Rinse a strainer from the back, not the front

#0039 Food & cooking

Replications wanted If you try this, please write your result on the talk page.

Fact rank

C

The only evidence is the contributor's own experience. To be raised to B once replications come in

Wow rank

B

An everyday tool, and all it takes is turning it over

Usefulness

S

Usable in everyday washing-up, with no extra tools or effort

Verification: Weak evidence

Posted by: くろぶちや ・ Verified: 2026-10-29 ・ Method: AI + human ・ On Wikipedia?: Not checked

AI verification reports the evidence it found; it does not guarantee that a claim is true.

Bits of food stuck in the mesh of a colander, sieve or tea strainer are hard to rinse off by spraying the side you used. Turn the mesh over, run water from the back, and wipe the used side with a sponge at the same time: they come off faster.

Why

The bits were pushed into the mesh from the used side and are wedged in. Water from the front pushes them further in; water from the back pushes them out the way they came. The sponge wipes off what the water has loosened.

Evidence

Poster's experience The contributor's rule of thumb. No cooking site or manufacturer describing the same method was found (2026-10-29)

Notes and limits

For fine tea strainers or oily bits (from frying), loosen the oil with lukewarm water first. Use a sponge, not steel wool, which bends the mesh and makes clogging worse.

Derivations

Derived from: —

Derived facts: —