Question:
Shalom,
I live in a hostel, and the general rule here is that we clean dishes immediately after a meal for the sake of order and cleanliness, including pots and utensils. On the one hand we do not reuse the pots on Shabbat; on the other hand the emphasis on order and hygiene here is extreme. If asked to, am I permitted to clean pots on Shabbat?
Answer:
Hello,
It is permitted to wash them because you are not washing them to prepare for tomorrow, but because the hostel rules require the pots to be kept clean. You have to remember to be careful not to use hot water, not to use a sponge that will get squeezed out, and to use soap that isn’t very thin.
Best wishes
