To think that some things can’t go in the dishwasher?

[Notcontent]

I had a new cleaner come today. It was all mainly good and I was grateful for the help BUT she loaded the dishwasher and then I discovered all sorts of things that I never put in the dishwasher as I think they get slightly ruined - but maybe that’s just me? In particular:

• wooden spoons and other wooden implements
• my good quality chopping knives
• my glass magimix blender

Or do other people shove everything in??

No to my skillet here too. They're better with a wipe/rinse and a re-oil.

I wouldn’t put a wooden spoon in but I definitely put my blender jug in. Probably not as fancy as yours, it’s just a nutribullet I’ve owned for 6ish years . Wouldn’t think twice about putting knives in.

@WhatMattersMost

No to my skillet here too. They're better with a wipe/rinse and a re-oil.

True. I have an iron skillet my great great great grandmother used. It just needs scrubbing whenever food gets stuck to it. Otherwise we just use and wipe. It gets reoiled when we make parathas lol

I don't put any glasses in, or non-stick pans.

I do put wooden spoons, but not wooden handled knives. I do put knives in though - not sure why you can't?

Moved from melamine picnic-ware to bamboo means we can't put any of that in either. Or any of the bamboo keepy cups etc.

It's like with washing. So much is now cold wash, and non-tumble dry. Very annoying.

Re the knives- I think it partly depends on whether you have a cutlery basket or a tray. The tray will protect sharp knives a lot better.

@tcjotm

I think those are things she should’ve checked with you first. It’s survival of the fittest at my place and I quite enjoy testing the limits over washing them myself but they are my belongings and I know the risks.

I’d not put someone else’s wooden stuff or fancy blender bits in the dishwasher. Why risk it for a few mins of hand washing.

Mmmmm dont think it’s fair to expect the cleaner should have checked

If my cleaner checked with me if she should put a wooden spoon in the dishwasher I’d look at her like she had two heads

What’s the worst that can happen to a wooden spoon?!

I think it's like laundry. If you have something so fragile or at risk, you put them separately or are VERY clear they are not to be touched/put in any of the wash.

It should be obvious that some delicates or fabric do not belong in the washing machine, but wooden spoon in a dishwasher? Fair enough but that's a complete new one.

@ShirleyPhallus
“What’s the worst that can happen to a wooden spoon?!”

You’d be surprised! If you ask my mother, the end of the world as we know it which is why I’m cautious 😂.

I’ve been smacked with most of her wooden spoons and I can say that her caution has given them a long and strong life!

Everything goes in the dishwasher if it fits here. Wooden spoons come out looking like new. I don't own crystal.
The only think I can think of I don't put in is a tall stockpot as it's too tall, I soak it in the sink and put the lid in the dishwasher.

I'm still undecided about getting a dishwasher when
I renovate the kitchen because I don't want it ruining my stuff. Not because it's expensive to replace (it's not) but because I get attached to things & I don't want them ruined, so I feel like I'd hand wash most of my stuff anyway 🤦🏻‍♀️

I wouldn't leave dishes for the cleaner anyway, I think it's really rude unless you discussed it before she took the job on

That aside, as you can see from this thread everyone has different 'rules' for what can/can't go in the dishwasher. If you're going to continue to leave your dishes for your cleaner to deal with, the easiest thing is to ask her not to turn it on & you can 'rescue' anything you don't want in there. You can't expect her to remember every item you don't want put in there.

I had no idea people put wooden spoons in the dishwasher, I’m going to try that now! I thought it was a hard rule that wooden stuff couldn’t go in the dishwasher because it would warp, and silver and expensive glassware because it would tarnish (it usually says hand wash/DW safe when you buy it but the cleaner won’t know what it said).

I put pretty much everything else in though - including knives, glass blender jug, normal wine glasses, plastic chopping boards, pans etc.

The blades can go blunt or even develop tiny chips, and the handles can get damaged. The detergent is really corrosive, and being subjected to powerful jets of very hot water - it damages them. Damages cheap knives too but you might not care so much and also they might have plastic handles that can withstand the dishwasher better

I love the idea of hot water blunting knives. Our even the corrosive chemicals doing similar.
Far more likely that normal use, has taken the edge of the blades.

I'm still undecided about getting a dishwasher

I honestly don't know how people can decide not to have one - as opposed to not being able to have one.

The kitchen is always tidy: use things, put in dishwasher, run dishwasher when full, always at least once after diner. Nothing hanging on the side or piling up, no soaking, no drying.
It's more energy efficient, things come out cleaner.

You can even put legos and all sort in there! Cleans all the bathrooms bit beautifully too. (bathroom, NOT loo things).

Just tell her. You can’t expect her to mind read.

I put in wooden spoons, chopping knives (don’t understand the objection here). I wouldn’t put in non-stick pots, but even at that I doubt a few goes would hurt them.

I’m very pro-dishwasher though. We have two.

I need to put wooden spoons in the dishwasher physically having wash them gives me the heebie jeebies, I have issues with wet wooden things

@Ginandplatonic

I put everything in. If it doesn’t survive the dishwasher it doesn’t belong in my house.

My late mum used to do that with clothing and tumble drying. I used to get so cross when she shrank my stuff even though I'd told her specifically to leave my washing alone, that I'd do it.

I have a very expensive (£hundreds) Japanese knife with a wooden handle (big birthday present from lots of friends) that my cleaner put through the dishwasher. The handle split all the way down

@Gingersay

I need to put wooden spoons in the dishwasher physically having wash them gives me the heebie jeebies, I have issues with wet wooden things

Yes! Wet wooden spoons are a really teeth itching texture. Go kinda soft & slimy. Bleurgh!

I agree with the knives but not sure why the glass jug part from the blender can’t go in?

We pretty much don’t own or buy anything that can’t be put in the dishwasher now. DH washes his knives and that’s about it.

Cleaners are supposed to clean your house, not tidy up your mucky breakfast things.

Same! My JJ colour tab chopping boards are about 12 years old and are still going well in and out of the dishwasher.

I don’t put my good knives in because I understand it blunts them but tbh the faff of sharpening slightly more often probably would outweigh the faff of cleaning them!

Everything else goes in. If it wasn’t meant to survive it’s wasn’t to be.

I've had 3 dishwashers and none of them have ever managed (with any dishwasher tablets) to wash anything that had porridge, mashed potato, or any sort of baked on food on it. We also dont put frying pans, cat bowls, wooden spoons, chopping boards or the wok in there. I probably do at least 50% of washing up by hand. DH thinks owning a dishwasher excuses him from all washing up for the rest of his life!

Why not just clean around the toilet straight after using it
Why not just vacuum the floor after walking over it
Why not just change the bedding after sleeping in

Im not against having a cleaner in general but I still think it makes sense to keep the kitchen fairly clean all the time. Those jobs you mention are different to dishwashing because they don't usually need doing once a day or more. With dishwashing, unless you have a full time housekeeper you are going to end up with dirty dishes piled up around the kitchen when you could easily put them straight in the dishwasher. Also if you like cooking enough to have top quality equipment like the OP, then it's a bit unusual not to clean as you go, look after knives and keep the kitchen nice to work in.

@LauraLovesLemons

Cleaners are supposed to clean your house, not tidy up your mucky breakfast things.

Cleaners can do whatever they are happy to do to help when they are paid to do so.

Many cleaners even accept and put away the grocery deliveries!
Some iron, do laundry..

I never understand that weird snobbery, of people happy to ask cleaners to clean their loos, but look down at the idea to put fresh beddings or doing some tidying up.

@Triphazard101 My DP has porridge every day, we just soak the bowl and spoon from when he finishes until we put the dishwasher on after dinner and it comes out clean. Soaking the potato masher overnight also works. I use eco friendly tablets and rinse aid and don’t have an issue with stuff getting clean, even turmeric/ beetroot stains - maybe it’s an issue with your dishwasher settings? Not the right water hardness, not enough salt, not enough rinse aid or something like that?