Experts Settle the Debate: Should You Soak Dishes Before Putting Them in the Dishwasher?

When Soaking Helps

Soaking can save effort when food has baked onto cookware or dried on dishes. Water softens stubborn residue, reducing the need for aggressive scrubbing and helping preserve dishes, cookware, scrubbers and dish brushes.

For baked-on starches such as pasta or oatmeal, the experts recommend soaking for 10–20 minutes in warm water. Let cookware cool to a safe temperature before washing; as it cools, these foods can dry and harden.

When You Can Skip It

Lightly soiled glasses, plates and flatware do not need soaking. Warm water and a good dish soap can quickly cut through grease and other food residue. An effective dish soap formulated to break down food and grease may also reduce the need to soak tougher messes.

Handwashing Is Different

The guidance against pre-rinsing applies when loading a dishwasher, but handwashing is different. In some cases, rinsing and washing dishes while food residue is still fresh is the quickest approach.

A dish scraper can help remove stubborn food, especially from flat surfaces such as plates and sheet pans. It lets you push loose residue away before washing.

Advice From The Lab

The Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab says the decision depends on the mess and the length of the soak. Soaking is not always necessary, but can be useful for dried or baked-on residue.