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And what about pre-rinsing and its impact on the environment?
"We've found consistently that dishwashers are far more water and energy-efficient than washing by hand," says Mr Iredale.
In fact, one study found that handwashing dishes uses 80 per cent more water than the dishwasher.
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As for those who leave their dishes in the sink for hours until the food scraps have crusted over? You might be the exception to a pre-clean.
But before you head straight for the tap, consider wiping a crusty plate with stale bread, then tossing it straight into the compost!
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