Farmhouse sinks are growing in popularity as they give any room a rustic, timeless vibe. They look beautiful in photos and are sure to draw the envious attention of guests and visitors.
However, new owners will find that this particular style sink comes with its challenges, not the least of which is washing dishes without breaking them.
Despite its beauty, carelessness can result in shattered china and potentially dangerous situations arising from broken glass. While this may seem like a trivial challenge, enough owners have reported issues that it presents a need for research and worthwhile discussion.
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Here the details of How to wash dishes in a farmhouse sink
We wanted to test the concern by actually washing dinks in one of our colleague’s farmhouse sinks, who happened to have troubles with the very issue at hand. Here’s what we found:
- Farmhouse sinks look every bit as great in a kitchen as advertised
- Washing dishes in them is actually a challenge
- One glass was broken despite our efforts
It may be hard to believe, but we did actually break a glass when performing an experiment where we specifically set out to not break anything.
While this can be attributed to a combination of excessive amounts of wine consumption and too many washers at the sink, so to speak, it still goes to highlight the very real possibility of dish fatalities present when using a farmhouse sink.
How do you use a farmhouse sink without breaking dishes?
That’s the question we set out to answer. Through a combination of personal experience, research inquiries, and trial and error, we’ve identified the biggest farmhouse sink dishwashing problems and their solutions.
Problem 1: Water Spray
Part of the appeal of farmhouse sinks is their low, seamlessly integrated setting position. The lack of edges may prove aesthetically pleasing but certainly, increase the splash factor.
If the faucet is on, with the force of anything more than a slow drizzle, the flat basin bottom acts as a proficient rebounder.
As dish cleaning requires substantially more force than a gentle drip, it’s likely that water will be sprayed everywhere.
Solution 1: Embrace the spray
This may feel like a cop-out, but everything we performed was fruitless in completely preventing water spray. It’s simply a hazard of owning a farmhouse sink.
Our best advice is to take a deep breath, accept this fact, and figure out a way to make it work. We found that a water absorbent floor mat was a perfect solution for catching the spray that reached the ground.
We also highly recommended wearing an apron when dishwashing to prevent the need for excessive laundry.
Problem 2: Drying the dishes
Most traditional sinks boast two compartments, one designated for washing and one where those dishes can then dry. While it usually goes as an afterthought, this feature provides a great amount of practicality and utility.
Dry dishes are kept separated, allowing for furthering washing or other uses to take place on the empty side. Farmhouse sinks typically sport only one, deep basin, meaning that all utility must take place in the same area. Although it may seem like an afterthought, if you’re used to a standard sink, this chore can take on a new level of difficulty.
Solution 2: Designate a drying zone
The solution to this particular issue is rather simple, but many people will still try to power through with the sheer will rather than adjusting to their new situation.
Purchasing a drying mat and keeping it on a designated counter area next to the sink is far better than beating your head against the wall trying to dry dishes in the sink. Seriously, a separate station will prove infinitely better in the long-haul.
Problem 3: Broken dishes
This is the biggest and most significant issue associated with farmhouse sinks. The deep basin means that any dropped dish must face a longer fall, resulting far too often in broken glasses and plates.
Another factor to consider is the lack of rims on a farmhouse sink. It may seem silly, but the lack of edges makes falls from the countertop into the sink far more likely.
Solution 3: Undivided attention
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, there was no secret tip or aha moment that we uncovered during our research or experiments.
Broken glass and dishware stem mainly from carelessness and lack of attention. Dropped items occur when attention is in more place than one.
Things are knocked off the counter into the sink when you’re trying to move too quickly. Our recommendation is to place your drying station a considerable distance from the edges of the sink and give your undivided attention to the dishwashing process.
