All of the simple dishwasher mistakes that are ruining your cookware
The dishwasher has made life a lot easier by taking out the hard work of hand washing our plates, cutlery and cookware.
That doesn't mean everything in the kitchen can be washed in it though, as the appliance can actually wreck pieces we've paid good money for.
This is because dishwashers use high water pressure and hot temperatures, and while that's fantastic for cleaning, it's not great for some materials.
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Professional organiser and home hacks guru Anita Birges revealed what these top three items are in the video above.
Chef knives
To keep these knives in top quality, hand wash them after use. Getty Images/iStockphoto
These are a favourite kitchen tool for home cooks and food fans and they can be very expensive.
But they really need to be hand-washed rather than cleaned in the dishwasher to maintain the quality.
"It will dull the blade and ruin the knife," Birges said.
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Chef knives can also get discoloured and rusty from the dishwasher. They can even cause damage to the plastic coating of the dishwasher shelves or other items in the dishwasher.
And if you need any more reasons not to put chef knives in the dishwasher, they can be dangerous to take out, especially if you haven't placed them in the safest way.
Anything wooden
These pieces won't last long if you clean them in the dishwasher. Getty Images/iStockphoto
You can say goodbye to your chopping boards and wooden spoons if you put those in the dishwasher, as they'll never really be the same again.
"Having them in the dishwasher with all that heat and moisture will cause the wood to splinter and break," Birges explained.
Wooden cookware will also warp after being in the dishwasher, which would make for a very tricky surface to chop on or stir with.
The best thing to do with wooden cookware and servingware is to hand wash and dry straightaway.
Resin pieces
These pieces look great on the dining table, so keep them out of the dishwasher. Nine
Resin makes for stunning bowls serving platters and utensils, but the only option for cleaning them is to hand wash in warm soapy water.
That's because the high heat will soften the resin leaving them warped and ruined.
Metal
Most metal kitchen products, not including stainless steel, are not compatible with dishwashers.
Items such as cast iron stoves and nonstick cookware are highly susceptible to rust and when put through the dishwasher,
Dishwashing liquid breaks down the seasoning on cast iron, ruining its nonstick properties. Dishwashing tablets can also cause cast iron to rust.
Similarly, aluminium is a no-go as it is a highly reactive material that gets discoloured and damaged when exposed to the dishwasher's temperature.
Natural stone
While stone is generally considered a durable material, it is not well suited to a dishwasher due to detergents' abrasive nature.
Due to their porous texture, dishwashing tablets and soap can leave a residue on and inside these surfaces. Marble is even more sensitive to this, as dishwashing liquid can etch and dull the stone's surface.
Natural stone is not suited to a dishwasher. Getty
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It's not all bad news though because there's a surprisingly high number of things you can put in the dishwasher.
According to Birges, three items you might not have thought to put in the dishwasher are your microwave turntable plate, fridge shelves and the rangehood filter.
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