftovers? I have. The stench is overpowering and permeates the entire kitchen on the worst days– it's like walking into a crime scene with a rotting corpse. Please don't subject you and your loved ones to that, I'm begging you.
4. Please, for the love of all that is good, do not leave soggy food in the sink.
I'm sure that tortellini and garlic bread you made a couple days ago was delicious, but I don't want to have to poke it around when it's all squishy and gross in the sink. It's like when a stray piece of seaweed touches your foot when you're in the ocean– no one enjoys that feeling. NO ONE.
5. Own up to your mess.
If I just witnessed you cook yourself something last night, and watched you leave the bowl/plate/whatever in the sink with my own eyes, don't try to tell me that it's not yours. Sure, I'm not watching you 24/7 like some undercover agent, but c'mon, we all know better than that.
6. If you don't clean up after yourself, then someone else will (eventually), and that's just not right.
What I don't understand is when people just knowingly leave their dishes in the sink, wait for someone else to pick up after them, and then show no gratitude for it. What do you think happens? Did you think that a magical dish-washing fairy descended from the heavens one day while you were out to bless you with clean dishes? NO. That was other people– human beings who, after not being able to deal with it any longer, were forced to clean up your mess. If you're old enough to cook for yourself, you're old enough to wash your own dishes. Your family/roommates aren't a maid service, and you should treat your shared living space with greater respect. (Side note– even if you have a maid service, you should probably wash your dishes before they arrive, it's the polite thing to do anyway.)
I apologize for the ranting, but I truly do not understand why this is always an issue. If you are struggling with someone who never does their share of aforementioned work, just have an honest conversation with them. Set boundaries and shared responsibilities that you can all hold each other accountable to– it's the adult thing to do, after all.
If you're one of the serial non-dishwashers reading this, then just take baby steps. I believe in you! As I said before, there's at least the dishwasher. If you can't handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen– and don't force others to do your dirty work for you.
