Looking for a quick solution to dry your dishes on the counter? Consider using a wire cooling rack instead of a drying mat. While drying racks are ideal for allowing airflow and drying dishes faster, a wire cooling rack can serve a similar purpose. These handy wire trays keep dishes spread apart and allow air to circulate around them, speeding up the drying process. Keep in mind that the wire spacing may not be ideal for placing plates on their sides. Additionally, you can repurpose a cooling rack to create extra storage space in your fridge!
Even if you own a dishwasher, you sometimes need to handwash dishes
If you don't have a cooling rack, or if that's one of the things in your dirty dishes pile, head over to your oven. Your oven racks (if they aren't too gunked up with frozen pizza cheese) are also a terrific option for a dish rack in a pinch. They're often longer than a dish rack or a cooling tray, giving a lot more room for dish drying. Depending on the length of your rack, you could also place it over your sink. Just be mindful of how full you stack your dishes onto it to avoid any unfortunate dish-to-sink collisions.
According to a 2020 study by the Energy Information Administration, over 89% of Americans own a dishwasher, but over 17% don't use it weekly. It's widely known that dishwashers use less water than handwashing dishes. Handwashing dishes regularly can use more gallons of water per year compared to dishwashers. On top of that, it's just so convenient to load the washer and be done with it instead of toiling over a sink of hot water. Using a dishwasher is also better than stacking dishes like a Tetris game over an all-too-small dish rack.
It's no secret that dishwashers are a convenient way to clean our dishes, but there are times when handwashing is necessary to avoid damaging delicate items. For those who don't handwash dishes often, owning a dish rack may not be a priority as it can take up valuable counter space. When a dish rack is needed, but not available, makeshift options like cooling racks or oven racks can be used. Whether it's due to limited space or a preference for handwashing, having a makeshift dish rack on hand can be a lifesaver. After all, some dishes are too precious or delicate to be placed in a dishwasher and may not be suitable for towel drying.
