27 Items That Should Never Go in the Dishwasher
Dishwashers are very useful in many homes, making kitchen cleaning quicker and easier. But even though these machines help us a lot, putting the wrong things inside can cause big damage. You don’t want to spoil your favorite pan or break an important kitchen tool because of one wrong wash.
In fact, about 68% of American homes use dishwashers often, depending on them to save time and effort. Still, not everything in your kitchen can handle the strong heat, water pressure, and powerful soap. This can cause items to bend, crack, or rust, and it can also make your dishwasher wear out faster.
By taking a few precautions, you can keep your kitchen essentials and your machine in top shape for years to come.
Ready to find out what should always be washed by hand? Let’s get into the key items you need to keep out of the dishwasher.
Wooden Utensils and Cutting Boards
Wooden things should never go into the dishwasher because of the heat and water. Dishwashers use very hot water and lots of it, and wood does not do well with that.
Wooden spoons, utensils, or cutting boards can crack, bend, and lose their protective coating in the dishwasher. When the coating is gone, they can get dirty and hold germs more easily.
Washing by hand with gentle soap and drying right away is the best way to keep your wooden items in good shape.
Non-Stick Pans
Non-stick pans are popular for good reasons, but you should never put them in the dishwasher. The strong soap and hot water can wear down the non-stick surface over time. When this surface breaks down, small pieces of it can come off and get into your food.
Washing non-stick pans by hand with a soft sponge helps the coating stay good for a longer time.
Crystal Glassware
Crystal may look fancy on the table, but it’s quite fragile, especially under the intense heat and pressure of a dishwasher. It can crack, chip, or become cloudy, losing its brilliance.
Even worse, it could shatter entirely. Hand washing is a must to preserve the clarity and beauty of your crystal glassware.
Copper and Aluminum Cookware
Copper and aluminum cookware have a beautiful, shiny finish that can be easily tarnished in a dishwasher. The heat and chemicals in dishwasher detergent react with these metals, leaving them discolored, pitted, and dull.
While aluminum is durable, it’s still prone to wear if repeatedly put in a dishwasher. For copper, which is softer, this process happens even faster. Stick to hand washing with a soft cloth and mild soap to maintain the shine and performance of these metals.
Sharp Knives
Sharp knives help you cook better, but the dishwasher will make them dull much faster than you want. The heat, soap, and moving around in the cutlery basket make knives lose their sharpness fast.
Even worse, the sharp edges can get bent or nicked when they hit other tools or racks. Always wash knives by hand and dry them well to stop rust from forming.
Insulated Travel Mugs and Tumblers
Insulated mugs are fantastic at keeping your coffee hot or water cold, thanks to the vacuum seal inside. But that vacuum seal is delicate and can be damaged by the heat in a dishwasher.
Once that happens, the mug loses its insulating properties and becomes just another cup. To protect the vacuum seal, wash these mugs by hand and avoid prolonged submersion in water.
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Gold-Plated Flatware and Dishes
Gold-plated utensils and dishes look fancy, but they do not last long in the dishwasher. The soap and water can wear off the gold layer, making it look dull and old.
Washing gold-plated items by hand with a soft cloth helps them stay shiny and new for a longer time.
Pressure Cooker Lids
Pressure cooker lids have many small parts like valves and seals that help the cooker work safely. These fragile pieces can break or move out of place in a dishwasher, which can cause the cooker to work poorly.
Always clean pressure cooker lids by hand to keep them in good shape and working well.
Plastic Containers (Unless Dishwasher Safe)
Some plastic containers say they are safe for the dishwasher, but many are not. Plastics that are not safe can melt, change shape, or let out harmful chemicals when they get very hot in the dishwasher.
Even if the plastic is dishwasher-safe, it is best to put it on the top rack to keep it from warping.
Vintage or Hand-Painted Dishes
Your grandmother’s vintage china or those special hand-painted plates you picked up on your travels should never be put in the dishwasher. The heat and harsh detergent can cause delicate designs to fade, crack, or peel.
Over time, even the structure of the dish itself can weaken. If you want to keep these items in pristine condition, hand washing is the only option.
Milk Glass
Milk glass is known for its soft white appearance, but that beauty can quickly disappear in a dishwasher. The high heat can cause discoloration, and the abrasive detergent can lead to chipping or scratching.
To keep milk glass looking its best, it’s always safer to wash it by hand.
Anything with Adhesive Labels
Items with sticky labels might seem like they’ll clean up nicely in the dishwasher, but that’s not the case. The labels usually peel off in the heat and get stuck in the filter, which can clog the machine and cause drainage problems.
Removing adhesive labels before washing, and then cleaning by hand, is the better option.
Brass Items
Brass is a soft metal that can lose its shine or get damaged when it comes into contact with strong chemicals in dishwasher soaps. The mix of hot water and heat can make the brass lose its bright look faster, making your brass things look old and dull.
To keep them shiny, always wash brass items by hand using a mild soap.
Lead Crystal
Lead crystal is like regular crystal but much more fragile. The hot water in a dishwasher can cause the lead in the crystal to come out, which can be harmful to your health.
Lead crystal can also break or become cloudy. Washing these delicate items by hand is very important to keep them beautiful and safe.
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Decorative Bowls with Metallic Trim
Decorative bowls with gold, silver, or other shiny edges look nice, but they should not go in the dishwasher. The heat and soap can make the shiny edges peel, fade, or crack after a while, damaging how the bowl looks.
Washing by hand helps keep these details safe.
Fine China
Fine china is delicate, and putting it in a dishwasher can cause chipping, cracking, or fading of any decorative details. This is especially true for china with gold or silver accents.
To keep your fine china looking beautiful, hand wash each piece with care.
Graters and Garlic Presses
The small holes and crevices in graters and garlic presses tend to trap food particles. Dishwashers often don’t clean these items effectively, leaving bits of food stuck inside.
Hand washing allows you to scrub out all the debris, ensuring the tool is completely clean for the next use.
Silicone Baking Molds
Though many silicone items are labeled as dishwasher-safe, washing them by hand is still the best option. Over time, the dishwasher’s high heat can degrade or warp silicone molds, especially if they are on the lower end of quality.
Hand washing ensures they maintain their shape and functionality.
Painted Measuring Cups and Spoons
If you use measuring cups or spoons with painted numbers to be exact in the kitchen, the dishwasher will soon make those numbers fade away.
The heat and soap can make the paint wear off or come off. Washing by hand is a better way to keep these marks.
Rolling Pins (Especially Wooden)
Rolling pins, especially wooden ones, should not be put in the dishwasher. Wooden pins soak up water, which makes them swell, crack, or split.
Rolling pins that have moving parts inside can rust or get damaged from the hot water in the dishwasher.
Delicate Baking Sheets
Baking sheets with non-stick coatings or made of softer materials can bend or lose their finish in the dishwasher.
The strong heat and water pressure wear down the coating over time. Washing by hand is a better way to keep your baking sheets lasting longer.
Knife Handles (Wood or Bone)
Wood and bone handles on knives are susceptible to the same damage as other wooden items. The dishwasher can cause these materials to warp, crack, or split, which will ruin the balance and usability of the knife.
Hand washing knives with wooden or bone handles helps protect the structure and longevity of the handles.
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Marble or Stoneware
Natural stone materials, like marble or certain types of stoneware, can absorb water and detergent in the dishwasher, leading to stains and cracks.
These materials are also more likely to break under the intense heat. To avoid damaging your stoneware, wash them gently by hand.
Hand-Painted Mugs or Glasses
Hand-painted designs on mugs and glasses add personality, but the dishwasher can cause those designs to chip, fade, or completely peel off.
To preserve the artwork, always wash these items by hand with gentle care.
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Cheese Graters
Like garlic presses, cheese graters have tiny holes that catch food bits. Dishwashers often don’t clean these tools well, leaving them dirty. Scrubbing by hand is the best way to make sure all the cheese is gone.
Glass Mason Jar Lids
Even though the jars can go in the dishwasher, the metal rings and lids on Mason jars can rust or get damaged after a while.
To stop rust and keep the seal strong, it’s better to wash the lids by hand.
Disposable Aluminum Baking Trays
Disposable aluminum trays may look like they can handle a dishwasher, but the thin metal often bends or breaks.
This can make tiny bits of aluminum come loose, which can block the dishwasher or damage it. It’s best to wash them by hand or throw them away after using.
Keeping Your Kitchen Tools in Top Shape
Dishwashers are helpful, but some things should not go inside them. By keeping these 29 items out of the dishwasher and washing them by hand, you can stop damage and help your favorite kitchen tools and your dishwasher last longer.
It might take a bit more time, but your pots, pans, and dishes will stay in good shape for many years. So next time you want to put something in for a quick wash, remember that a little extra care makes a big difference.
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AI was used for light editing, formatting, and readability. But a human (me!) wrote and edited this.
