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clean the dishes

English translation: wash the dishes

20:54 May 29, 2014
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: clean the dishes
Is it correct to say clean the dishes? I ´ve always used " wash the dishes" but I´d like to know if clean is OK, too.
Patsy Florit
Local time: 04:17
Selected answer:wash the dishes
Explanation:
clean the house...

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Note added at 8 mins (2014-05-29 21:03:10 GMT)
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never heard a native speaker say "clean" the dishes though you can also "do" them.
Selected response from:

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 08:17
Grading comment
Thanks, this answer will do.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +5wash the dishes
Yvonne Gallagher
4 +3do the washing up
Vilina Svetoslavova
5it depends upon context
Charlesp
4"clean" the dishes
Cilian O'Tuama


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
wash the dishes


Explanation:
clean the house...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 mins (2014-05-29 21:03:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

never heard a native speaker say "clean" the dishes though you can also "do" them.

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 08:17
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 659
Grading comment
Thanks, this answer will do.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Helena Chavarria
3 mins
  -> Thanks Helena:-)
agree  Mark Nathan
6 mins
  -> Thanks Mark:-)
agree  Martin Riordan
14 mins
  -> Thanks Martin:-)
agree  Charles Davis: If water is involved, it's washing (generally speaking)
16 mins
  -> Thanks Charles:-)
agree  Jack Doughty: This is common in US English. It can be used in UK English, but it is more usual to say "do the washing up".
18 mins
  -> Yes, agreed. Thanks Jack:-)
agree  katsy
24 mins
  -> Thanks Katsy:-)
disagree  Cilian O'Tuama: this native speaker has often heard "clean"// (I mean heard from other ENSs) - "wash" is correct, but so too are "do" and "clean", irrespective of how long anyone has been living anywhere.
1 day 7 hrs
  -> you're living in Germany too long then; six natives have agreed with me.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
do the washing up


Explanation:
Another expression.

Vilina Svetoslavova
Bulgaria
Local time: 10:17
Native speaker of: Native in BulgarianBulgarian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Armorel Young: absolutely - far the most familiar term as far as I am concerned (UK usage)
10 hrs
  -> Thanks!
agree  B D Finch
11 hrs
  -> Thanks :)
agree  acetran
17 hrs
  -> Thanks :)
neutral  Yvonne Gallagher: this was already said above. It's not answering the question which was: "is it clean or wash?"//hanks Vilina. Obviously Germans must (mistakenly) use "clean"
1 day 11 hrs
  -> I agree with your answer above and I should have indicated that. I gave this answer as another common expression with "wash" (rather than just "wash the dishes") so it suggests that "clean" the dishes is not correct.
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1 day 7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"clean" the dishes


Explanation:
is perfectly fine

as is "do" or "wash"

wouldn't bat an eyelid at any

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Note added at 2 days1 hr (2014-05-31 22:54:24 GMT) Post-grading
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Two articles containing all three terms (do, clean, wash):

http://www.domesticcleaning.co.uk/a-couple-of-useful-tips-fo...

http://www.supersavvyme.co.uk/home-and-garden/cleaning/artic...


Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Local time: 09:17
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Yvonne Gallagher: wrong//see BDF's comment in Disc.
4 hrs
  -> Not exactly a convincing argument. (See above, if you wish, for a couple of IMO perfectly normal examples).
agree  Veronika McLaren
9 hrs
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194 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
it depends upon context


Explanation:
say what you want.

Charlesp
Sweden
Local time: 09:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
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