Saw this pet-hate practice at the AirBnB we were just at; placing upside down cups in your kitchen cupboard.
This falls squarely into that category of ‘everybody else does it so I’m just going to do it too.’ But it is the worst way – let me Dadsplain…
What’s wrong with upside down cups?
First of all, it’s not just me – strong feelings have been expressed on both sides of this hotly contested issue. (Is this as contentious as the right way to hang toilet paper?)
There is probably a school of thought that goes ‘if a cup is right way up it can collect dust.’ (And maybe a bug might crawl in.) Both possible, but with minimal likelihood, especially in regularly used items.
What will definitely happen is that any dust in the air will settle on the shelf – it’s not going anywhere. Plus, those bugs you were worried about? There would not be a kitchen in the world that does not have the little unhygienic beasties skittering about in kitchen cupboards. And Aussie kitchens would have some of the biggest and grossest – I’m looking at you, Sydney cockroaches.
And where is all this bug skittering and dust settling happening? On the kitchen shelf surface. No matter how thorough you are, there is a fresh (or stale) film building even moments after you last wiped.
On top of that, any moisture left over from washing up will be trapped in there providing a lovely environment for the rapid proliferation of mould and bacteria – mmm…
What are you putting up to your mouth?
The entire rims of upended cups are resting directly on those surfaces – efficiently collecting whatever undesirable residue has built up. Really, they might as well be on the floor.
And what is the part of the cup that we press to our lips as we take a drink?
Personally, I’m keeping my cups right-side up, happy in the knowledge that my drinking edge has been up out of reach of all the nasties.
John Burdett
You’re reaching a bit Dad. !
David
I believe its a practice that started in old pubs with sawdust on the floor. When they swept up at closing time, all the dust would settle inside the damp glasses, so they kept them turned over to avoid that. Now, there’s no sawdust, and pubs are no longer permitted to keep their glasses upside down.
Now, when you dry your mugs and glasses, or lift them out of the dishwasher still slightly moist, a slight residue of moisture remains inside them and runs down to the rim, ready to collect the residue from the shelves rather like salting the rim of a margarita glass, except with house dust and roach excrement. Mmm, tasty…
That’s why my mugs will always be upright.