Did you know there are items you never imagined could be cleaned in the dishwasher?
There are a lot of things we clean using the dishwasher, but most of us end up going down the predictable route of only adding in dishes we use around the kitchen, glassware, and silverware. If anything, a lot of us are worried that we could add in something that would ruin the machine, so we stray away from using any unknown items.
Yet, what if we told you that it is a powerful spring cleaning item that is right there for you and you are not using it to its full potential?
There are numerous items you would not think could be cleaned with the dishwasher, yet not everyone knows about them. Yet, since the machine is known to be an energy and water saver, it makes for one of the best time-saving cleaning items!
Not to mention, there are perks to using the dishwasher for these surprise items, besides the convenience. What’s more, it is good to know what you could use it for so that you know to reach for it when you are in a pinch.
From certain foods, all the way to shoes and toys, keep reading to discover all the most surprising items that you can clean using the dishwasher! Just set them in, press a button, and let the machine do all the work for you!
Do you clean any of the items on this list with the dishwasher? Do you use the dishwasher to clean any other items? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
1. Flip-flops
Yes, you read that right. You can easily make sure that you clean your flip-flops in the dishwasher, and you can forget about ruined slippers in the washing machine or having to scrub the first one off of them by hand.
What’s more, this is one of those things that is amazing to know if you are on holiday in a beach house. You may be using the washing machine to clean your clothes, and at the same time, you can easily throw your flip-flops in the dishwasher, so you are hitting two birds with one stone!
Just make sure that you hook the dirty slippers into the top rack; that way, they are bound to stay in place during the high water pressure cycle, and they will get cleaned efficiently and fast!
2. Rain boots
And since we have been discussing a type of shoe, then it is fitting to just continue with rain boots.
You can easily give them a thorough rinse and get rid of any accumulated grime, dirt, and dust by using the dishwasher to give them a good wash.
The best way to do so is to remove the liners and lay them down horizontally on the tray. That way, they will get clean inside and out with no issues.
You may have been rinsing them with the hose, but it is good to give them a good clean once in a while, and like this, you do not have to worry about not reaching every nook and cranny by hand cleaning!
3. Bathroom items
You could be trying to wash everything when you are doing a deep clean of the bathroom, but let’s be honest, it would take a couple of days to thoroughly disinfect everything.
And while you may be cleaning the tiles, sink, toilet, shower space, and floors, all the little bits and pieces around your bathroom may not get the same treatment.
This means that no matter how thorough you are with your cleaning, you are still leaving a ton of bacteria to thrive in your bathroom.
The best way is to get the likes of soap dishes, toothbrush holders, and even bathtub drains, just to name a few, and clean them in the dishwasher. Plop them on the top rack with the rest of your dishes and get rid of all the bacteria!
4. Potatoes
This is a surprising one, but do not worry! We are not going to tell you how you can cook in your dishwasher, just like that weird trend did a couple of years ago!
Instead, we are going to reveal how you can clean off a lot of potatoes at the same time so that you can skip having to spend half an hour scrubbing your potatoes ahead of having to make a massive dish with potatoes before a potluck.
Using the dishwasher to clean off your big amount of potatoes is going to cut down your prep time and let you deal with something else at the same time, so it’s extremely efficient!
To clean your potatoes in the dishwasher, put them on the top shelf and turn on the rinse-only cycle! Do not use detergent!
5. Hairbrushes
Here we are talking only about those hairbrushes and combs that are made out of plastic. Any other type of hairbrush, like the wood-handled ones or the boar-bristled ones, is going to get ruined if you try to clean them in the dishwasher.
Otherwise, it is a great idea to use the dishwasher to clean them! These items that you use daily on your hair are known to hold up to 3,500 colonies of bacteria, according to a study by researchers at the University of Arizona. And while there are other ways to clean your brushes, no one does it as often as they should or even does more than just get rid of the start hair!
Thus, using the dishwasher saves you time and money! All you have to do is remove any stray hairs and then place your comb or hairbrush in the silverware tray. Run your normal cycle and give your hair tool a thorough cleanse!
6. Stove knobs
Yes, you read that right! The stove knobs are some of the most neglected parts of the kitchen, as not everyone thinks about cleaning them beyond just occasionally wiping them down.
Yet, as most of you probably know, they are one of those items in your kitchen that get dirty fast, and sometimes the grime can seem to make them run slower. Not to mention, even if you wipe them down, some of them end up feeling sticky to the touch.
This is why you should put them through a cleaning cycle in the silverware tray of your dishwasher. Make sure they are the removable kind before attempting this, and enjoy your clean and bacteria-free knobs!
7. Small plastic toys
If you have small kids in the family or you have relatives or friends with small children, then you should definitely know you can clean small plastic toys in the dishwasher!
These small toys made from plastic can hold germs for a long time, even months at a time. So it is good to disinfect them more often than you think you need.
The easiest way is to put them in a mesh bag for delicates and place it on the top shelf drawer. That way, you can just let the normal cycle run and get them cleaned!
8. Fridge shelves
The last item on our list is fridge shelves! These shelves in the fridge can get really grimy, especially if you have glass ones!
And cleaning them may be harder to do since you have to lean over the tub to scrub every inch of them, and it makes a whole mess. Be it that you do not want to go through the hassle or you cannot, for whatever reason, the best way to clean them is in the dishwasher.
Place the shelves among your other dishes and let them run through a cycle! That way, you can easily clean them, and when they are done, they are ready to go back into your fridge!
If you have a dishwasher, make sure that the pods you use are not going to cause damage to your machine. These here are our recommendations for dishwasher pods, and they have never let us down!
While these things can easily go into the dishwasher despite not being the first thing we would envision using to clean them, there are other instances where we may put the wrong items in the wrong machine. Make sure you do not ruin your washing machine and laundry room by not putting these items in it!
