When it comes to utensils and kitchen accessories, stainless steel has always been the chart-topper in popularity. The reason behind choosing this material is the elegant look that it adds to the kitchen and its durability.
Furthermore, it is one of the go-to materials for producing dish washer safe utensils. In this article we will be discussing about why and how stainless steel is safe for dishwashers and about the precautions you should be taking while using them.
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Is It Really Ok To Put Stainless Steel In The Dishwasher? If preventive measures are taken, and proper procedures are followed, then it can be said that yes, it is safe to put stainless steel in the dishwasher with no second thought!
What is stainless steel?
Stainless steel, as the name states, is stain resistant and is with anti-corrosive properties. If we go as per the opinion of experts, stainless steel is dishwasher safe. However, there are certain things that we need to keep in mind.
Stainless steel, an alloy, is made of different carbon, nickel, manganese, and silicon. High-quality flat utensils made of stainless steel are specially marked as dishwasher safe, and it is a wise decision to select those.
Is it safe to wash stainless steel utensils in dishwasher?
It is safe to wash stainless steel in dishwasher but only after maintaining certain precautions.
A good quality stainless steel helps prevent rust and corrosion on the utensils even when washed in the dishwasher in the long run.
Excessive humidity in the dishwasher plays a negative role on the metal as it tends to corrode it. Thankfully, stainless steel does not rust. The leftover foods that stick to the utensils make it worse by tarnishing the polish. It results in the dullness of the metal’s shiny look.
It is advisable to clean the utensils thoroughly with either water or by scrubbing the leftovers and then putting those in the dishwasher for the final cleaning.
It will retain the shine of stainless steel even after being cleaned repeatedly in the dishwasher.
Proper selection of the detergent used is also essential to make stainless steel utensils dishwasher safe. Strongly acidic detergents may harm them over time.
Cleaning flat bottomed utensils in the dishwasher are pretty easy and create no problem. But at times, it is noticed that stainless steel accessories with sharp edges like knives, forks, etc., tend to get rusted.
The formation of rust on sharp-edged stainless steel objects is not because that these are not dishwasher safe. It is because of the harder steel that is used to make the edges sharp. Hard steel is easily prone to rust. So even if these accessories are hand-washed, they will always welcome rust!
Final thoughts
There is a controversy on whether stainless steel pans and pots are safe to use in dishwashers. Most of the manufacturers mark the stainless steel utensils, which helps identify whether it is dishwasher safe.
There are specific practices followed while loading a dishwasher for the spray jet to work wonder like placing the messed side down on the lower rack and so on.
One should keep utensils and accessories like plates, bowls, forks, and knives on the dishwasher’s respective shelves. It is advisable to follow these practices.
Finally, avoid using other utensils made of aluminum, copper, iron, etc., along with the stainless steel utensils to make the stainless steel utensils dishwasher safe. These metals might react when they come in contact with strong detergents and spoil the stainless steel utensils.
Is stainless steel dishwasher safe? Yes it is!
