What dishes should not be washed in the dishwasher?

Buying a dishwasher can be a daunting task for those who don't know what can and cannot be washed in the dishwasher. Of course, it is best to replace all the dishes with dishwasher-safe ones, and then no problems.

But if this is not possible, then, one way or another, some items will still have to be washed by hand. The rest of the story will be about what should not be put in the dishwasher.

What dishes are exposed to in the dishwasher

Why can one dish be put in the car without any problems, but another, on the contrary, is not even worth trying to wash in the dishwasher? The fact is that certain conditions are created inside the washing chamber that affect the material used to make the dishes. These conditions include:

• high temperature;
• strong chemicals;
• long stay in contact with water;
• forced drying with hot air.

Today, dishes are made from a variety of materials, including: glass, porcelain, iron, silver, aluminum, cupronickel, plastic, cast iron, crystal, earthenware, ceramics, Teflon and others. But Even porcelain dishes are different and react differently to hot water and detergents. Let's figure out what you shouldn't put in the dishwasher.

Aluminum products have no place in the dishwasher

Aluminum cookware is number 1 cookware that should absolutely not be put in the dishwasher. Aluminum is a metal that reacts with many substances, including water, if certain conditions are created.Under the influence of detergent and high temperature, aluminum products acquire a dark gray coating, and this coating smears, leaving marks on the hands.

Out of ignorance, more than a dozen people have already had their food spoiled in the dishwasher:

• aluminum parts from a meat grinder;
• garlic press;
• spoons;
• bowls;
• ladles;
• baking sheets;
• frying pans;
• pots.

For your information! It is better to replace aluminum cookware altogether; it is harmful to the human body. At the very least, you should use such utensils to a minimum.

Some aluminum cookware becomes darker after just one wash, some only after a few washes. Therefore, there are those who wash everything and claim that nothing will happen. If you have damaged aluminum cookware, then in the article Why should you not wash aluminum cookware?, you will find tips on how to clean it.

Wooden and plastic utensils

What kind of wooden objects and utensils do people shove into the dishwasher, and then grab their heads, not understanding what happened to their favorite cutting board, rolling pin or wooden spoon. Meanwhile, everything is explained simply. Wood tends to swell from being in water for a long time, the wood fibers become saturated with moisture and increase in size, and the wooden product itself increases in size accordingly. When a wooden object dries, the fibers shrink sharply and the strong bond between them is destroyed.

What's the result? But as a result, the wooden object becomes deformed, ugly cracks appear on it, it loses its appearance and “begins to be thrown into the trash.” Wooden dishes can become saturated with moisture by being in water for only 30-40 minutes, and in cold water, and if the water is hot, the time is greatly reduced.In a dishwasher, wash programs can last up to 210 minutes, and what do you think will happen to a wooden item that is poured with hot water and chemicals for more than 3 hours? That's right, it will become completely unusable when it dries out.

In a dishwasher, as a rule, they try to wash various objects made of wood, and it will not necessarily be dishes, but in most cases this is it, for example:

• rolling pins;
• cutting boards;
• pestles;
• pancake spatulas;
• wooden Toys;
• spoons;
• bowls and stuff.

Plastic utensils can only be washed in the dishwasher under certain conditions. In particular, if the dishes are made of heat-resistant plastic and have a mark on them that allows automatic washing. Otherwise, plastic utensils and other plastic items should not be shoved into the dishwasher. In particular:

1. disposable plastic cups, plates, forks, spoons;
2. plastic plates without any marks;
3. plastic toys smelling strongly of chemicals;
4. plastic objects with glued elements.

What else should not be put in the dishwasher?

Restrictions on automatic washing do not only apply to aluminum, plastic and wooden items. What dishes and other items should not be put in the dishwasher, especially if the machine has a limited choice of washing modes?

• Things made of fine porcelain. In general, items made from any other porcelain, but especially items made from fine porcelain, should not be subjected to automatic washing. Porcelain can crack quite quickly from hot water, and if you also turn on the turbo dryer, it will definitely come to an end.
• Dishes made of cast iron. After the first wash of a cast iron product, nothing may happen, especially if the products are large.But after the second or third wash you will see why it had to be washed by hand. Cast iron cookware will become corroded and lose its appearance.
• Crystal dishes and souvenirs. Crystal also does not tolerate a “date with the dishwasher” well. Not only can micro-scratches remain on it during the washing process, but it also cracks due to temperature changes.
  
• Dishes with a vacuum lid. Plastic containers, mugs, saucepans with a lid capable of pumping out air, creating a vacuum inside, should also not be placed in the dishwasher. The fact is that automatic washing causes plastic containers to undergo some deformation; the eye may not notice it, but this leads to the fact that the vacuum container loses its seal and air penetrates into it.
• Sharp kitchen knives. As a general rule, to prevent a knife from becoming dull for a long time, it must be washed very quickly under running cool water. If you hold it in hot water for 5-7 minutes, sharpening will become noticeably worse, and if you constantly wash it in hot water, you will have to sharpen it once every 2 days. It is clear that in a dishwasher, where dishes are rinsed in hot water for a long time, a sharp knife has nothing to do.

For your information! In addition to knives, it is better not to wash any sharp objects in the dishwasher at all - they will become dull!

• Items made of copper. Copper does not tolerate prolonged contact with hot water and detergent powder. Such an aggressive environment causes the copper object to darken and lose its appearance.
• Thermal mugs and thermoses. If the manufacturer of a thermal mug or thermos explicitly allows its product to be washed in the dishwasher, then you can safely wash it. In all other cases, wash the thermos and thermal mug by hand.

As part of the article, we tried to answer the question of what dishes should not be washed in the dishwasher.Of course, in reality the list of “prohibited” items is much wider, but the main thing is to understand the principle and not make fatal mistakes in the future. Thank you for your attention!

3 reader comments

1. 02/01/2018 at 10:37

   Ivan:

   This means that cups with patterns and plates cannot be washed. Why a car then?

   Answer
2. 05/10/2019 at 17:17

   Vladimir:

   For example, you can’t use iron from an electric meat grinder, everything else is nonsense.

   Answer
3. 06/19/2021 at 12:44

   Irina:

   Modern dishwashers have a “Glass” mode. Especially for washing wine glasses and other delicate dishes.
   I have been using a dishwasher for decades and always wash my knives there. By the way, the manufacturer doesn’t prohibit it either :)
   I wash my meat knives at the highest temperature. For disinfection. There were no problems with sharpening. And what kind of knife is it if it becomes dull at 70 degrees? What metal was it made from? Neither steel nor ceramics react to such temperatures.
   The pictures on Gus-Khrustalny glasses were erased over the course of several years. And okay. But the porcelain looks young. And the gold border has hardly changed even on the Chinese porcelain kitchen set that I bought more than 20 years ago. Maybe 30. I don’t remember. But after such a time, even with hand washing, there would be defects in the gilding.
   But aluminum definitely cannot be washed in the dishwasher! My husband somehow stuck a part of an electric meat grinder in there, and I had to revive it later.

   And the plastic bowls are easy to clean there!
   And how much free time! Save water and electricity! What about our pens? Girls, love yourself!
   Buy PM. They now come in all sizes.

   Answer