To ensure that the dishwasher you purchase is a real helper in the kitchen and does not cause damage and frustration, you need to use the equipment correctly. What dishes can and cannot be washed in the appliance is spelled out in detail in the instructions. But does everyone read it? And no one is going to look at the sheet before turning on the dishwasher every time.
What can’t be washed in the dishwasher?
First, it is worth considering the most important prohibitions, ignoring which will lead to the breakdown of equipment or the complete unsuitability of your favorite dishes. The list below shows 6 common items that are absolutely not suitable for washing in the dishwasher. So, what dishes should not be washed in the dishwasher:
- Wooden utensils. Cutting wooden boards, as well as other kitchen utensils and wooden products, require more delicate treatment – especially if their surface is lacquered. When exposed to hot water and steam, such a coating will begin to burst and eventually come off. In addition, drying under air pressure leads to cracks and irregularities.
- Porcelain. Drawings and decorative elements with gilding on the dishes do not tolerate hot water and fade over time. That is why it is better to wash expensive sets or old grandmother’s porcelain by hand. Such a prohibition does not apply to modern white porcelain dishes, which are suitable for daily use.
- Aluminum items. This metal oxidizes under the influence of detergents, which causes a black coating on its surface. The chances of washing off such a “nuisance” from the dishes are zero. The only way to “save” it is to gently clean it off with sandpaper. This will not restore the products to their original color, but it will allow them to be used in the future.
- Cast iron products. Cookware and items made of this material are very durable and, if used with care, can serve for many years: the hardening of cast iron is a guarantee of this. However, the detergents used in dishwashers not only reduce the strength of the products but also provoke the appearance of rust on them. This applies not only to cookware but also to hob burners, stands, meat grinders, and their parts.
- Kitchen knives. A sharp knife can damage the dishwasher if placed incorrectly. Even if this does not happen, the high temperature quickly dulls the blade and makes its coating dull.
- Thin crystal. Products made of such fragile material become cloudy when exposed to detergents. Putting them in the dishwasher can lead to cracks and chips on the surface of the crystal. The only exception is appliances with a special program.
It is also not recommended to wash dishes with old stains or burnt grease in the appliance. Grease quickly clogs filters, and you still won’t be able to achieve perfect cleanliness.
Electrical appliances are also an absolute taboo for dishwashers. It is unlikely that they will work after hot steam and drying. So electric kettles, mixers, and coffee grinders should be washed only by hand.
The dishwasher is a unique thing, and therefore, only by knowing exactly how to use it and what cannot be washed in this type of equipment, you can easily avoid problems and unnecessary costs.
What dishes can be washed in the dishwasher?
From the prohibitions, we smoothly move on to the list of permitted items. They are perfectly cleaned in the dishwasher:
- Plastic products. Dishes, plastic food storage containers, cutting boards, toothbrushes, and soap cups, as well as filters for humidifiers, extractor hoods, etc.
- Stainless steel cookware. These include pots, pans (except cast iron), saucepans and ladles, thermoses with stainless bowls, mugs, stainless steel cutlery, etc.
- Ceramic items. Ceramics perfectly withstand hot water and do not crack. All drawings and ornaments also remain in place.
- Glassware. Thick glass does not lose its color and shine after processing in the dishwasher. The main thing is that such dishes do not touch the walls to avoid cracks.
The dishwasher is also suitable for washing juicers, silicone molds, and melchior spoons and forks.
If you’ve checked the obvious causes and your dishwasher is still not working, then it’s time to schedule dishwasher repair. At Oceanside Appliance Repair, we have qualified and certified technicians who perform maintenance and repair of dishwashers and other types of appliances. We offer not only high-quality appliance repair services, but also a number of other features that seem so attractive to our customers: fair prices, a guarantee on the work performed, friendly and attentive service, and efficiency.
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