The Dish on Dishwashers

Growing up, loading and emptying the dishwasher became one of my chores when I was old enough to tell a spoon from a fork from a (ouch!) knife (tough lesson). Instilled in my brain was NO KNIVES WITH WOODEN HANDLES in the dishwasher. When we’d have guests over for dinner and use the china that my dad bought for my mom in Japan (the irony still kills me), I learned NO CHINA in the dishwasher.

When I was old enough to have my own dishwasher, I had to start figuring things out for myself. Can a water bottle go in there? How about keys? My stuffed pig?

Here’s the official scoop on the dos and don’ts of dishwashers:

Baseball caps: Yes

They can get bent in the washing machine but hold their shape in the dishwasher. Don’t wash them with dishes; food can get trapped in the cloth. (Duh.)

Wooden spoons: No
They can warp and crack over time, due to the porous nature of wood.

Good kitchen knives and steak knives: No
They aren’t cheap. Why risk dulling their blades? And if they have a wooden handle, see above.

Action figures and other small toys: Yes

They can ride in a mesh lingerie bag on the top rack. (Ken’s hair would survive the bath, but Barbie’s might need a leave-in conditioner afterwards.)

Flip-flops: Yes
Load on tines in the top rack. (FYI, Crocs are not dishwasher-safe.)

Cast-iron, enameled-cast-iron, and copper pots and pans: No
These are on the never list. Why? Cast iron rusts; enameled cast iron chips; copper dents.

Hairbrushes: Yes and No
Brushes and combs made of plastic can take a spin, but not wood or natural boar-bristle brushes. Be sure to remove all the hair first to protect the drain.

Shin guards, knee pads, and mouth guards: Yes

Toss them all into the top rack.

Light-fixture covers: Yes
They are fine in the top rack, as long as they’re not antique, enameled, or painted.

Formal dishes and nice flatware: Yes and No
They can get worn with repeated washings. Rule of thumb: If it’s something you would cry over harming or losing, don’t put it in. (If you do put sterling silver in the dishwasher, use about a tablespoon of detergent and don’t mix it with stainless-steel flatware; a chemical reaction between the metals can discolor the silver.)

Crystal glasses: No
They are especially vulnerable. Food particles can etch them; heat can cause cracks. After hand washing (it’s usually safer than using the china/crystal setting), dry with a cloth that hasn’t been laundered with fabric softener, which can leave a film.

Insulated mugs and containers: No
feature vacuum seals, which can be destroyed if water seeps in.

Brass items: No
They should never see the inside of a dishwasher. Hot water can remove the natural protective layer that forms on brass.

Wooden cutting boards: No
They can swell and contract, leaving them uneven and essentially useless on a counter. Most bamboo boards are susceptible, too.

Mesh Shower Scrubbies: Yes
Just because you are always using them in a soapy environment doesn’t mean they don’t get a little scuzzy and ripe. Scrubbies need showers too!

(Mostly courtesy of Real Simple)

Laura Folkl

The Dish on Dishwashers

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