Can I wash 'pots' in my dishwasher

[gadgetgary]

From the 'Appliances Forum' the question was raised if pots could be washed in the dishwasher. I hardly ever put pots and pans in my dishwasher, but I know of lots of people who do. To those that do, are the cleaning results satisfactory, or, is there a need to 're-wash' after the cycle? Does stopping the 'dry' feature help lengthen the life of the pots and pans in the dishwasher?

I know there is that 'school of thought'.....if it does not go in the dishwasher, I don't use it!
To those who do put pots and pans in the dishwasher, do you use a special cycle?

And guess I should Be -smacked-...I am a....uhmmmm..ut oh......PRE-RINSER...

 

[brettsomers]

unfinished aluminum, no. the only pots i have washed satisfactorily in the DW are non-stick finishes. NO cast iron. food sticks too heartily on non-silverstone pans. IMO

 

[toggleswitch]

Depends on the pot.100% SS, glass, corning etc. should fare fine.
I don't use heat dry to be able to scrub off any YUKKIES that are left behind.
Let the machine do 90% of the work!
Between dishes, diapers, and d**ches a girl's hands are forever under water. (Not good for furture arthitis).

(Ducks and runs).

 

[gadgetgary]

Non-Stick finishes

David,

This 'raises' the question...Does the detergent and/or the heated drying affect the non-stick finish?

 

[toggleswitch]

Depends on the pot.100% SS, glass, corning etc. should fare

In terms of longevity and coming out damage-free, I mean!

 

[brisnat81]

I'm a pourer

No Pre-rinsing here.

If I can pour it in, I will. I put roasting pans, fry pans, saucepans, baking sheets etc all in on a standard 65degC Sensor wash. I dont rinse, and I usually tip whatever is left into the dishwasher. I figure this way I dont have to waste water washing it down the sink.

It usually runs a cold prewash, 45-65deg main wash, 1 or 2 cold rinses and a final hot 65deg C rinse. Usually everything comes out spotless.

This cycle uses between 13 and 22L of water depending on the soil level.

If its really bad and there is no glassware in there I run it through a Pots and Pans wash.

This gives me a warm pre-rinse, 75deg C wash, 2 cold rinses and a 65deg C final rinse. This usually removes all traces of anything. This does it all with about 17L of water.

My dishwasher doesnt have a hard waste disposer, yet it rarely needs cleaning. (Usually every 1-2 months)

So Yes, my dishwasher cleans it all, and due to my non heated fan drying, my handles never seem to wear our perrish either.

 

[brisnat81]

oops a further note.

I agree wholheartedly with the other posts:

No to Aluminium or Silver or anything with wooden handles,

Yes to Stainless Steel, Glass, Corningware, Enamel and Teflon.

The downside with Teflon, is that it never dries very well, the water doesnt seem to bead properly and you end up with damp patches which I normally wipe off as I unload.

 

[bajaespuma]

More than you ever wanted to know, as usual.

At work, we're constantly putting pots and pans in dishwashers, more to expedite things and give the human dishwashers a break. The machines at work rinse in 180 degree water so there's an added benefit of sanitization. The laws are getting so strict that it is easier to use the machines than the classic "3-bay sink". Also, truthfully, the labor pool from which dishwashers spring have no understanding of basic sanitary practices. Think about it. These guys have never cleaned anything in their lives--their mothers did it for them. They wash things with dirty sponges and dry them with dirty towels. I'm constantly getting dirty looks for telling these guys that it's not OK to nest plastic containers together while they're still wet. (The other thing they do which is a riot is they like to put up to a gallon of Clorox in everything, so right before service the entire restaurant can smell like a pool!)It's a wonder that more people who go out to restaurants inthe US don't contract bad diseases. The machines are always the safer way to go. Aluminum pans will eventually suffer, but I never use any aluminum at home. With good knives, the school of thought is that the hot water, not the detergent, will eventually ruin the temper of the steel. But I rarely put knives in the machine, only when I am in a rush and want to sanitize them.

At home I use a Maytag WU-284 machine (which I love) as my "chefs dishwasher" for washing pots, pans and knives after parties when I am feeling lazy and just want to get everything done and out of sight. What's good about this machine is that it doesn't heat the water, so the knives are OK (both the cutting edges and the laminated handles), I let the chlorinated detergent do what sanitizing will be done and, face it, no automatic dishwasher has the ability to scrub cooked on food, so anything that doesn't come out clean gets a quick once-over by hand. Very satisfactory. Everything in my kitchen goes in the dishwasher except for my chocolate molds ( which will be destroyed in 1 washing) and my best knives.

 

[gadgetgary]

'Dry' or 'Do not Dry'..that is the question?

Along the same lines, how many of you use the 'heated' dry feature? Or do you simply stop the dw and let the dishes
'air dry'? Any thoughts on the benefits/damage to either choice?

 

[lokringbob]

My 2 cents worth

I try not to put aluminum pans such as Magnalite, really dulls and pits the finish. I also don't place the Revere Ware in the dishwasher because it seems to take the finish off the black plastic handles. This is not the dishwasher but the detergent. Like others before me on this thread never any silver or wood handles. Other wise just about everything else goes in what I think is a G.E. posing as a Kenmore.
BB

 

[veg-o-matic]

I don't have any cast iron, or any pots with wooden handles. That said, if I can cram it in the dishwasher, it goes in!

I *never* use heated dry, mainly 'cause I'm too cheap. Opening the door right after the cycle is done works pretty well. I don't have to do that with my KITCHENAID, as the little blower still runs even with the heat turned off. Gets everything nice and dry and saves energy to boot.

veg

 

[gadgetgary]

Veg

I have heard that it actually does not cost very much to use the 'heated dry' feature anyway. I have been using 'heat' all along, and now am going to try going 'the other root'(kind of like 'bi-curious drying'????)

 

[veg-o-matic]

Both sides now!

Gary, you're a caution!

Actually, I used to use heated dry in my crappyass GE until I figured out that all it was doing was baking on all the crud that didn't get washed away. So now I'm in the habit of not using it.

Yeah, I know it couldn't cost that much, but our electricity rates are going up 73% this summer, so I try to save wherever I can. And since the unheated dry works so well, there's just no sense to wasting that little bit of juice.

veg

 

[toggleswitch]

at my age.........

I try not to waste the juice.

 

[perc-o-prince]

I find that even anodized aluminum (Calphalon) reacts badly to dishwasher detergents.

I'm not sure what problems are being noted with knives but I know that a dishwasher can't get nearly hot enough to take the temper out of s-steel or sterling. In both metals this will not happen at temps less than 1000 degrees. I would have to refer to my books for the exact temps. When I temper metal (As a jeweler...quite often) I do it from sight. The color of the metals will change. If it's that the handles on silver (sterling or plated)knives that become loose...this is because the handles are filled with a pitch(pine sap boiled down to a plastic-like consistancy) mixture which will deteriorate with heat and steam. This will cause the blades to wobble after a period of time.

Rich

 

[gadgetgary]

at my age......... I try not to waste the juice.

Guess you have to conserve whenever and wherever possible....at any age...so that the 'curiosity' factor can be 'satified'

 

[perc-o-prince]

at my age......... I try not to waste the juice.

Toggle,

May I suggest staying home a few night a week as a remedy

OOOOOOH...did I say that?

Rich

 

[toggleswitch]

but you do mean in the dark with no computer, air-conditioning or appliances running, don't you?

--wink--

 

[vivalalavatrice]

Everything in the DW! And always heat-dry too!!!

Since we have a DW we have always put everything in it to be washed! Obviusly you have to choice the right cycle depending on what you are whasing:
- if I'm washing only dishes, glassess, spoons/knives/forks, then I use a normal cycle (65°Cmainwash,3cold rinses,1warm final rinse, dry)

- if I'm washing pots&pans, well then I have to use an Intensive cycle (45°Cpre-wash,70°Cmainwash,4cold rinses,1warm final rinse, dry)
If my load is a mix load, I use an intermediate cycle which is substantially the same as Intensive, but with cold pre-wash; in this case I usually pre-rinse by hand only some very dirty pans...
- if I'm washing only crystal glasses or china cup or mug, then I must use Delicate cycle...

IMHO I can't believe who say that hand wahs is cheaper and faster thatn DW!!!! Wood spoon either in DW, they come out clean and good smelling (Italian souce provide a lot of garlic of onion!)

ALUMINIUM! You are all right! It doesn't go in DW... think that Moka Caffettiera is the only thing we have to handwash, at less that it's made of StainlessSteel.

Never used air dry, it gives me a very spotleft results!!! Of course is not by stopping cycle befor heat-drying that you make your cycle cheaper... more less after an Intensive cycle!

Bye!
Diomede

 

[perc-o-prince]

but you do mean in the dark with no computer, air-conditioni

No computer, for sure, and battery op appliances are OK!

R

 

[bobbyderegis]

OK, Rich and Toggles,
Both your minds need a good run thru the sani-cycle! LOL,
Bobby in Boston

 

[perc-o-prince]

Bobby,

Remember....we're yankees. Sani-cycle would waste too much juice

R

 

[panthera]

my mieles

I know that dishwasher detergent here in Europe is radically different to the US stuff, so just 'cause it works for me does not mean it will for you:
1) Never cast iron. You aren't supposed to even wash it with "normal soap." I have a skillet which my gr'grandmother took from Germany to the 'States and I now have back here in Germany. Been in continuous use since the 1870s. It has a better non-stick surface than teflon.
2) Aluminum will definitely suffer - sooner rather than later - in the dishwasher. But I would never use aluminium for cooking anyway.
3) I have one teflon pan and it has been washed in the dishwasher since 1986. Still looks good, still non-stick. The water does leave little traces...but they wipe off with a papertowel.
4) Would comes out absolutely clean and odor free - but this is a characteristic of European and not necessesarily US detergents.
5) Marble, silver, gold, crystal - don't. No matter what the manufacturers lie to you, don't.
6) Pre-scrubbing is no necessary with European detergents and dishwashers. Nor is it with the US "enzyme" based detergents and heated wash (at least 65°C). Otherwise - normal US detergent, no heated wash, of course you have to put the dishes in clean if you want them to come out clean.
7) Proper loading makes a difference. If the spray can't touch the dirt, how can it clean it?
8) Since modern European dishwashers do not have an exposed heating element many people think the heated wash is not dangerous. Wrong - it gets just as hot as the exposed US elements do. Use it and you will have dulled finishes on some things.
9) In the end, it comes down to three things: proper loading, truly hot water, detergent.
Load it badly, use water that is too cold or run a too short cycle, use non-enzymatic detergent - don't be surprised if everything comes out dirtier than it went in.

 

[whirlcool]

We wash everything in the dishwasher. We don't have any aluminum or cast iron. If you get a ceramic dish that's pretty baked on (like leftover from meatloaf) we put it in the sink and let it soak for a few hours with Dawn detergent and hot water. Then we just rinse it off and in the dishwasher it goes. Perfectly clean every time.
We do have some wooden handled forks, knives and spoons. We also put those in the dishwasher, but once a month or so we apply mineral oil to the handles to keep them nice and shiny.

 

[maytagbear]

Oh, yes

If it can go in the machine, it sure as heck goes in the machine!

In this GE, when I have pots, pans, and baking items, I use "hot start," and "pots and pans", and they come out really well, for the most part, and if there is a remnant, it's not as bad as before the cycle.

It's the enzymes. I don't use chlorinated detergents anymore. I don't think there's enough chlorine in dishwasher detergent to make a difference at all in sanitation. I may be wrong there.

As for heated drying, depends on whether or not I need to run another load in the same day. If I don't, I'll turn the element off.

Rarely do I turn the water heat boost feature on. I do, usually on days when I have done several loads of laundry and the water heater is catching up.

I put the liner to my slow cooker in the machine, I put my unplugged electric frypans in the machine, I put cookie sheets in the machine....

I said on another board--"The only things I was by hand are my hands."

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[bobbyderegis]

I ram everything in the KitchenAid. I love to hear the old "hurricane in a box" running. Plus, I hate washing any kind of dishes by hand. It ruins my delicate skin. HAHAHAHA.
Bobby in Boston

 

[mixfinder]

Plastic Handles

I didn't put pans in the dishwasher because:

Aluminum clad bottoms on Farberware discolored
Plastic Handle lost the glossy finish
Sos keeps the world looking new
Too many kids, too many dishes to have room

My kids were all home in the fall. My daughter watched me load the dishwasher and was shocked. She said I never would have allowed it when they were kids.

I have new cookware with metal handles and copper bottoms. The machine keeps the copper shiny and and the pans come out perfectly. I also live alone, so if I didn't put the utensils and pans in I'd never run the dishwasher.

I appreciate enzyme detergent, have my hot water heater at 140 and make sure the detergent is fresh, as time and moisture can reduce its cleaning capacity.

I use heated dry because on some BOL models that means the heaters in on during washing as well.

The sani temp feature keeps the machine running until the water reaches a prescirbed temperature, so in essence it washes longer.

I want the finest outcome from anything I do, so I spend what ever extra cents might contribute to a better finished result.

Even if the pans don't come totally clean there's less to wash and it picks off more easily after a trip through the machine.

I am shocked and blown away with what a dishwasher will clean, given a chance.

Kelly

 

[petek]

Other than cast iron which I seldom use everything else goes in that will fit. Even my old aluminum Presto pc and it doesn't seem to be the worse for wear, just looks dull.

 

[gadgetgary]

Bobby......

I ram everything in the KitchenAid.

It ruins my delicate skin.

Everything Bobby? Are all your 'toys' rated dishwasher-safe????

 

[toggleswitch]

See now, I'd have one DW for my pots, pans cutlery, glassware and dishes, amd another for the "other"

A/C filters
pots for plants
chadelier pieces
dog and cat dishes
thrift shop and bazaar finds (as a step befpore the "clean" item DW)
humidifer and dehumidifier parts
washer parts (filter-flo pans, dsipensers)
refigerator pieces (drawers, racks bins)
stove parts
range-hood parts
glassware, vases