Okay, real talk for a second—how amazing is the dishwasher? Toss your dirty dishes in, press a button, walk away, come back to sparkling clean magic. No scrubbing, no soaking, no elbow grease. Just… poof, clean. But here’s the thing: not everything belongs in that magical metal box.
Yep, I know. It’s tempting to just throw everything in there. One less thing to wash by hand, right? But trust me—some stuff just isn’t cut out for the high-heat, high-pressure, soap-slinging world of dishwashing. Let’s break it down before you accidentally ruin Grandma’s casserole dish or warp your favorite travel mug beyond recognition.
1. Wooden Anything (Utensils, Cutting Boards, Bowls… All of It)
Let’s start with the classics. Wooden spoons, cutting boards, that artsy salad bowl you bought at the farmer’s market—they don’t belong in the dishwasher.
Why? Think about it. Wood and water don’t mix well to begin with. Now add super hot water, steam, and detergent that’s basically designed to destroy grease (and, you know, the soul of any delicate material). What you end up with is cracked, warped, or dried-out wood that looks sadder than a soggy sandwich.
And hey, if your wooden spoon starts to split, bacteria can sneak in. Gross.
Just rinse with warm soapy water and dry it right after. Easy.
2. Cast Iron – Please Don’t Do This to Your Skillet
Okay, if you own a cast iron pan, you probably already know this, but just in case: do NOT even look at your dishwasher when you’re holding cast iron.
Seriously, that pan is basically your kitchen’s crown jewel. It’s seasoned (aka protected) with layers of baked-on oil, and guess what a dishwasher will do? Strip that seasoning off like it’s scrubbing graffiti off a wall.
Suddenly, your trusty pan becomes a rusty, sad mess.
Hand-wash it gently. Hot water, maybe a bit of salt to scrub, and dry it immediately. A little oil afterward to keep the shine? Chef’s kiss.
3. Insulated Mugs & Bottles (Like Your Fancy Stanley or Hydro Flask)
Ever wonder why your travel mug starts leaking heat after a few runs through the dishwasher? It’s not your imagination.
Dishwashers get hot. Like, really hot. And those double-walled, vacuum-sealed bottles and mugs? They can lose their insulation magic when they’re constantly exposed to that heat. Water might even sneak into the walls if there’s a tiny flaw.
Translation? Your coffee stays hot for 10 minutes instead of 10 hours. Tragic.
Stick to hand-washing these babies. Protect the vacuum seal and keep your tea piping.
4. Crystal, Antique Dishes, and Anything That Looks Like It Belongs in a Museum
If it’s fancy, fragile, or old enough to have a backstory, it’s probably not dishwasher-safe.
Crystal glassware? Might etch or crack. Antique dishes? The dishwasher can fade patterns, chip edges, or straight-up destroy them. And if you inherited it from someone who used the phrase “back in my day,” maybe treat it with a little TLC.
Hand-wash with love. Tell it it’s beautiful. Maybe hum a tune while you do it. It deserves it.
5. Nonstick Pans – Unless You Like Them to Stop Being Nonstick
Here’s a fun surprise: a lot of nonstick cookware says it’s dishwasher-safe… but it’s really not.
Sure, it might survive the first couple of times, but over time? That coating wears down. And then? Your eggs stick, your pancakes tear, and you’re yelling at a pan like it personally betrayed you.
Just wash it gently by hand. Warm water, soft sponge, done in 30 seconds. Totally worth it for pans that actually work.
6. Sharp Knives (Yeah, Even the “Dishwasher Safe” Ones)
Listen, if you’ve ever tried to chop tomatoes with a dull knife, you know how annoying it is. The dishwasher is basically a knife dulling machine. All that clanging around and heat? Bad combo.
Also, sharp knives can damage the dishwasher racks and even hurt someone unloading them.
So what’s the move? Wash by hand, dry right after, and keep those blades slicing like butter.
7. Anything with Adhesive Labels
Ever pull something out of the dishwasher and find label goo all over everything else in the load? Yeah. That’s because dishwashers and glue don’t mix.
Labels melt, slide off, or worse—half come off, and now you’re scraping sticker guts off your plates.
If it’s got a label, either remove it first or wash it by hand. Your future self will thank you.
8. Aluminum – The Sneaky Risk
You’d think aluminum would be dishwasher-safe, right? It’s metal! It’s tough!
Not quite. If it’s not treated or anodized aluminum, it can turn super dull, or even get weird grayish streaks. It’s like your pan went through an emo phase and came back all moody.
Better to be safe and wash aluminum by hand—especially if it’s your favorite sheet pan or coffee maker parts.
9. Copper Pots and Mugs – They’ll Tarnish Like Crazy
You know those shiny Moscow mule mugs? Or that gorgeous copper-bottom pot that makes your kitchen look like a cooking show set?
The dishwasher hates copper. It’ll strip the finish and leave it looking sad and spotty.
Want to keep them shining? Hand wash. Then buff with a bit of lemon and salt if they start looking dull. Works like magic.
10. Plastics That Aren’t Labeled Dishwasher Safe
Some plastics just aren’t built for the heat. They’ll melt, warp, or get weirdly discolored—especially if you put them on the bottom rack.
Pro tip: If it doesn’t say “dishwasher safe,” it’s probably not. And even if it does—stick it on the top rack. Always.
Melted plastic smells like a chemical nightmare and sticks to everything. No thanks.
Wrapping It Up: When in Doubt, Hand It Out
Look, I get it. Washing stuff by hand isn’t fun. No one’s waking up saying, “You know what I really want to do today? Scrub a skillet.” But sometimes, that’s just what has to happen.
So next time you’re staring down a pile of dishes thinking, “Eh, it’ll be fine…” take a second. Think about what it is, what it’s made of, and whether the dishwasher is its best friend or mortal enemy.
When in doubt? Hand it out.
Save your cookware, save your sanity—and maybe even impress your future self with how shiny everything still looks.
Want more kitchen hacks? Or maybe you’re wondering what does belong in the dishwasher that you didn’t even realize? Stick around. We’ve got stories to tell, myths to bust, and more sudsy secrets coming your way.
