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CTV News
10 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Things you should never put in the dishwasher
I have a different relationship with each of my kitchen appliances. With the fridge, I feel a friendly familiarity, and with my microwave, a sort of unspoken camaraderie. I interact with both frequently, sometimes several times a day. With dishwashers, though, there is a reverence. My family didn't own one until I was much older, and it has always seemed like a mysterious invention to me. Every time I use one now, I'm worried about doing something wrong, specifically whether I'm putting in an item that I shouldn't. If you've ever had similar worries, here's what you should know. Things you should not put in your dishwasher Acrylic dishware or accessories: Crazing (small cracks through the acrylic) might occur. Brass, bronze, copper, and pewter items: High-temperature water and detergent can cause discoloration, says Larry Ciufo, who has tested hundreds of dishwashers at CR over the past 20 years. Cast-iron cookware: You risk removing the seasoning—the baked-on oil in your pan that helps prevent food from sticking—which can cause the pan to rust. Insulated mugs: Unless they're labeled as dishwasher-safe, water can get inside the seal between the inner and outer layers of these mugs, which might affect their ability to retain heat or keep drinks cold. Nonstick pans: If the manufacturer doesn't say it's dishwasher-safe, avoid putting them in the dishwasher because the washing process could wear away the coating, Ciufo says. Sharp knives: Even if they're labeled dishwasher-safe, you should wash them by hand because they can get dull after rubbing against other cutlery in the basket. Tin items: Tin will rust if washed in the dishwasher, so you should hand-wash and dry them immediately. Wood: Water and heat can result in your wooden salad bowls or cutting boards warping and cracking. Things that are generally safe, but with caveats Aluminum is usually dishwasher-safe, but minerals in the water might cause spots or darkening. To remove those, scour with a soap-filled steel wool pad. China, crystal, and stoneware are mostly safe, but if the pieces are hand-painted or fragile, wash them by hand. It's also better to hand-wash glasses or dishes with gold leaf. Milk-glass items might yellow after repeated washings in the dishwasher. Plastic items vary in their ability to withstand heat and detergents, so check whether they're dishwasher-safe and make sure to place them on the top rack—away from the heating element—and don't select cycles that use higher wash or dry temperatures. Stainless steel and silver are generally OK to put in the dishwasher, but make sure you run your rinse cycle if you're not running the wash cycle immediately, because prolonged contact with food can damage their finish. By Pang-Chieh Ho, Consumer Reports Senior Home & Appliances Writer
CTV News
14-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
How to keep your dishwasher from smelling
There are some basic expectations about dishwashers that I think everyone can agree on. We all want a dishwasher that produces sparkling clean dishes. And absolutely no one wants to open their dishwasher and be greeted by a rancid smell as if the machine were exhaling bad breath. This smelliness, however, can occur if you don't maintain your dishwasher. 'It's typically a sign that food particles, moisture, and bacteria are hanging around,' says Justin Bovard, executive director of product management for dishwashers at GE Appliances. One of the reasons why a smelly dishwasher can be a particular headache is that you might not immediately know where the smell is coming from, which makes it a harder problem to fix. So we asked CR's dishwasher expert and manufacturers about the most common causes of a stinky dishwasher. Here are the most likely culprits, followed by our suggestions on how to prevent your dishwasher from becoming smelly in the first place. Reasons why your dishwasher is smelly You haven't cleaned your dishwasher filter. If your dishwasher smells less than rosy, the first thing you should check is the filter. Chances are, the filter—located at the bottom of your dishwasher and designed to trap any pieces of food removed from your dirty dishes—is the source of the stench. If you have a manual filter and don't know that you have to clean it, the food particles trapped in the filter could cause a foul smell, says Larry Ciufo, who oversees dishwasher testing at Consumer Reports. A manual filter, which is common in modern dishwashers, requires regular cleaning, unlike a self-cleaning filter. A dirty filter can do more harm than just producing foul odours. Without regular cleaning, it can also hinder your dishwasher's performance, says Lindsay Jones, the integrated brand manager at Maytag. The dishwasher drain is clogged. Food debris from your dishwasher or your dishes could be clogging your drain and producing odours, Jones says. Scraping large pieces of food off your dishes before you load them can prevent this. Your dishwasher interior has collected food remnants. Over time, sticky soap scum can build up on your dishwasher's walls and trap food particles, Jones says. Instead of rinsing away down the drain, these food particles can cling together over time and produce an odour. Your dishwasher door is dirty. Bits of food might have gotten trapped against the edge of your dishwasher where the door opens, Ciufo says. People can also easily miss any buildup around the dishwasher's doorframe. There could also be mould around the door seal. 'With the amount of moisture and heat a dishwasher produces, mould and mildew can accumulate in the door gasket seal and produce a foul-smelling odour without regular cleaning,' Jones says. How to prevent your dishwasher from smelling If you want your dishwasher to be stink-free, you can't skimp on regular cleaning and maintenance. Jones says you should clean your dishwasher's filter once a month. First, empty the filter of any debris and rinse it with hot water. If food particles or soil are still stuck to the filter, try soaking it in warm, soapy water. Afterward, you can use a toothbrush to remove stubborn remnants or residue. If you're unsure whether your dishwasher's filter is manual or self-cleaning, read our detailed guidelines on how to identify your filter and clean it. Periodically cleaning your dishwasher's interior with a soft, damp cloth or sponge can help remove food and dirt particles, says Marty Olson, an engineer at LG Home Solutions Quality. If your machine has a self-cleaning cycle, run the cycle with an empty tub once a month. Olson says adding 3 teaspoons of citric acid or a dishwasher cleaning agent recommended by the manufacturer to the detergent dispenser can help eliminate any residual soil, odour, white spots, and dirt. If your machine doesn't have a self-cleaning cycle, Bovard says you can give it a quick clean by placing a cup of white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe container on the top rack and running it on its hottest cycle. If you spot any mould or mildew inside the dishwasher, Bovard suggests wiping the interior clean with a solution of 1/8 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water. Then, run a normal cycle on your empty dishwasher without detergent. If your dishwasher's interior is made of stainless steel, however, you should avoid using bleach because it might damage its finish. To clean your dishwasher without bleach, run a sanitize cycle with an empty dishwasher. Or consider using a dishwasher cleaner with citric acid, Bovard says. If your dishwasher has a regular mould problem that won't go away, it could be a sign that the unit isn't getting to a high enough temperature. If that's the case, you should schedule a service call to get your dishwasher checked out. Mould and mildew might also occur on the lips of the gasket seal, so it's important to periodically inspect the seals of the dishwasher door for any buildup. If you spot any residue on the gasket, clean it with a fresh sponge and warm, soapy water. When you're done, wipe the gasket seal dry with a clean rag to ensure no moisture is left behind, Jones says. If you follow all the above steps—regularly cleaning your filter, dishwasher interior, and gasket—you'll reduce the likelihood that you'll be greeted with an unpleasant odour the next time you open your dishwasher door. Article written by Pang-Chieh Ho, Consumer Reports Senior Home & Appliances Writer
