The shared kitchen conversation nobody wants to start

Dishes left overnight are rarely just about dishes once people have been quietly annoyed for a month. One person thinks a quick rinse is enough, another expects the counter cleared immediately, and everyone assumes their version is obvious. The same argument returns because the actual expectation never gets agreed.

How do housemates set kitchen rules without making the place feel like a workplace? Looking for arrangements that are specific enough to help and relaxed enough to live with. What belongs in a shared agreement, and which small annoyances are better handled with a normal conversation?