A Spanish woman living in London has sparked a major online conversation after declaring she 'just can't accept' a common British approach to washing dishes, suggesting the practice is so unusual it should be 'studied at university'.
The Viral Kitchen Culture Shock
In a TikTok video posted on November 17, content creator Lucía Francés highlighted one of the cultural 'shocks' she claims she will never get used to in the UK. Her humorous but bewildered critique focused squarely on the nation's dishwashing technique. As reported by Spanish newspaper El Confidencial, Lucía outlined her astonishment at a two-part process she has observed.
She described a method where all dirty dishes are placed in the sink, which is then filled with water. The same soapy water is used to clean every item. However, the real point of contention for Lucía comes next. 'They don't even rinse the soap off the dishes,' she explained. 'They put them in the drainer with the dish soap still on.' For her, this final step crosses a line from cultural difference into the inexplicable.
A Debate Rinsing Across Social Media
Lucía Francés is far from alone in her observation. This specific British kitchen habit has become a recurring theme of disbelief on social media platforms, particularly TikTok. The trend was notably highlighted back in 2024 by user arieffyong in a clip titled 'When an Asian lives in a British household for the first time'.
The phenomenon continued into 2025, with users like calimarcopt_ and gabrielachristoni_ posting similar videos showing soapy dishes being placed directly on drying racks, often accompanied by puzzled reactions or humorous soundtracks. Another video by homachiglere captioned 'POV: you’ve lived in the UK for 3 weeks and this is how they wash their dishes' further cemented the topic as a staple of expat culture shock.
Brits Defend Their Drying Racks
The debate gained significant traction in October after British TikToker Paul Johnston-Naylor showcased his own no-rinse technique in a video from 2024. His demonstration, showing plates and cutlery being set to drain without a fresh water rinse, drew a flood of comments from international viewers.
Many pointed out that in their home countries, including the United States and across much of Europe and Asia, rinsing off soap suds with clean water is considered an essential, non-negotiable final step. One American viewer was so taken aback they made a direct response video stating plainly: 'Have you seen how British people wash their dishes? They don't rinse.'
This ongoing online discussion reveals more than just a difference in choreography. It highlights deeply ingrained domestic practices that many perform without a second thought, until viewed through the astonished eyes of someone from a different culture. For expats like Lucía Francés, some adaptations are easier than others, and the British way with a washing-up bowl remains, for now, a step too far.
