The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends cleaning dirty dishes and cutlery immediately. This keeps the kitchen more hygienic, and you don't need an unnecessary amount of warm water to get rid of the stuck-on residue.
If you have larger quantities of dishes, you should also change the washing water from time to time. You should not use a kitchen towel to dry off, as this could cause germs to get onto the cleaned dishes. Hand or kitchen towels should be washed in the washing machine with a universal or heavy-duty detergent containing bleach (e.g. as powder, granules, or tablets) in a program that would actually reach 60 degrees, advises the BfR. The sink, dishcloth, and dishwashing brush should be kept clean – and “if possible, use hot water with sufficient detergent," says the BFR. After washing the dishes by hand, you can then drain them using appropriate precautions and let them air dry.