# dishpan hands

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dishpan-hands
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

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

## Examples

- She has dishpan hands from washing so many plates.
- My skin is very dry because I have dishpan hands today.
- After working as a dishwasher all summer, he developed painful dishpan hands from the harsh soap.
- You should apply a thick layer of moisturizer every night if you want to heal your dishpan hands after cleaning the entire kitchen.
- Despite her efforts to use protective gloves, the constant exposure to industrial detergents left her with severe dishpan hands.

## Origin

The term is said to have been coined in the mid-1920s as a marketing device for Lux dishwashing soap. The soap was manufactured by Lever Brothers, who utilised the phrase in their advertising to highlight the dermatological consequences of domestic labour. Whether the condition existed as a linguistic entity prior to the campaign remains unproven, though the commercial utility of the name was well established by the decade's end. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.