Is this how you rinse your plates?
This is how I do it. After applying dish detergent, I place what I would like to rinse in a container. By doing that, I can save the water used from rinsing my tableware in the container and use it for other purposes. Currently, the container I am using is a large pot that is missing one handle, which could not be fixed.
It will be great if the basin in your kitchen is large like the one in my house. I can place that container for storing water at the left hand corner of it. If you have a small basin, you can make use of an empty plastic container. The one that I use for the basin in my bike shop is an empty 5kg cooking oil with its top cut off.
For this to work, you must make sure that the container used is clean. I usually wash it once I have used up all the water saved or just before I rinse the next load of kitchen and tableware. Always rinse plasticwares first. Do not soak them in the container with the rest of the items to rinse. Use running water and rinse them over the container.
As I do not want to stain the sponge I use for washing dishes, I re-use soiled tissue to wipe off residues or thick gravies off any item to be washed. I then use the water I have saved to rinse them first before applying detergent.
However, instead of a sponge, I prefer to use a small piece of cloth to apply the dish detergent. The cloth can be a small kitchen towel, table cloth or even a handkerchief for baby or cloth from wet wipes. When I damaged my dry floor dust wiper flat mop I used its refill for the same purpose.
I started doing that when I noticed that sponges for washing dishes tend to break apart easily. I also like it that they can be hand washed. Every week, after handwashing them I will put them in a laundry bag to give them a thorough wash in the washing machine.
These are other ways I re-use the rinsing water that I have saved. I use it to:
-wash the kitchen basin
-wash table cloth after wiping tables
-splash soil or mud off my verandah
-wash soil off my feet and hand after gardening
After which, if still required, I will use fresh clean water for another round of cleaning.
If you have read the book, "Happy Healthy Houseplants", by Jerry Baker, you will discover that aphids hate soap. He recommends that you give your plants a good soapy bath by using 1-2 table spoons of dishwashing liquid per gallon of room temperature water. This is why I am comfortable about using my water for rinsing to water my plants. If you are worried that the suddy water will kill your plant, you can always use it to water your lawn. The soil will filter out chemicals from the detergent so your plants will be safe.
Here is another way you can reduce water usage. Have you tried soaking tomatoes or bell peppers in a large basin of water? You cannot soak them properly as they float on top of the water. I use a 1.5L water bottle with its top cut off and use it to soak greens, such as, tomatoes, bell peppers, green beans and celery. I place a weight like my pestle from my mortar or a heavy metal spoon to hold them down. Sometimes I use a tall Tupperware that I bought for my kids when they were young but no longer use.
Sometimes an empty cup works well as weight to hold them down. For very buoyant peppers, I will add water into the cup to hold them in. It should be safe to use the water for rinsing vegetables to water your lawns. I usually add that to the container in my basin and when it is full, I bring the whole pot out to water my plants or lawn.
