What is it? The Dish Squeegee, a device for clearing food remnants from plates without wasting water.
How does it work? This is a handheld device akin to a window cleaner’s squeegee, except curved to fit smoothly into the contours of a dinner plate.
Dishwashers are not supposed to be loaded with plates still festooned with food — because the scraps flitter around inside the washer, clog up the system and lead to starchy residues clinging to your plates and glasses.
So when you load up your dishwasher, what do you do? You turn on the tap and let it run for ages while you rinse everything off.
What harm is there in that? Well, the pointy-heads at the Environmental Protection Agency in America are worried about water waste. Some studies estimate that the average household wastes up to 6,500 gallons of water a year like this.
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The soft silicone of the Dish Squeegee will not scratch fine cookware or Teflon surfaces.
Its contours are designed to squeegee plates, cups, dishes, pots, pans and even jars. It’s also ideal for removing food scraps from work surfaces and table tops. You can even use the squeegee to clean the dishwasher itself. It comes with three different leading edges and a centrally fixed grip to allow you to turn it around without getting your hands dirty.
It was one of the 26 inventions named as a “design defined honoree” from the thousands of products exhibited at the 2010 International Home and Housewares Show in New York.
How much is it and where can I get one? The Dish Squeegee has been developed by an American company, AM Conservation Group, and is sold in Ireland by the web retailer Purchase.ie. The normal price including delivery is €9.55, but Sunday Times readers can get it for €9.05 by entering the code “2011” online. Alternatively, call Purchase.ie on 01 842 8187 to order by phone.