Chances are you’ve heard of some wacky ways people have used their appliances. Most of which are not safe for your machine or your home. But there are some unique things that are perfectly safe to toss into your dishwasher to clean. Here are 5 great ideas:
- Glass Light Covers – Grease and humidity can cause dust to build up on these covers for your light fixtures and ceiling fans. Loading them into the dishwasher can help clean and return the sparkle to the glass.
- Crystal – If crystal is not used over time, it can become clouded with dust and dirt, and hand washing can be time consuming and waste water. Many types of crystal are perfectly safe to be cleaned within your dishwasher. However, before you load up make sure that you read your manufacturers recommendations. When loading stemware, make sure glasses are secure in the rack and do not move back and forth. Stemware not fitting in the top rack? Try lowering the rack level. Most dishwashers have adjustable top racks that are easily moved up and down to accommodate taller items.
- Sturdy Plastics – Most items like coolers and high chair trays are dishwasher-safe. Sturdy and larger items can be loaded into the bottom rack for easy cleaning. Just remember to turn off the heated dry option and always check the manufacturers recommendation first.
- Barbecue Grill Grates – High heat and grease can make these grates incredibly difficult to clean. After loading them into the dishwasher choose a longer wash cycle with high heat to help cut through the grease. Load long items like tongs horizontally on the top rack.
- Sterling Silver or Silver Plated Items – Most platters and trays are dishwasher safe but there are a few tips to keep your serving ware in great shape. Make sure you run a pre-rinse cycle if you are not going to wash immediately. Left over food can cause damage if left on for a prolonged time. Also, make sure you wash stainless steel items separately. Mixing these two can cause a chemical reaction which can cause damage.
A few final tips:
Always check with your manufacturers recommendation before loading anything into the dishwasher. Your dishwashers use and care guide is also a great resource to see what to wash and where.
Also, when loading large items into your dishwasher make sure that the spray arm is not blocked. A blocked spray arm will decrease the clean ability and could damage your appliance.