Dishwashers make eating at home a less labor-intensive experience. Just load it up and get back to enjoying your evening. As nice as it is to not stand over a sink full of dishes, there are still a few items that need to be washed the old-fashioned way.
#1 Wooden utensils and cutting boards
The combination of hot water and fast drying causes wood to swell and become brittle. This leads to warping, cracking and breaking. You’re better off rinsing these items gently in your sink.
#2 Cast iron pans
The fastest way to ruin a cast iron pan is to put it in the dishwasher. Avoid rust and simply wipe down the pan with a paper towel after each use.
#3 Gold trim
Your beautiful china might seem dishwasher safe, but if it has gold trim or inlay, it’s best to wash each piece by hand. These fragile embellishments can become damaged in the dishwasher and start flaking off.
#4 Good knives
While butter knives and most steak knives are perfect for the dishwasher, your good cutting and chopping blades should stick to the sink. The detergent used by dishwashers leaves nicks and scratches on the blade, which will eventually rust.
#5 Items with hollow handles
Some steak knives, ice cream scoops and other kitchen utensils have hollow handles that fill with water in the dishwasher. It’s almost impossible to get it out after the fact, leaving you with an item that sloshes as it is used.
#6 Copper and pewter
Copper pots and mugs, pewter plates and anything else made from these metals should stay out of the dishwasher. Detergents damage the coating, leading to staining and pitting along the surface.
#7 Crystal and hand-blown glass
While many people swear these items are dishwasher safe, they are high risk. The combination of heat, detergent and spray can easily lead to damage of these breakable and often irreplaceable items.
#8 Travel mugs
Insulated travel mugs are great for keeping drinks warm and out of your lap. They aren’t great candidates for the dishwasher, though. Exposure to high temperatures can damage the seal, leading to ineffective sealing and coffee spills.
#9 Takeout containers
Whether they are plastic or aluminum, these items aren’t meant to go through your dishwasher. Unlike the ones you buy at the store designed for reuse, takeout containers are made of materials likely to melt at high temperatures.
#10 Containers with labels
If you’re washing something with a label, don’t put it in the dishwasher unless all the glue is gone. Adhesive from labels gets into the parts of a dishwasher and can lead to expensive repairs.
Post Author: andyc.
