Dishwashers are great at doing what their name implies, but did you know that they can be used to clean more than just dirty dishes? In fact, these helpful dishwasher hacks will explain how to safely and effectively wash everything from toys to tools using this versatile kitchen appliance.
Things You Can Clean In the Dishwasher
Have you ever wondered if there’s an easier way to clean your dryer’s lint filter or wash your favorite baseball hat? Our dishwasher hacks will cover all of the most helpful alternative uses for this appliance.
#1 – Dryer Lint Filter
Pull out your dryer’s lint filter and remove as much of the excess fluff as possible. Once all of the larger pieces have been thrown away, place the screen in the top rack of your dishwasher and run a load.
This helps to remove any built-up fabric softener, resulting in a faster, more efficient dryer. You can even repeat this same process with your oven vent filter!
Image from GE Appliances
#2 – Kid’s Toys
Another one of our favorite dishwasher tips is to use them to sterilize your children’s toys. Just set them in the top section of your dishwasher and run a normal cycle with heated dry.
Be careful not to wash any toys that aren’t dishwasher-safe including wooden items, and avoid including fragile toys with moving parts.
#3 – Cabinet Hardware
We touch handles and knobs around our home all day, every day, regardless of whether or not we’re sick. Germs and bacteria will inevitably build up over time, so they’ll need to be cleaned and disinfected.
Remove your cabinet’s hardware and run it through a cycle in the dishwasher. Just be careful, items that are plated, enameled, or painted can be damaged by the cycle, so stick with metal and ceramic only.
Image from Home Depot
#4 – Baseball Caps
One of, if not the trickiest garment to wash is a baseball hat. Throwing it into your washer with a load of clothes is sure to distort its shape, but you can actually use the dishwasher instead!
Place your cap on the top rack and run a normal cycle. For best results, use a ballcap buddy to make sure your hat holds its shape.
#5 – Garden Tools
Removing large chunks of dirt from your garden tools is easy. For the caked-on debris that doesn’t want to come off though, your dishwasher’s spray arm is the perfect adversary.
Add your garden forks and trowels to a cycle that includes your dirtiest dishes. Just make sure not to add any tools with wooden handles which will get damaged.
Image from Tomato Envy
#6 – Pet Toys
If you can manage to wrestle your dog’s favorite toy away from them long enough to wash it, your dishwasher is the perfect way to clean and sanitize it as well.
Place them in the top rack to wash, and make sure they’re made of dishwasher-safe plastic, nylon, or rubber.
#7 – Glass Light Fixtures
You may not be eating out of them (hopefully), but the glass lighting fixtures throughout your home still manage to get filthy somehow. That makes them the perfect candidate for easy dishwasher cleaning!
Be sure to only wash plain glass fixtures with no wood or metal trim. Make sure each fixture is well-secured in the top rack, and for best results, remove them before they dry cycle and hand-dry using a clean towel.
Image from Pottery Barn
These dishwasher hacks are clever, but they won’t help if you have a breakdown on your hands. That’s why you should call the dishwasher repair professionals at D & T Appliance at the first sign of trouble with your dishwasher.
