dishpan hands

English - English

Definition of dishpan hands in English English dictionary

Hands which are rough, reddish, and dry, as from irritation and chafing caused by immersion in hot water mixed with detergent

Avoid dishpan hands. Those 1950s sitcom moms had it right (and probably had lovely hands): Wear rubber gloves while cleaning and doing dishes.

hands that have become chapped through frequent immersion in soapy water

A rough, dry, scaly condition of the hands typically caused by sensitivity to or excessive use of household detergents or cleaning agents

Hyphenation

dish·pan hands

Etymology

() Possibly coined circa mid-1920s for the advertising of Lever Brothers "Lux" brand dishwashing soap.See, for example, "" (advertisement), Milwaukee Journal, 6 April 1927, p. 24.