Can a cast iron frying pan be washed in the dishwasher?
Before you hopelessly ruin your expensive dishes, think carefully and figure out how to wash them properly. Firstly, you can read the instructions that may come with the frying pan, and secondly, similar information may be contained in the instruction manual for the dishwasher itself. And finally, thirdly, find information on the Internet, which you have already done. We will answer your question: can a cast iron frying pan be washed in the dishwasher?
Should you wash cast iron in the dishwasher?
Many housewives have heavy cast iron frying pans; they can last for decades with proper care. But with the advent of dishwashing equipment, some have wondered whether such pans can be washed in the dishwasher? In fact, cast iron is a rather brittle steel that has special properties, which we will not describe. The main thing you need to know is that cast iron pans cannot be washed in the dishwasher.
The surface of a cast iron frying pan is uneven, which is why some people call this material porous. In fact, the structure of this metal is quite dense and non-porous; if this were not so, it would absorb water like a sponge. Of course, cast iron does not absorb water, but oil does. To be more precise, it gives the impression that it absorbs. The oil only fills invisible recesses and irregularities; when interacting with oxygen, it polymerizes, forming a surface film, thereby making the pan more even and smooth.
New cast iron pans have a lacquer coating that makes them shiny, and over time it wears off and washes off.
If this film is washed off with chemicals, the pan will become rough, and the food cooked on it will stick so hard that it cannot be scraped off. In addition, active rusting processes of the metal will begin with active contact with air, which contains nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon. In general, a film on the surface of a cast iron frying pan protects it from environmental influences.
How to wash cast iron cookware correctly?
If the frying pan cannot be washed in the dishwasher, then it must be done manually, but only correctly. Even hand washing can ruin cast iron. Many people mistakenly believe that this metal is “not capricious,” however, cast iron requires no less care than Teflon.
A cast iron frying pan must be washed with hot water. In this case, you cannot:
- use cleaning powders;
- detergents with a high alkaline content;
- metal brushes.
Important! When cooking in a cast iron skillet, be sure to add oil.
If the food is still burnt, then you can wash off the carbon deposits as follows. You need to pour water into a frying pan, add a handful of salt and baking soda, and then boil for 30 minutes. All the carbon deposits will go away. If the soot is not strong, then simply fill the pan with water and leave overnight. After this, you can wash it with a mild detergent.
After washing, always wipe cast iron items with a dry cloth and lightly rub with oil to restore the protective film. Moreover, you need to rub not only the inner, but also the outer surface.
You can save a cast-iron frying pan after a dishwasher, on which you saw the first signs of rust, by calcining it with salt, for this:
- Wash the product in warm water to remove any rust.
- Wipe the pan dry.
- Rub the oil on the inner surface.
- Add table salt.
- Heat until slightly fragrant.
- Let the salt cool.
- Add salt.
- Wipe with a cloth soaked in oil.
Which pans are machine washable?
So, cast iron and Teflon pans cannot be washed in the dishwasher. The question arises, which ones are possible? Generally speaking, those who are not afraid of high water temperatures and chemicals. These pans include:
- those covered with stone are very durable and easy to maintain;
- made of stainless steel;
- with durable enamel and ceramic coating;
- with titanium coating;
- aluminum frying pans with an expensive anti-darkening coating.
If the dishwasher manufacturer allows you to wash the products in a machine, then you, for your part, do not forget the rules of machine washing:
- add detergent according to the dosage, otherwise excess will end up in food;
- place the frying pan in the basket so that the working surface faces down;
- Expensive frying pans should not be washed in the dishwasher often; as a rule, food does not burn on them, and washing them by hand is not difficult.
That's all, we hope you now understand which pans can be washed in the dishwasher. It is better to wash cast iron cookware by hand, and you can purchase a separate set for the dishwasher. Good luck!
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Cast iron is not steel. The advisers are illiterate.
Can't you wash your frying pan in the dishwasher because of the high temperature? Funny.In the dishwasher the maximum temperature is 70 degrees, and in a frying pan when frying it is more than 200.
Yes, I did such a stupid thing, I washed it. After washing the whole pan became rusty. Now just throw it away. It's a pity.
Cast iron is high carbon steel