Today's Find: Washing Up Liquid

Make sure to wash up before dinner kids! 

or wait... after dinner?

One of the first differences I noticed between North Americans and the Irish when I first moved was the term used for dish soap. 

What else could they possibly call it you ask?: 

Washing-Up Liquid

I know right?! What the heck is washing-up liquid? What are we washing up exactly? Are we taking a bath? Washing up the dog?!?

[My apologies for my excessive use of question markets and exclamations. Can you tell I'm passionate about this issue?]

Now, washing-up liquid is something you would use to "wash up" your dishes. When someone says "Hey, lets do some washing up!" they mean, in North American lingo, "Hey, lets do the dishes!". A dishwasher is still called a dishwasher, but I've read that some do refer to it as a "washing-up machine". But maybe they are just pulling my leg.  

This is starting to get complicated. 

So here's a question: 

When a UK/Irish parent tells their child to "wash up" before dinner, does this mean 

a) wash the dishes 

b) wash your hands

See where I'm going with this?

So complicated! 

Fact of the matter is, neither side will ever agree. I can argue with the Irish and British all I want about what to call dishwashing liquid, but they will always make fun of dish soap, and vice versa. 

Can we agree on one thing though? 

Rinse your dishes. Always.  

Keep Smilin' 

M.