Towards more sustainable consumption via quality management of glassware washing

Over the past twenty years, the number of households equipped with automatic dishwashers has increased more than fifteen fold in Poland. Numerous studies indicate that mechanical washing, in addition to several advantages, most often results in faster deterioration of dishes compared to manual washing. An experiment was developed to subject decorated glassware to repeated mechanical washing with various chemicals to determine the nature of the effect of the substances on the surface of the decoration. It was necessary to develop a new objective test method, as the current methods are highly subjective. The results of the experiment show that the cleaning agent used significantly affects the degree of material loss in a statistically significant way. These differences are evident both when considering the time of appearance of the first loss and the rate at which the losses increase. It can be stated that the regular use of the same agent for a prolonged period will have a significant impact on the durability of the decoration, and therefore, on the service life of decorated glass. This is important because in today's sustainable world, it's critical not to make purchases of things that aren't needed. Consumers who know the relationship between glassware decoration and dishwasher detergents will be more aware and informed, which may result in better purchases.