Cleaning and appliance gurus have revealed a list of kitchen must-haves that you should think twice before tossing in the dishwasher. We all know the feeling of facing a mountain of dirty dishes, and it’s tempting to chuck everything into the dishwasher for a quick fix to get that shine back.
But beware, there are certain items that should steer clear of the dishwasher to prevent damage to their look, effectiveness, or even ruin them completely. In a Instagram post, the team at Which? dished out advice on twelve types of kitchen tools that are better off with a good old-fashioned hand wash.
Last week, Which? cautioned in an Instagram post: “Not everything belongs in the dishwasher! From wooden utensils to certain cookware, here’s what you should avoid putting in to keep your items looking good and lasting longer.”
The detailed list of items to hand wash includes:
- Kitchen knives
- Blender blades
- Any non-stick items
- Pressure cooker lid
- Copper cookware
- Aluminium cookware
- Wooden spoons and chopping boards
- Cast iron pots and pans
- Sterling silver cutlery or dishes
- Insulated mugs or water bottles
- Oven burners and grates
- Measuring cups/jugs with printed labels
The advice has divided opinion among those who use dishwashers, sparking comments such as: “Nahhhh. Bung it all in. It’ll be fine.”
Jon wrote: “So basically everything except plates, glasses and cutlery… why even have a dishwasher?”
Natasha said, “So how many of us have realised we’re putting all these things in there,” and another added, “You may as well just wash up with your hands.”
Kitchen knives
HelloFresh issued a warning to home chefs, advising against washing kitchen knives in the dishwasher. According to Good Housekeeping, the meal-kit company noted: “Some dishwashers have extremely high water pressure, which can dull blades quickly. The small crystals in dishwasher detergent can also be abrasive.”
They caution that using blunt knives, which can result from the rough cleaning process, increases the risk of injury as one might apply more pressure during use, making it easier to slip and cut oneself. Therefore, to avoid the need for frequent sharpening, keep your knives out of the machine.
Wooden spoons and chopping boards
Wooden utensils are must-haves for food preparation and baking, and cleaning them properly can be a hassle. While dishwashers may seem optimal for this job, cleaning expert Lynsey Crombie, advised never putting wooden spoons in the appliance.
This is due to the detergent and hot water can strip your wood of its oils, causing it to splinter. This goes for all wooden utensils, which should always be cleaned by hand.
Cast iron pots and pans
Emphasising the delicacy of cast iron cookware, the advice continues by highlighting how a dishwasher’s high temperatures and aggressive water jets could degrade them. Such harsh conditions, along with the typical detergents, may strip the protective layer off cast iron items, leaving them susceptible to rust and impairing their non-stick properties.
Insulated mugs or water bottles
Finally, those handy insulated mugs and water bottles, crucial for maintaining beverages at the desired temperatures, are also on the don’t-wash list. Generally coming with instructions against machine washing, they could suffer damage if ignored.
The combination of heat and strong cleaning agents could compromise the seals and insulation, potentially resulting in leaks or an inability to effectively retain heat for coffee or keep water chilled.
Aluminium cookware
Aluminium cookware, known for its similarity to cast iron in terms of dishwasher unsuitability, has been highlighted by Maytag’s Lindsay Jones. Speaking to Martha Stewart, Jones explained, “Cookware items that are made out of anodized aluminium can go in the dishwasher, because these items are protected from chemicals that are used during the wash cycle.”
Dishwashers may cause discolouration to many cookware metals and pose a risk of scratching through collisions within the machine.