People in the United States have been left completely stunned after discovering the method some Brits use to ‘wash their dishes’, though opinions vary widely.
A British influencer on Instagram sparked conversation by sharing a video that highlights a particular dishwashing technique purportedly used in the UK.
Joshua Cauldwell, known online as @imjoshfromengland2, posted a video demonstrating himself doing the dishes.
In the video, he takes several plates and cleans them using a soapy sponge, removing all food particles and grime.
However, his next move took many viewers by surprise…
Instead of rinsing off the soap, he simply placed the dishes on the drying rack with the suds still on them.
“I’m washing the dishes, and in the UK we do something that apparently is only done in the UK,” Josh explained.
“When we wash our dishes, with soap, like so, we don’t rinse the soap, we simply put it to dry with the soap on.
“This is normal practice in the UK. Apparently, in America, you guys don’t do this.
“I’ve always done this. I’ve always washed my dishes nice and clean, take it from here, put it over there.”
Josh then polled his audience to see if they thought he was doing it the ‘right way’, receiving a mixed response.
While many Americans were taken aback, some Brits were equally confused by his method.
A Canadian viewer commented: “Whhhhatttt??? You’re kidding. I’m Canadian and this is wild to me.”
Another expressed: “So you’re eating all that soap? Has it ever occurred to you? To do it like you wash your hands or hair? You. Rinse. It. Off.”
Someone else humorously questioned: “Do you also lather up in the shower and then just get out all soapy?”
An amazed viewer added: “So yall eat soap? Even with the dishwasher, I rinse my cup a little bit cause there’s a little bit of soap residue in the cup. You’ll notice it very quickly when you first put water in it and if you don’t rinse it, there’ll be some bubbles in the water.”
Some British individuals were quick to voice their disagreement, with one commenting: “Fellow Brit here. Who is this ‘we’ you speak of? I have never personally known anyone who doesn’t rinse the soap off.”
Another Brit chimed in: “In the UK we rinse the soap.”
Yet another added: “Fellow Brit here. You’re washing up wrong.”
But is this method of washing dishes actually safe?
Toby Schulz, the CEO and co-founder of Maid2Match, explained that while the water is theoretically supposed to “carry” the soap and dirt away as it drains, the practical outcome can differ.
“Not all the water will run off—some of it will evaporate or dry on the dishes instead,” he noted.
“Ingesting a bit of detergent residue isn’t necessarily harmful unless you’re allergic to the ingredients. But over time, consistent ingestion of residue can pose health risks, including gastrointestinal irritation and endocrine disruption.”