PREPARING DISHES FOR WASHING.--If possible, as soon as _serving dishes,
i.e._ dishes used at the dining table, are soiled, scrape away bits of
food from them. The scraping may be done with: (_a_) a piece of soft
paper, (_b_) plate-scraper (see Figure 3), (_c_) a knife or
spoon. The latter is doubtless the most commonly used for dish scraping,
but it is less efficient and may scratch china. If it is impossible to
wash dishes soon after soiling, let them soak in water until they can be
washed.

[Illustration: FIGURE 2.--A SINK ARRANGED FOR EFFICIENCY IN DISH-WASHING.

Note the draining board on each side of the sink, the dish-cupboard in the
upper left corner, and the rack for drying brushes below the sink.]

_Cooking utensils_ need special care before washing, especially if
they have held greasy foods. "Oil and water do not mix!" The grease from
dish-water often collects in the drain-pipe and prevents or retards the
drainage of waste water. This often means expensive plumber's bills and
great inconvenience. Bear in mind the following cautions Before putting a
utensil which has held fat into the dish-water, always wipe it carefully
with a piece of paper. After wiping most of the grease from a pan or
kettle, the remaining fat can be entirely removed by filling the utensil
with hot water and then adding washing-soda. Boil the solution a few
minutes. Fat and washing-soda react and form soap; hence the effectiveness
of this method (See Experiment 34) (This method should not be applied to
aluminum utensils; washing-soda or any alkaline substance makes a dark
stain on aluminum)

[Illustration: FIGURE 3--UTENSILS FOR DISH WASHING