Without the dishwasher, we would still be in the stone age, so to speak. Fortunately, for years now it has been possible to put the dirty cups, forks, spoons, plates and so on into this “box” and within moments you have a completely clean set of dishes. Still, you may not put everything in your kitchen in it. In this blog, I discuss 10 things that absolutely should not go in the dishwasher!
1. Not all types of plastic
Many types of plastic can go in the dishwasher without any problems. When it comes to spatulas, cups, trays et cetera, they can all withstand the heat of the dispenser. However, it is a good idea to check that they really can. Usually there is a label on the item that says whether or not it can go in the dishwasher. No one is waiting for kitchen utensils to become deformed and discolored. Some containers, cups and objects are better washed by hand.
2. What to do with cast iron
You may not have known this, but cast iron pans and other items made of this material should not actually go in the dishwasher either. This is because there is a layer of grease on the pan that keeps it from rusting. With a dishwasher, this layer is polished away, which can cause the pan to rust faster. So how should you clean such a pan? Wipe it with kitchen paper or rinse it with water.
3. Crystal glasses become dull
Do you have beautiful glasses in the cupboard and want to use them mostly for those moments that really count? Then you should especially not wash them in the dishwasher. This is because most dishwashers cause glasses to become very dull and lose their luster. It is also very fragile and the dishwasher can do quite a bit of damage due to the differences in temperatures. You can also choose to run another (special) program especially for fragile items.
4. Wash grandma’s dishes yourself, too
I also recommend keeping old, antique items out of our modern “dishwashing boxes. If the china is worth a lot to you, then it is better to wash it by hand. If you do put it in the dishwasher, there is a risk that the beautiful art on the cups will be faded or washed away completely. In addition, like crystal glasses, it is very fragile.
5. Keep your chef’s knives sharp
If you are a true kitchen prince or princess, then you must have some good knives that allow you to cut meat, fish and vegetables easily and quickly. We recommend that you keep these knives especially out of the dishwasher. Not only can they rust, but they also become blunt much faster.
6. The non-stick pans
Many pans today are coated with a non-stick coating. The chemical detergents used in a dishwasher can potentially harm this non-stick coating. Therefore, wash the pans primarily by hand.
7. What to do with wooden objects
Have you been putting wooden items in the dishwasher for years? Then you will undoubtedly notice the effects on your wooden cutting boards and spatulas. Over time, the dishwasher is disastrous for items made of wood. It will split, crack and splinters will begin to chip off.
8. Silver, copper and aluminum
There are some metals that are better left out of the dishwasher. Silver, for example, can be damaged in the dishwasher, and copper, tin and aluminum are also metals that are best washed by hand.
9. Thermos jugs and cups
From personal experience, I can tell you that not every thermos or mug is dishwasher safe. Nowadays there are more and more thermos coated items that are dishwasher safe, but this must be indicated on the item. Especially the older thermos coated items are definitely not dishwasher safe.
10. Lasagna and animals?
So far we have covered the logical items that should not go in the dishwasher, but you don’t want to know how many people put other things in the dishwasher. There are videos telling people how to cook lasagna in a hot dishwasher. Someone else was fined over 30,000 euros for putting a dog in the dishwasher. It should not be an issue, but still: only put utensils, cutlery, cups and plates in the machine.