The Lazy Cook.

It's a sad fact that there will always be washing up, and unless you have a dishwasher (I don't) you're going to have to do it yourself. So, a couple of tips. Firstly, I have found that this is an area where you get what you pay for - when buying kitchen cooking equipment it pays to get the best you can afford. Good quality saucepans, frying pans, woks, baking trays etc. clean up much easier and better. Second, whenever you have used any sort of pan for cooking, before you do anything else, put some water into it - otherwise the residual heat of the pan will bake on any residue, and you'll have the devil's own job to clean it off. Putting water in it straight away makes washing it up a doddle. Just one warning - if you've been frying anything in oil or fat, be sure to put the water in slowly and at arm's length - hot fat and water make for a volatile combination!