The New York Times stirs up furor by suggesting a better way to wash dishes

On Sunday that New York Times Social editor woke up and, as the saying goes, chose violence. An article published over a year ago but re-tweeted yesterday morning received responses such as: “Crazy shot“, “no“, “I refuse to believe that,” and “You’re going to hell, The New York Times.” Was it a questionable political stance? no Maybe Ross Douhat’s latest column? Again no. The article that sparked such emphatic outrage was by Wirecutter, the Times‘ Product review vertical, claiming that you don’t need to rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Hell doesn’t have anger like a person who is emotionally attached to pre-washing their dishes.

The article “How to use your dishwasher better” was originally released in July 2021 and initially didn’t spark much online hype. It received one few retweets but was largely left untouched by the Twitter mob. Maybe because July is paper plate month. Who has time to complain about washing dishes when you’re eating to-go hot dogs from a small paper plate on the boardwalk. But that Times The social editor knew exactly what kind of chaos they wanted to turn on its head by republishing the story in peak soup season, just before peak casserole season. We’re in the best of pan-soaking season and entering the holidays and the Times plays with fire

“Good news”, the article smarmily starts, knowing it’s about to ruin people’s lives: “Your dishwasher should completely clean any dishes almost every time you run it — without pre-washing the dishes before loading.” That Times is not alone in his recommendation not to pre-wash dishes: every dishwasher manufacturer and The damn EPA also advises you to just plop your dirty dish with cake Crumbs and crusts, right in the washing machine, press start, then walk away like you’re the Queen of England (RIP).

The article claims that a good detergent is more important than a good dishwasher and that the key to spotless cutlery or bowls or serving dishes is a detergent with enzymes in it. But of course, science won’t explain away people’s devotion to swirling their sponge around the inside of a cup before setting it downin the dish rack.

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With the information that pre-washing your dishes could endanger baby pandas or whatever, riots erupted in the Twitter streets. Users have been adamant about it their specific dishwasher could not process the food leftovers on the plates. Other people requested that Times Address the terrible side effect of not prewashing your plates: the smell Food that sits in your dishwasher for a day or two. Still others were furious at the mere suggestion that they own a dishwasher. (Note: New York City standards of living are to be reckoned with.)

This proposal, which I am convinced is “technically” “correct”, struck a chord with the masses, myself included. I clenched my jaw so tight the first time I read it Times tweet that I was briefly wondering if I was having a stroke. In June my partner and I moved in together and the issue of pre-washing our dishes was our biggest bone of contention. I’m for pre-rinse though he, it seems, is a New York Times Apologist. He brings up the “true” “fact” that washing dishes by hand is a waste of water and time. I’ve argued that washing dishes by hand ties me to my matriarchal lineage! Just kidding. But pre-washing my dishes satisfies some, like the wisdom of old women buried deep inside me. I don’t know, just let me do my little domestic rituals New York Times. Dirt be damned!