The Surprising Reasons You Shouldn't Leave Dishes in the Sink Overnight

When it comes to being a homeowner, pests here and there are inevitable. However, there are a few things you can do to ensure you're not inadvertently inviting them into your home. Pests need shelter, food, and water to survive—just like us. Leaving dirty dishes out overnight provides the perfect environment for them to thrive.

While this may seem like a harmless habit, it can lead to pest infestations that are difficult to control. To explain what really happens when you leave dishes in the sink overnight, we spoke with pest management and cleaning experts. Ahead, they share why this common kitchen habit could be inviting pests into your home and offer tips on how to maintain a clean kitchen to keep them away.

Why You Shouldn't Leave Dirty Dishes In the Sink

Finishing a meal and leaving your dirty dishes in the sink to clean later may seem harmless, but it can lead to bigger sanitation issues in your kitchen—especially if the dishes are left overnight.

Getting into the habit of leaving dirty dishes in the sink provides pests such as German cockroaches, ants, mice, and rats with a constant food source. Over time, they may establish nesting sites nearby, turning this seemingly harmless habit into a serious pest control problem.

"Now, you have pests walking over your countertops, defecating in cabinets, and urinating on silverware," says Stew Muir, a technical safety manager and associated certified entomologist at JP McHale Pest Management.

"The pest triangle is what pests need to thrive in your home, with the three points of the triangle being food, water, and shelter.  You have now created a perfect home for pest,s and until something changes, they will be a part of your home and your family," says Muir.

What Happens When You Soak Dishes Overnight

When cleaning dishes, it's common to fill the sink with soap and water to let food residue soak off. While this is a normal step in the cleaning process, after about two hours of soaking, bacteria begin to multiply, causing the water to shift from helpful to murky, says Jennifer Parnell, co-founder of Humble Suds.

"The resulting slimy film can make scrubbing twice as time-consuming, so soaking should always be short-term, not a next-day strategy," says Parnell. Leaving dirty dishes to soak overnight creates what experts call the perfect "pest triangle."

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How Bacteria and Odors Build Up in Your Kitchen

Bacteria flourish when dirty dishes are left to soak overnight, especially once the water temperature drops below 110 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Parnell. In addition to bacterial growth, strong-smelling food residue can transfer odors to porous kitchen materials such as wood, fabrics, and sponges. "Wood is the most vulnerable. It is porous, so it absorbs odors and moisture quickly, and any cracks or crevices become perfect hiding spots for bacteria," says Parnell.

Lingering food residue and odors attract pests by providing a reliable food source they'll return to again and again, making it increasingly difficult to eliminate from your home.

Simple Habits to Keep Your Kitchen Clean and Pest-Free

It's best to get into the routine of rinsing your dishes right after use to prevent food from drying. If you have a dishwasher, load the dirty items immediately, Parnell recommends. If you don't, fill your sink with hot water and a small amount of dish soap, and allow the dishes to soak briefly before giving them a final scrub.

"The best thing to do is to clean all dishes before you go to bed at night, as a clean and empty sink will remove that constant food source and force pests to look elsewhere," says Muir.

To maintain a clean sink, adjust your routine to tackle messes right away rather than putting them off. "If raw meat touched any surface, scrub with baking soda, soap, and water, then follow with a sanitizing spray," says Parnell. "For everyday use, when no raw meat is involved, a thorough rinse plus a weekly refresh with a baking-soda-based paste like Scour Cleaning Paste is usually all you need to keep things clean and odor-free."

Parnell also recommends sanitizing sponges and dishcloths regularly to avoid harboring bacteria in the sink and running the garbage disposal with hot water to clear trapped food before it starts to smell.