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You Probably Didn't
Know The Dishwasher
In Your Home Can Do This
By ROGER ADLER
A variety of household items — clothes, hardware, and even chrome hubcaps and golf balls — can be cleaned and sanitized in a dishwasher. Of course, not everything is appropriate for a session in the dishwasher: Wood, cast iron, articles with natural bristles, and certain plastics can all be damaged or might even shorten the life of your appliance.
Consumer Reports recommends washing plastics on the top rack to maintain a safe distance from the machine's heat source. Anecdotal evidence indicates Croc shoes can go into a dishwasher, although the manufacturer warns against the likelihood of shrinkage.
Figurines that are not fragile or gilded can go in a dishwasher. Mouth guards, safety razors, nail clippers, and hand-held tools such as screwdrivers, wrenches, and pliers can also work, and you won't have to manually wash trivets, stove knobs, sink strainers, and lunch boxes.
The heat from your dishwasher that kills fungi and bacteria might also damage your cleaning item. Aluminum with non-stick coating and copper shouldn't go in, and the seasoning on cast iron pans will be ruined in a dishwasher.
Follow instructions regarding the proper rack to use and whether an item is dishwasher-safe. Your dishwasher's capabilities go far beyond simply making dishes sparkly clean, and it's limited only by your imagination, practicalities, and safety considerations.