If you're a fan of rinsing your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher, you could be driving up your own bills without even realising it, according to findings in a new study.
A poll of 2,000 adults who own a dishwasher found that a whopping 62% of people always wash items before loading, and it means that they're pouring the equivalent of 95 million litres of cold water down the sink every day - wasting 7.6 billion gallons, or £195 million worth, every year.
Of those who rinse, 59% said justified their actions by claiming it clogs up the machine if they don't, but of the remaining 38% who never rinse, over half said it's "pointless" as the items will be washed thoroughly in the machine.
The study was commissioned by energy experts at Utilita, who said they hope the research will help prove to people that they can cut down on their bills by making simple changes such as not pre-rinsing their dishes.
Archie Lasseter, head of sustainability, said: "Knowing what our habits are costing us can encourage us to reconsider our behaviours, and in this case, the savings are significant, so should hopefully make households think twice.
"We can tell households how much money they'll save, but until they load the dishwasher without pre-rinsing, and see positive results every time, they won't be convinced.
"We hope that this informative campaign will encourage people to put confidence in their machines and save the pocket and the planet in the process."
Among the pre-rinsers surveyed, 77% claimed it takes them up to two minutes to rinse everything after finishing a typical evening meal, which could cost them up to an extra £38 per year on their bills.
Those who use hot water to rinse will spend an extra £37.53 per year rinsing their crockery, while those who do it with cold water will spend £11.05, amounting to an average bill increase of £25.48.
More than three in 10 (31%) of all those surveyed, via OnePoll, will typically put their dishwasher on more than once a day - meaning the associated costs of pre-rinsing will double to £76 and £22, respectively.
Paul Hide, chief executive at the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances, said: "Dishwashers are one of the home's most hard-working appliances. They are designed to provide a full dishwashing function, which includes rinsing, so we must put our trust in them to save time, money, and the environment.
"Our own research reveals that most households avoid the eco-mode on home appliances due to it taking longer - we need to help consumers understand the benefits. By taking longer to agitate the dirt on dishes, the dishwasher doesn't need to heat the water to such high temperatures, which saves around 30 per cent of energy on each dishwasher cycle and it's the same for washing machines, too."
And Archie Lasseter added: "We're really motivated by the fact that dishwasher tablet manufacturers are encouraging consumers not to rinse, too. Through our behaviour science research, we know these types of visual cues and reminders really help when forming new energy efficiency habits."
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