What Things Should You Never Put In A Dishwasher

A dishwasher can be a huge help to people especially if they live in a house with a lot of people, big families, in particular, can benefit from having a dishwasher, but while they’re indeed very useful machines that doesn’t mean you can just load your dishwasher up with everything.

In fact, one of the most common mistakes people make with a dishwasher is they do just that, overloading it with pots, pans and plates can lead to a lot of problems. But it’s not just overloading your dishwasher you have to watch out for because there are some items that shouldn’t be put in a dishwasher in the first place.

For the majority of these items applying a little common sense will ensure you don’t end up damaging your dishwasher. But in a rush, it’s easy to make mistakes and there are a few pieces that it might surprise you to know shouldn’t be put in a dishwasher.

So, what are these things you ask? Well, let’s take a look and find out.

Sharp Knives

Knives should really be avoided in a dishwasher, some will say that are dishwasher safe which they very well might be but a dishwasher can dull a sharp knife very quickly and it’s much easier than you think to cut yourself loading them into the dishwasher and taking them out. So, if you want our advice skip sharp knives altogether.

Non-stick Pots/ Pans

This is another one you should check for carefully, some non-stick pots and pans are dishwasher safe, however, the majority of them will not be safe to wash in a dishwasher. The way a dishwasher cleans things can break down the non-stick coating so unless you’re sure don’t put them in.

Cast Iron Appliances

Anything made of cast iron should stay far away from a dishwasher, the non-stick coating on cast iron goods will be ruined by dishwasher detergent so keep it far away and ensure you don’t accidentally add them in during a load.

Hand Painted Ceramics

If somethings been hand painted (especially ceramic goods) then you should really stick to hand washing it. If your dishwasher as a gentle or delicate wash program then you might be OK but the safest option is hand washing it.

Crystal Goods

Things like crystal glassware can go into a dishwasher but only to a point, crystal can, unfortunately, become cloudy over time if it’s washed too much. If the crystal is marked as dishwasher safe then you might be OK but in the majority of cases sticking to handwashing is the best option all round.

Antiques

With a delicate/ gentle wash program, antique goods like china plates might be safe in the dishwasher. But even with a delicate wash program it still is likely going to be the best option to wash them by hand instead.

Metals Like Brass, Bronze or Pewter

Metals like the above can be cleaned in a dishwasher but repeated cleanings will quickly reduce their beauty and lustre. So, you should really avoid putting them if you can, in an emergency, a one-time wash likely won’t do much harm but sticking to handwashing is going to be the safest option.

Wood Items

Wood will start to crack at high temperatures so you should avoid it if you can, on a delicate wash wood might be OK but handwashing wood items is again going to be the safest option. Many pans do have wooden handles and it can be easy to forget about that when loading them in so check carefully.

Plastic Items

This one is a tricky one, plastic goods can be put into a dishwasher but only if they are marked as dishwasher safe and even if they are they can only be placed in the upper compartment of the machine. The higher temperatures that they will be exposed to on the lower compartment will warp the plastic or in some cases even melt it.

Anything That’s Been Repaired

If you’ve glued together a damaged plate or cup then you shouldn’t put it into a dishwasher to clean, that will just dissolve the glue and leave you with a broken piece once the wash cycle is completed.

Anything With Food Waste On

Dishwashers have certainly made one of the most hated jobs a lot easier to deal with but that doesn’t mean you can load your dishes in full of food waste! That might sound obverse to you and me but it’s a much more common problem than you think.

If there are bits of food residue then that won’t be a problem but if there are big chunks of food still on the dishes, pots or pans then your dishwasher is going to get clogged up very quickly. So, make sure things are scrapped before you put them into the dishwasher.

Dishwashers are expensive items to buy and there’s never a convenient time for your appliance to break down. So whether you need a free expert advice or you need to arrange a dishwasher repair visit, our customer service is here to help.