Do you remember when we washed dishes by hand? The dry skin, the arguments of whose turn it is to wash, and water everywhere. Oh the good old days! Now we have the trusty dishwasher. The poor overworked, underappreciated dishwasher. And it better not break down! If it does, oh no! We actually have to wash them ourselves??? No really, all you have to do is call the Appliance Doctor. But besides all that, haven’t you ever wanted answers to questions about dishwashers that you thought you should already know the answers to and were too embarrassed to ask? Well, here are the answers to three of those not-so-silly questions:
What Do You Keep Out of the Dishwasher?
Cast iron – has its own special care
Nonstick pots and pans – can lose their nonstick quality
Copper pans – can change color
Good quality knives – get dull quicker
Wooden utensils – can warp or lose finish
Crystal glasses and dishes – can chip or crack with heat and detergent
Gold plated dishware – can lose gold finish over time
Soft and hard plastic – are dishwasher safe on top rack if labeled so
Disposable aluminum pans – can leave a black residue on itself and other dishes
Insulated mugs – can get water trapped in inner layers
Anything with adhesive labels – can come off and clog drain
Do You Have to Rinse Dishes Before Putting Them in the Dishwasher?
As long as you scrape excess food first, the dishes need not be rinsed. In fact, dishwasher detergents are designed to attach to food particles as part of the cleaning process. Pre rinsing the dishes doesn’t get them any cleaner in the dishwasher, and it wastes water, energy, and time.
Does the Dishwasher Sterilize Your Dishes?
Dishwashers have the ability to sanitize (eliminate filth, pathogens, and some but not all bacteria and other microorganisms), but they don’t sterilize (eliminate all live bacteria and other microorganisms).
