Friends, pt 2

I lived with Christina for several months in Berlin, and she has been a great friend. I’m still amazed that she could cope wtih me for so long.

• How to do the dishes properly (The German way) What you need: sponge (with one rough side for pots), soap; cloth

Preparation: After using pots for cooking, fill them with hot water and soap immediately to make it easier later to clean them.

Main act:

“After the meal, empty the above mentioned pots. After the meal, empty the above mentioned pots.* Put some soap in the sink and fill it half with hot water.Put some soap in the sink and fill it half with hot water.* Start with the less dirty things: glasses, cups, etc.Start with the less dirty things: glasses, cups, etc.* Take the sponge and wipe the entire thing smoothly; keep an eye on visible dirt and wipe there extra diligently.Take the sponge and wipe the entire thing smoothly; keep an eye on visible dirt and wipe there extra diligently.* Remove the soap with tap water.Remove the soap with tap water.* Double-check if all visible di is gone.Double-check if all visible di is gone.* Put dish on the rack/counter to let it dry.Put dish on the rack/counter to let it dry.* Continue now with the other dishes in the same procedure, according to the level of dirt.Continue now with the other dishes in the same procedure, according to the level of dirt.* Make sure that the water is still hot. The colder the water, the harder it is to remove fat. If necessary, add new hot water or change the water completely according to point 2 if it’s a longer dish washing session.Make sure that the water is still hot. The colder the water, the harder it is to remove fat. If necessary, add new hot water or change the water completely according to point 2 if it’s a longer dish washing session.* Finish with the really dirty stuff: Fill pots 5 cm with new hot water, add soap here and remove loose dirt with either the soft side of sponge or even with a spatula to avoid contaminating the sponge too much.Finish with the really dirty stuff: Fill pots 5 cm with new hot water, add soap here and remove loose dirt with either the soft side of sponge or even with a spatula to avoid contaminating the sponge too much.* Remove the now dirty water from the pot and refill the pot with 2-3 cm of new hot water and soap.Remove the now dirty water from the pot and refill the pot with 2-3 cm of new hot water and soap.* Now use the rough side of the sponge to clean the inveterate dirt. Be careful with Teflon-coated pans and pots and also with plastic items. The rough side of the sponge can easily damage them!Now use the rough side of the sponge to clean the inveterate dirt. Be careful with Teflon-coated pans and pots and also with plastic items. The rough side of the sponge can easily damage them!* Repeat until done. Repeat until done.”

Post-processing:

Done.