We’ve all done it. You finish dinner, look at the crusty pan or that queso-covered plate, and think: “I’ll just let it soak and get this later.”
Boom. Done. Task complete… kinda.
But soaking dishes isn’t always the helpful shortcut we think it is. In fact, if you let them sit too long, you’re not just dodging dish duty, creating a bigger task for later, and brewing a bacterial soup in the sink.
Hey, I’m Ryan Knoll. I run Tidy Casa, a home cleaning company in Phoenix and Tucson, and my team cleans over 600 homes a month. Let me tell you—dishes are our everyday battle. And soaking? It’s one of the most misunderstood kitchen habits.
Here’s what you need to know.
Soaking Dishes: Why It Can Be Unsafe
Soaking seems helpful, right? Toss some warm water and dish soap in a pan, walk away, and let the grime dissolve. But after a certain point, you’re not cleaning—you’re cultivating bacteria.
Here’s what’s happening:
- Leftover food becomes a buffet for germs.
- Lukewarm water (especially between 40°F–140°F) is the danger zone where bacteria thrive.
- Time is the final ingredient. The longer it sits, the more bacteria multiply.
Even worse? If your sink wasn’t scrubbed beforehand, you’re adding even more germs to the party.
How Long Is Too Long to Soak Dishes?
The sweet spot for soaking? If you absolutely HAVE to let a dish soap, keep it under 2 hours, max. Especially if the water is warm or the food has protein or dairy.
Once things get:
- Sour-smelling
- Slimy or filmy on the surface
- Visibly cloudy or gunky
…you’re already in the bacteria danger zone.
A Better Option? Clean While It’s Hot
Instead of letting dishes sit:
- Clean pans while they’re still warm.
- A wet sponge on a hot pan can do more than hours of soaking.
- Trust me, this is another case where procrastination makes the job harder.
Can’t Clean Right Away? Try This Instead
We get it, life happens. If you can’t wash dishes right away, here’s what we recommend:
- Scrape food off ASAP. This is the biggest game-changer. Don’t let it crust.
- Add a little dish soap and water, swirl it with a sponge, and let that sit. You’re not soaking—you’re giving the soap a head start.
- Come back later for a quick rinse. Way easier than scrubbing dried food 12 hours later.
Final Thoughts: Soaking Is a Stall Tactic
Here’s the honest truth, soaking isn’t usually about cleaning. It’s about feeling like we did something. And that’s okay! We all do it. But knowing when it helps—and when it just makes things worse—can save you time, elbow grease, and exposure to bacteria you’d rather not meet.
Hope this helps keep your kitchen a little cleaner (and a lot safer)!
Dishes piling up? Don’t wait and get a Tidy Casa Deep Clean.