Your dishwasher can work some serious wonders in the kitchen and be a real time-saver. This magical machine replaces the precarious pile of dirty dishes with squeaky-clean plates. Everyone loves the ease and convenience of using a dishwasher until that moment when you find your favourite kitchen utensils broken.
There are ways to avoid these issues. Here’s a list of things you should never put in the dishwasher to avoid any issues.
Things you should not put in your dishwasher
Wooden cutting boards
Water and heat can result in your wooden cutting boards warping and cracking. The dishwasher’s hot water and dry heat can warp and even crack wooden cutting boards, rendering them less-than-useful. The heat dries natural wood cutting boards, making them look faded.
Nonstick pans
Some nonstick cookware is rendered “dishwasher safe”. Sometimes it is okay to distrust that fact. The dishwasher can degrade the nonstick coating on your nonstick pans, making them less effective. If the manufacturer doesn’t say it’s dishwasher-safe, avoid putting them in the dishwasher. Rather be safe than sorry with your kitchenware.
Hand-painted kitchenware
Your favourite hand-painted pieces, your mugs or plates, won’t look the same once they start to fade. To protect your decorative, delicate plates, mugs, or any other painted items, hand-wash and gently scrub with a smooth sponge so you don’t peel off any paint.
Plastic
Unless specifically designated as “dishwasher safe,” placing a plastic container in a dishwasher can run the risk of melting it due to the extreme water and air temperatures inside the dishwasher. Although it can be labelled “dishwasher safe,” continuously placing a plastic container in the dishwasher may cause it to lose its sturdiness, which can be dangerous if pieces of the plastic end up in your food. Plastic items vary in their ability to withstand the heat of your dishwasher.
Broken dishes
If a plate or mug already has a chip in it, that dish is likely to continue cracking when put through the dishwasher cycle’s hot water and dry heat. Not only is this not good for your dishwasher, but it can also potentially be harmful, as these pieces can fall apart during their subsequent use.
Compiled by Maegan-Leigh Jacobs
First published on Food and Home
Also see: 4 Reasons why you should wash the dishes before bed
