The Viral TikTok That Shocked America
Picture this: you’re scrolling through TikTok when suddenly you see someone washing dishes, placing them in the drying rack still covered in soap suds, and walking away. That’s exactly what happened when a viral TikTok by user @spiritual_af shed light on a technique some use for washing dishes in the U.K. The video sparked an international debate that has Americans absolutely horrified and Brits defending their time-tested method.
Referred to as “washing up,” the method involves hand-washing dishes with soapy water before transferring them to a drying rack. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, until you realize the dishes never get rinsed. The soapy dishes stay on the rack, and the suds drip off them. What seemed like a simple kitchen routine has now become a global controversy with health experts weighing in on both sides.
What Exactly Is The British Dishwashing Method?
The trend, now controversially known as “British dishwashing,” or “washing up,” started on TikTok after a handful of viral TikTokers realized that, rather than washing individual dishes one at a time with clean water for each, some British people like to fill the washing basin in their sink with soapy water and let all of their dirty dishes soak there together. Once they’re “properly soaked,” followers of the British dishwashing method don’t rinse off the soap or any left-behind suds – they just stick them right in the drying rack.
The method has historical roots that make perfect sense when you understand the context. There were plenty of households, especially some of the older ones, where hot water wasn’t readily available from the faucet – you had to heat it up yourself. Using a sink full of sudsy bubbles was more practical, as rinsing dishes under running water felt wasteful. Many British homes simply didn’t have the luxury of endless hot water on demand.
Americans React With Horror And Confusion
The reaction from American TikTok users was swift and brutal. TikTok users flooded the comments section, both in support of and against the method. “Do they just eat off of soapy dishes?” one user asked. The cultural shock was palpable as Americans tried to wrap their heads around the concept of deliberately leaving soap residue on eating surfaces.
Another defended the technique, writing, “Americans are unaware of the concept of saving water.” This response highlights one of the key philosophical differences between the two approaches – water conservation versus thorough cleanliness. The debate quickly escalated beyond simple dishwashing preferences to broader discussions about cultural practices and resource management.
Not All Brits Are On Board
Interestingly, the viral videos revealed a split even within British households. Other people in the comments section claimed that many U.K. residents don’t abide by this method and do, in fact, rinse. However, another TikToker responded, “I’m British, and neither myself nor anyone else I know in the U.K. leaves soap suds on their dishes. Literally everyone rinses.”
This internal disagreement among British users suggests that the so-called “British way” might not be as universally British as the viral videos implied. Of course, plenty of Brits are offended by the entire premise of this theory, with one user responding, “I have NEVER not washed off the soap suds before putting the dishes in the drying rack. Who the heck leaves the suds on?” while another replied, “Ok, I live in Britain, WHO DOESN’T WASH OFF THE SOAP???”
The Science Behind Soap Residue
When it comes to the actual mechanics of the British method, the theory seems sound on paper. Proponents of “washing up” the British way argue that soapy water drips off dishes as they rest on the drying rack. But you shouldn’t expect gravity to do a thorough job. According to cleaning industry sources, this method “theoretically should allow the water to ‘carry’ the soap molecules and dirt with it as it flows off in the drying rack,” but this doesn’t always work in practice.
Toby Schulz, CEO and co-founder of Maid2Match, says that this method “theoretically should allow the water to ‘carry’ the soap molecules and dirt with it as it flows off in the drying rack,” but this doesn’t always work in practice. “Not all the water will run off – some of it will evaporate or dry on the dishes instead,” experts note. This leaves behind precisely what health experts are concerned about – residual chemicals on your eating surfaces.
Health Risks Of Soap Residue Consumption
The potential health implications of regularly consuming dish soap residue are more serious than you might expect. Dish soap works through the use of surfactants, which clean by binding to both water and grease. Without rinsing them off, those surfactants will linger and end up in your food. “Ingesting a bit of detergent residue isn’t necessarily harmful unless you’re allergic to the ingredients,” says Schulz. “But over time, consistent ingestion of residue can pose health risks, including gastrointestinal irritation and endocrine disruption.”
Over time, that residue can build up and pose some health risks, including: Dish soap residue can irritate the lining of the stomach and intestines. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Some dish soaps contain chemicals that can act as endocrine disruptors, interfering with the body’s hormone system. These chemicals can potentially affect growth, development, and reproductive function.
Bacterial Contamination Concerns
Perhaps even more concerning than soap residue is the bacterial risk associated with improper dish washing techniques. “Soap residues, along with organic matter, can provide a moist environment that supports microbial growth,” food safety experts note. “If you skip the rinsing step, not only are you not removing bacteria, but you’re creating a place where they may start multiplying, which can lead to illness.”
As Carla Garcia Carreno, MD, an infectious disease specialist, told PopSugar: “In general, washing dishes in water that accumulates and not rinsing with running water carries the risk of spreading bacteria and other infectious agents.” The concern becomes even more pronounced when you consider what happens when raw meat juices mix with other dishes in that communal soapy water.
The Cross-Contamination Problem
Say you place raw meat on a dish or cutting board, then soak that dish in soapy water along with other dishwear. Now everything in that water is at risk of being contaminated with any bacteria from the meat. If you then just give your dishes a quick swipe with a sponge and place it on a drying rack without ever rinsing it, you may not have removed the bacteria and when they’re used again, they could contaminate whatever else is placed on them, says Amesh Adalja, MD, an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
This communal washing approach creates exactly the kind of environment that food safety experts warn against. Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful bacteria to food from other foods, cutting boards, and utensils and it happens when they are not handled properly. This is especially true when handling raw meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood, so keep these foods and their juices away from already cooked or ready-to-eat foods and fresh product.
What Modern Dish Soaps Actually Contain
Today’s dish soaps aren’t the simple, natural cleaners your grandmother might have used. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which evaluates dish soaps and assigns hazard ratings ranging from A to F (A being the safest, F being the most toxic), a significant portion of conventional dish soap brands receive lower safety ratings, including many of the big conventional dish soap brands you might be familiar with. This means the vast majority of dish soaps on the market contain ingredients that health experts consider potentially harmful.
Katie Haylor talked to Rob Chilcott from the University of Hertfordshire, who gave his opinion on this soapy subject… Rob – Washing up liquids generally contain a mixture of chemicals such as detergents, fragrances, colourings, glycols, and alcohols. Indeed, if you look on the internet, you can quickly confirm that many of these ingredients are categorised as hazardous or irritant. When you leave these chemicals on your dishes, you’re essentially seasoning your food with them.
Recent Research On Dishwasher Detergent Dangers
New research has revealed alarming findings about detergent residues, particularly from commercial dishwashers. Background: The increased prevalence of many chronic inflammatory diseases linked to gut epithelial barrier leakiness has prompted us to investigate the role of extensive use of dishwasher detergents, among other factors. Objective: We sought to investigate the effects of professional and household dishwashers, and rinse agents, on cytotoxicity, barrier function, transcriptome, and protein expression in gastrointestinal epithelial cells. Results: The observed detergent toxicity was attributed to exposure to rinse aid in a dose-dependent manner up to 1:20,000 v/v dilution.
Swedish immunologists found that commercial dishwashers, common in many restaurants, leave behind a chemical residue that’s toxic to the gastrointestinal tract. “We assume that defective epithelial barriers play a role in triggering the onset of two billion chronic illnesses,” says lead study author Cezmi Akdis, a professor of experimental allergology and immunology at the University of Zurich and director of the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research, in a media release. While this study focused on commercial dishwashers, it raises serious questions about any residue left on dishes.
The Proper Way To Wash Dishes Safely
Food safety experts are unanimous in their recommendation for proper dish washing technique. We’re sorry to burst the Brits’ bubble, but the most hygienic way to hand-wash dishes is by rinsing them. Food safety experts recommend taking an extra step to sanitize them before they reach the drying rack. To sanitize, you can use a sanitizing solution or submerge your dishes in very hot water (approximately 171 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 seconds.
Use a sink with three basins to wash, rinse, and sanitize your dishes. If your sink doesn’t have three basins, use one or two large pans as the second or third basins, and follow these steps: Wash the dishes in hot, soapy water. Remove dishes and allow to completely air dry. Method #2: Hot Water: Soak dishes completely covered in 170°F water for at least 30 seconds. Use a thermometer to check water temperature and time your soak with a clock.
Water Conservation vs. Safety: Finding The Balance
The water conservation argument isn’t without merit, especially in regions facing water shortages. It wasn’t about being lazy or dirty; it was just practical. Once hot water became more available, that method didn’t go away. Many people stuck to what they knew. However, experts argue that the health risks outweigh the water savings, especially when you consider the potential medical costs of foodborne illness.
None of this means this dish washing method will definitely get you sick, but anyone who opts to keep the suds on post-soak or doesn’t change the water used to wash the dishes should reconsider their method – wherever they live. Modern water-efficient dishwashers and mindful rinsing practices can help achieve both cleanliness and conservation goals without compromising safety.
