A quirky social media trend got many of us talking this summer: washing produce like celery, carrots, and dragon fruit in the dishwasher! The trend was made popular by TikTok content creator @larad_official, but experts strongly advise against this practice. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that dishwashers can harbor residual chemicals and pathogens. Moreover, washing your fruits and vegetables with simple tap water does the job perfectly well.

Brandon Pleshek, a third-generation janitor at Clean That Up, agrees with this sentiment. "The clue is in the name 'dishwasher'," he notes wryly. While washing greens in your dishwasher might be dubious, there are actually a number of things you should attempt to hand-wash whenever feasible. Sure enough, the convenience of dishwashers is sometimes too appealing. But some items, like a treasured heirloom dish or your pricey kitchen equipment, might be at risk from the humid environment, strong chemicals, and high water pressure it provides.

One common example? Knives of any kind, excluding butter knives, should avoid the dishwasher journey. Heirloom crystal dishes amongst other delicate items can get tarnished or chipped when subjected to the machine's rigor. Ellen Marie Bennett, founder of Hedley & Bennett and host of the kitchen makeover show Kitchen Glow Up, compares the process to throwing a designer jacket in a washing machine. The blades can easily dull, and the handles may become loose, posing a safety risk over time.

Speaking of utensils, wooden spoons and cutting boards also fall under the hand-wash category. If exposed to too much water, wooden items will swell up, possibly cracking and becoming moldy. Hence, washing them meticulously with warm water is recommended. Furthermore, maintain their quality by rubbing them periodically with a food-grade mineral oil.

Hard-core enthusiasts of cookware know that a dishwasher can strip the seasoning off your cast-iron pan. Instead, use these simple cleaning tactics: first, scraped off any food bits. You could use a few tablespoons of kosher salt and a paper towel to scrub the pan. Pleshek also suggests using the cut side of a potato, followed by a little dish soap if necessary. Drying immediately with paper towels prevents rust, then you can re-season.

Similarly, utensils like graters or any sharp objects can get dulled, and sometimes the rubber or wooden handles can warp or swell. While they can be trickier to clean, a scouring pad comes in handy, Bennett suggests, to clean those nitty-gritty corners.

Dishwashers aren't just bad news for cutlery; they can have damaging effects on beverage containers too! The dishwasher’s heat can damage the cup’s seals that keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. Therefore, go the old-school way with these and simply hand wash them.

While most sheet pans and some plastic items are technically dishwasher-safe, caution is still encouraged. The heat inside can cause excessive warping, especially to items placed on the bottom rack, close to the heating element. Pleshek also warns against washing Teflon non-stick pans and aluminum containers inside the dishwasher, as the appliance’s heat and chemicals could affect their effectiveness.

However, higher-end machines can usually accommodate certain blender containers on the top rack. Though, Pleshek finds it more convenient to wash his manually. He shares a simple and efficient tip for those smoothie enthusiasts out there: after pouring out your smoothie, give it a quick rinse, fill it halfway with water, add a drop or two of dish soap, and run your blender as normal.

Ultimately, each item in your kitchen requires different care, even when it comes to cleaning. And while the idea of throwing everything in the dishwasher may seem tempting, remember the simple golden rule shared by Bennett, "A little bit of extra elbow grease can go a long way for the longevity of a product that is just a little bit nicer than other stuff you have."