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Do a lot of people in Europe leave dish soap in dishes
Executive summary
A recognizable practice—hand-washing dishes in soapy water and leaving them to air-dry without a separate rinse—has been reported as common in parts of the U.K. and described as happening “in the U.K. and Europe”; experts and media note it’s not new and likely causes only minimal exposure to non-toxic dishwashing liquids [1] [2] [3]. Coverage stresses there’s little formal study of health effects, so assessments rely on product safety rules and expert opinion rather than controlled research [2] [3].
1. What people mean by “leaving dish soap on dishes” — a cultural cleaning routine
The practice in question—often called “washing up” in British English—involves scrubbing plates and cutlery in a sink of soapy water and then placing items on a drying rack without a distinct rinse step; outlets describing the trend tie it to everyday U.K. routines and viral TikTok clips highlighting the method [1] [4]. Remitly’s culture piece and lifestyle writing similarly frame it as a familiar British/European approach where drying with a tea towel can remove remaining moisture and some residue [3].
2. How common is the practice in Europe? The reporting is suggestive but not quantitative
Available sources describe the method as “a technique some use” in the U.K. and as a recognizable British habit, but they do not provide population-level statistics or rigorous surveys quantifying how many people across Europe actually skip a rinse [1] [4] [3]. In short: narratively common in media and social clips, but not documented with representative data in the provided reporting [1] [4].
3. Safety assessments from journalists and experts: low toxicity, limited evidence
Journalists and interviewed experts say modern dishwashing liquids are formulated to be low-toxicity and that small residues are unlikely to cause harm; The New York Times/Wirecutter review quotes experts noting the lack of formal studies but calling the practice “probably safe” given low exposure and absence of reported adverse outcomes [2]. Remitly repeats that manufacturers and public‑health experts consider European washing-up liquids regulated and safe for this use [3].
4. Concerns raised: residue, taste, and cleaning effectiveness
Critics and some cleaning professionals warn that skipping a rinse could leave soap residue or food particles behind, potentially affecting taste or perceived cleanliness; a cleaning-company CEO cited in coverage says the idea that water will carry the soap away “doesn’t always work in practice” [1]. Opinion and lifestyle pieces also point to the subjective “gross‑out” factor—some people simply find soap on plates unacceptable even if risk is small [4].
5. Historical and practical drivers: infrastructure and habit
Reporting explains practical roots: older U.K. homes often lacked hot water on demand, so households used a single bowl of hot, soapy water to wash everything and left items to dry—an approach that became habitual and persisted even as plumbing improved [4]. That historical explanation helps account for why the routine is regionally visible without implying a conscious health rationale [4].
6. What the product-safety angle shows and its limits
Pieces note regulatory safety: dishwashing liquids are formulated as detergents designed to be low‑irritant and to break down; experts and regulators have not linked routine, small exposures from residues to clear harm, and some outlets say manufacturers and public-health experts view EU/UK products as safe for households [2] [3]. But The New York Times/Wirecutter explicitly states there isn’t enough formal study to quantify long‑term risk—so the safety assessment is expert judgment rather than hard evidence [2].
7. Practical takeaways and alternative viewpoints
If you’re uncomfortable with any residue, rinsing is a simple solution; some brand reviews and guides also discuss product formulation and recommend low‑residue or non‑toxic options for sensitive users [5] [6]. Others argue that, practically, drying with a towel or air‑drying will remove trace suds and that widespread use over time without documented harms supports a low‑risk view [2] [3]. Both perspectives appear in the coverage: convenience/tradition versus a personal-preference and cleanliness standard [1] [4].
8. What’s missing from the reporting — and what would settle the debate
Current articles rely on expert opinion, regulatory context, historical explanation and anecdote; none of the provided sources cite epidemiological or experimental studies quantifying residue levels, ingestion amounts, or long‑term health outcomes tied to the practice [2] [3]. A controlled study measuring residue after typical “wash‑and‑air‑dry” routines, plus population surveys about prevalence, would be needed to move from plausible safety judgments to firm conclusions—available sources do not mention such studies [2].
Bottom line: media reporting paints leaving a small amount of dish soap on air‑dried dishes as a recognizable British/European habit that many experts consider low‑risk because modern detergents are low‑toxicity, but the practice isn’t quantified across Europe and hasn’t been rigorously studied for long‑term effects in the sources provided [1] [2] [3].