9 Non-Dish Items You Can Toss In The Dishwasher Without Fear

Everything has to get clean, but the task of getting it done can be overwhelming. There are only so many hours in the day. It can be hard to keep up with all that needs to be taken care of, from cleaning the kitchen after cooking to making sure bathrooms aren't grimy. Not everything needs to be scrubbed by hand though; the dishwasher is an underutilized machine that can do a lot more than just clean dirty dishes.

The appliance found in most modern kitchens is capable of thoroughly cleaning a myriad of items that may surprise you. Throw stuff such as silicone and rubber mats, sponges, brushes, gardening tools, and more in the dishwasher for easier cleaning without all the elbow grease. Do make sure to check whether a product is labeled as dishwasher-safe, though, before putting it through a cycle (to avoid potential damage due to hot water). Products typically state whether they're suitable for the dishwasher.

Yes, even soap dishes need a good washing. Soap holders, or trays, tend to accumulate soap scum and biofilm with continued use. This looks less than ideal for holding soap meant to clean your hands or body. Keep in the mind that hand-painted items should not go through the dishwasher, though, as it could strip the paint.

Toss your soiled pots in the dishwasher for a thorough soaking before repotting to prevent the spread of any plant diseases that may be lingering. Just be sure to dump out all the soil prior to washing to avoid damaging your machine with chunks of perlite.

In the same vein, garden tools, such as pruners, trowels, weeders, and forks, can carry plant diseases, so you want to keep them as clean as possible. Tools with metal or plastic handles are safe to go in the dishwasher, but exposing ones with wooden handles to so much hot water for too long can lead to damage.

If you have an animal and use a rubber mat for their food dishes to keep spilled food off the floor, you're one of many. Simply run them through a quick cycle to get them good as new instead of scrubbing at caked-on wet food by hand.

Microwave turntables always seem to get especially messy, don't they? Wash away soup spills, the melted butter you left in there too long, and more by placing the rotating glass plate on the bottom rack alongside your tableware. It comes out sparkling with no effort at all.

Silicone baking mats covered in cakey flour and sticky dough can be tossed in the dishwasher with no problem. Depending on the size of your mat, it can go on either the top rack or bottom rack safely. Don't try to stuff it in if its too big, though.

Instead of taking on the arduous job of wiping down all the components of your fridge by hand, stick them in the dishwasher. The plastic shelves and drawers, which get dirty easily, can be placed on the bottom or top racks next to whatever else you have in there.

Sponges and reusable wipes used to clean dishes, counters, and appliances pick up a lot of dirt and grime with daily use. Sponges often aren't cleaned enough and they can be breading grounds for bacteria. You can microwave your sponge to sanitize it or use reusable wipes, but the dishwasher also gets the job done.

Just like sponges, scrub brushes used to clean kitchen sinks, cookware, and other parts of the home, such as shower crevices, need to be cleaned regularly. Do keep in mind that you shouldn't let brushes with wood handles soak in hot water for too long, or they could warp.