What Not to Put in Your Dishwasher

At Mr. Rooter Plumbing, weve compiled some of the items you should never wash in the dishwasher to save you the pain of ruining your dishes and cookware.

• Items Made of Wood

Anything wooden and dishwashers just dont mix. The hot water can cause wooden utensils to warp or crack, thereby rendering them less-than-useful. Moreover, prolonged exposure to the dishwashers detergents could damage the finish on wooden items, making them look faded. So please, keep your cutting boards, wooden spoons, and wooden salad bowls out of your dishwasher.

• Sharp Knives

The harsh conditions of the dishwasher can dull the edges of blades over time and cause wooden handles to loosen. Apart from dulling the blades, the sharp edges can nick and scratch the interior parts of your dishwasher, causing rust to form. And, when sharp knives are poorly loaded into the dishwasher, they can get caught in the wire baskets and increase the risk of injury when you empty the appliance. Instead of throwing your sharp knives into the dishwasher, keep them in their perfect condition and avoid getting injured by hand-washing them.

• Cast Iron Cookware

Cast iron skillets and pans have the reputation for being reliable cookware materials thanks to their pre-seasoned perfection and longevity. Putting cast iron cookware in the dishwasher is the easiest way to damage these prized cookware materials. The dishwashing detergents and the harshness of the washing cycle can degrade the coating on cast iron skillets and pans and eventually lead to rust.

• Graters

The dishwasher may not be able to remove every bit of food out of the little holes on graters. Besides, the appliance can dull the graters' blades. Its best to wash your grater by hand to ensure theyre squeaky clean for your next meal prep session.

• Pressure Cooker Lids

You should never wash pressure cooker lids in the dishwasher as the appliance can damage the lids safety valves, leading to serious malfunction and pressure cooker explosions. Instead, wash pressure cooker lids by hand in warm, soapy water and rinse them well.

• Non-Stick Pots and Pans

If you want your cookware with nonstick coating to actually stay nonstick, you should never wash them in the dishwasher. Non-stick coatings can deteriorate rapidly in the dishwasher due to the excessively high drying temperatures, harsh detergents, and getting banged around the dishwasher.

• Crystal Glasses

These glasses are sensitive to heat, so putting them in the dishwasher will likely cause them to chip or crack. Besides, they can become cloudy and pitted after repeated washings.

Other items that are not dishwasher safer include insulated mugs & cups, copper mugs & cookware, milk glasses, silverware or gold-etched plates, anything with paper labels, and copper pans.

Is It Time to Repair or Replace Your Dishwasher? Call Mr. Rooter Plumbing for Help

If your dishwasher is not in its good working order, its best to call a reliable plumber to make repairs or replace it with a new dishwasher. At Mr. Rooter Plumbing, we can help you with dishwasher replacement and repairs.