The dishwasher feels like a modern luxury — until you pull out a warped cutting board or a shattered antique or heirloom. The temptation to load everything into the rack for easy cleaning is real, but that convenience comes at a cost.
Scorching temperatures and high-pressure water jets are great for blasting grime off plates, but they’re no friend to your more delicate kitchen gear. Porous materials, such as wood, will crack and warp, while delicate glass can easily succumb to thermal shock and break into pieces.
Even worse, that “deep clean” will dull your expensive chef’s knives and strip the finish off your favorite cast-iron cookware. Essentially, if you value the longevity of your tools, you have to stop treating the dishwasher like a one-size-fits-all solution.
Before you slam the door on your next load, take a second to filter out the casualties. Your high-end cutlery and seasoned cookware are better off in the sink. Here are the items you should never, under any circumstances, run through the dishwasher.
11 things you should never put in the dishwasher
1. Insulated mugs
The high heat and pressure of a dishwasher can damage or break the vacuum seal that makes these insulated vessels effective. Instead, wash them by hand using warm water and soap.
2. Wooden cutting boards
Wood cutting boards can become damaged after even one cycle through the dishwasher. Hot water can cause even the strongest wood to warp, bend, crack or split. While plastic and stone cutting boards can typically be washed in the dishwasher, wooden slabs should be hand-washed and dried thoroughly on their edges.
Read our guide to wooden cutting board care for more.
3. Wine glasses
Generally, 90% of wine glasses are not dishwasher safe. If you have thick, sturdy glasses, they may fare OK, but thin and delicate wine glasses are likely to break. Instead, wash them by hand and be sure to rinse them well so there’s no soapy residue messing with your next wine’s balanced bouquet.
4. Kitchen knives
If you have a sharp chef’s knife and want to keep it that way, keep it out of the dishwasher. Not only will extended soaking in hot water compromise the blade’s edge, but the dishwasher could also cause your knife to clank about and knock into other items, which will ding and dull the blade.
Here’s a list of other bad habits that are ruining your knives.
5. Antiques, porcelain and fine China
Antique cookware, bakeware and glassware aren’t good candidates for the dishwasher. Even if it’s labeled “dishwasher-safe,” it’s age may have compromised a once rugged integrity, making it prone to chipping or cracking. If you have vintage cookware, kitchen tools or China you love, protect them by washing by hand in the sink.
While porcelain itself is dishwasher safe, porcelain wares are often thin and brittle, and running them through the dishwasher puts them at risk.
6. Nonstick cookware
Most nonstick cookware is technically safe to load into the dishwasher but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Nonstick surfaces are easily scratched and eroded when pummeled with hot water and soap or rubbed and knocked against other pots, pans or plates.
7. Copper cookware
While I don’t recommend putting any good cookware in the dishwasher, copper cookware is particularly susceptible to damage. Copper will dull and tarnish from long exposure to hot water and the metal is soft, making it vulnerable to dings and dents if knocked against other items in the rack.
8. Cast-iron cookware
You’ve worked so hard to build up a layered seasoning and a slick patina on your cast-iron skillet, and one cycle through the dishwasher could strip it all away. Harsh dish detergent is likely to wreak havoc on the surface, while extended soaking in hot water can cause rust. Instead, use this pantry staple to clean stubborn cast-iron pans.
9. Greasy plates and pans
Your instinct when confronted with a greasy, oily pan may be to chuck it in the dishwasher and hope for the best. Oil and grease are notorious for causing clogs in dishwashers — and sinks for that matter.
Instead, try to discard as much oil as possible in the trash using a scraper or paper towel, and hand-wash your oily cookware thoroughly with soap and hot water. Only then, when most of the grease is removed, should you consider running it through the dishwasher.
10. Wooden utensils
Anything made from wood can be ruined if run through the dishwasher. That includes cooking utensils, spoons, chopsticks and bowls. Wooden items should always be hand-washed and dried quickly and thoroughly to avoid splitting, warping, and bacterial growth.
11. Plastic cups and containers
Acrylic bowls and other sturdy plastics are fine to run through the dishwasher but flimsier plastic containers are not. Most takeout boxes and food storage containers will melt when hit with boiling hot water. Plastic cups are also susceptible to melting and should be hand-washed instead.
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