When it comes time to clean your dishes, many people think that using a dishwasher is more convenient. Additionally, dishwashers are usually more eco-friendly than handwashing dishes. However, some dishes and cookware are not dishwasher-safe, meaning you should never put them in your dishwasher. Here’s your complete checklist of dishwasher and non-dishwasher-safe items.
Dishwasher-safe items
Among the kitchen items you can put in your dishwasher are:
- Non-disposable silverware: You can put metal utensils (including ones with silicone handles) in your dishwasher. If you use plastic, single-use utensils, they should be discarded in your recycling bin.
- Non-disposable bowls, plates, and cups: Ceramic bowls, plates, and cups are safe to put in your dishwasher. For plastic or fragile items, it’s best to check the manufacturer’s recommendations first.
- Mixing bowls: Clean your mixing bowls in your dishwasher by placing them on the top rack to ensure they don’t block your dishwasher’s water flow.
- Plastic cutting boards: Many cutting boards are dishwasher-safe. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations if you’re unsure about putting your cutting board in the dishwasher.
- Sturdy wine glasses: It’s safe to load non-delicate wine glasses and sturdy drinking glasses into the dishwasher.
- Uncoated stainless-steel and metal bakeware: Metal bakeware can be safely cleaned in a dishwasher if it doesn’t have a non-stick coating.
Dishwasher-unsafe items
Among the kitchen items that should never go in your dishwasher are:
- Cast iron: Cast iron should never go in the dishwasher. Dishwashing detergents will strip your cast iron cookware’s non-stick surface and leave the cast iron vulnerable to rust.
- Wooden kitchenware: Dishwashers’ high temperatures often warp or crack wood kitchen items, rendering them unusable. Wood can be damaged by too much exposure to water and powerful dishwasher detergents.
- Cutting knives: Dishwasher use often dulls cutting knives, and preparing your meals with a dull knife can be dangerous (though a knife sharpener can help to fix this problem). Using a dull knife requires more force while cutting, thus making you more likely to lose control of the knife and injure yourself.
- Pots and pans with non-stick coatings: Dishwashers destroy non-stick coatings, so running pots and pans with these coatings through your dishwasher is ill-advised. In fact, doing so can cause the coating to flake off while you’re coating, and this coating can be dangerous to consume.
- Engraved and hand-painted dishware: Sometimes, dishwashers can wear down measuring cup engravings and patterns on hand-painted dishware. Even measurement markings on an everyday glass measuring cup may fade with repeated dishwasher exposure.
- Some plastic items: Some plastics aren’t heat-resistant enough to withstand dishwasher use. If your plastic seems delicate, check the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Sponges: It’s safest to dispose of dirty or mildewed sponges. Sponges can hold large amounts of bacteria, and some can be damaged in dishwashers. To err on the side of caution, clean your sponge by submerging it in a soapy solution – or just replace it when it starts to smell bad.
- Reusable water bottles: Some reusable water bottles are dishwasher safe, but handwashing them still may be safer. The high-temperature water of dishwashing cycles may damage your reusable water bottle’s vacuum seal if it has one for insulation.
Which kitchenwares do you always put in the dishwasher? Which do you never put there? Sound off in the comments!
