10 Things You Can Clean in the Dishwasher
Who would decline a second pair of hands to help them clean the house when you're overwhelmed by your schedule? Cleaning every object around the house by hand is tiring and consumes a lot of energy as well as water. Simultaneously, you can't skip on the cleaning routine, especially when a daily hygiene routine is essential now more than ever. Dishes aren't the only thing meant for a dishwasher; there are many other things you can toss into it.
How to Wash Things in Your Dishwasher
To start, you'll need to clear any utensils, plates, and appliances from the dishwasher. Make sure there are no kitchen items in it before you load the non-kitchen items. Certain items should NEVER be cleaned using a dishwasher. Some of these include wooden objects, anything with cast-iron or aluminum coating, electrical appliances, and those labeled 'avoid putting in the dishwasher’. Ideally, use a gentle detergent that doesn’t have bleach or other harsh chemicals in it. For an extra safety measure, use a disinfectant to wipe these things after washing them.
Next, you need to know where to place specific items in the dishwasher. Dishwashers apply heat in the bottom area. Therefore, while sturdy items made of a material that won't get affected by the heat are good to go in the bottom rack, put everything else in the top rack. Also, place plastic items in the top rack since they can melt and warp. Fragile items should go on the top rack of the dishwasher. Clean your dishwasher after this so that there's no leftover gunk that transfers to your kitchen appliances on the next wash.
What Can You Wash in a Dishwasher?
Now that you know how to wash various items in a dishwasher, what can you clean in it? Not everything in your house is 'dishwash-able', but listing down what can go in there can make cleaning a simpler chore.
1. Kitchen Sponges: Kitchen sponges can last a few months provided you take care of them and clean them regularly. The best part is they don't need a separate wash cycle; you can clean them with your dishes.
2. Fridge Shelves and Drawers: Fridge shelves and drawers are a usual victim of food and drink spills. If you notice these spills on your routine refrigerator purge, pop these items on any of the dishwasher racks and give it a spin. Your fridge shelves and drawers will come out squeaky clean!
3. Bath Loofahs and Sponges: Bathroom accessories, specifically ones that you use to clean your body, have an astounding number of grime and germs and bacteria residing on them. Hand cleaning these accessories doesn’t always disinfect them properly. Use a dishwasher and turn on the heat setting to get rid of all the nasty stuff.
4. Hair Brushes and Makeup Brushes: If your hairbrush and makeup brush have wooden handles or natural bristles, it's best to clean them by hand. In other cases, take out any hair from your hairbrush. You don't want them clogging the drain. Then, wash the brushes in a normal wash cycle.
5. Toys: Turn off the heat setting in your dishwasher for any toys you're planning to wash. Electrical or battery-operated toys must not be washed in a dishwasher. Put smaller toys in a Ziploc bag or a mesh bag and place them in the dishwasher. You can use this trick for kids' toys and pet toys.
6. Trash Cans: Cleaning small trash cans in the dishwasher is an effective way, and since they have countless bacteria and germs in them, it's probably best you avoid cleaning them by hand. For large-sized trash cans, remove the racks or wash the trash can lids in the dishwasher
7. Keys: You should clean the keys as often as you can considering the amount of dirt on them. Luckily, a dishwasher comes in handy when it's time to clean the keys. All you have to do is slide them on any of the pegs, and don't worry about the settings since metal doesn't get damaged by heat.
8. Gardening Equipment: Have you ever looked closely at your gardening tools? Notice the dirt and pesticides lingering on them? To remove these, a dishwasher on a high heat setting does the job.
9. Vacuum Attachments: You can work with vacuum attachments with loads of dirt and debris trapped in it, but for maximum vacuum performance, you need to ensure the attachments are clean too. Place the vacuum attachments on the top rack of the dishwasher to wash them thoroughly.
10. Flip-Flops: After a fun beach day, you'll be bringing all the sand and dirt from the beach into your house. While washing sneakers to get rid of the smell in a dishwasher isn't a great idea, flip-flops or slippers can go in there. Toss your flip-flops in the dishwasher and let it work its magic!
