Dish it out: Things you didn’t know you could clean in the dishwasher

Get the most out of a dishwasher by thinking outside the box. This appliance is practical for cleaning much more than just grimy dishes, pots and pans, utensils, cups and drinking glasses. Real Simple prods dishwasher owners to also wash:

— Baseball caps, as they tend to get bent in a washing machine
— Action figures and some toys (but not Barbie because it messes up her hair)
— Flip-flops
— Tools, including those used in the garden
— Hairbrushes and combs
— Shin guards, knee pads and mouth guards

Also, Real Simple points out that those dusty fan grilles, switch plates and vent covers clean well in the dishwasher if they are made of plastic, aluminum or steel. “Enameled, painted or plated should stay out,” the publication warns.

Snappyliving.com adds to the list of dishwasher-safe items: barrettes, pet dishes, toothbrushes, plastic flowers, drip pans, dust pans, golf balls, car cup holders, fridge shelves (if they fit), vacuum cleaner attachments and even hubcaps.

Very small items should be placed in the utensil compartments, while the upper and lower racks can hold things such as tools, toys, hats and brushes. And just as crystal, wood, enamel, copper and fine china cannot withstand a dishwasher cycle, neither can decorative accessories nor other items made of fragile materials. A hand-painted ceramic, for example, is not a candidate for a dishwasher run.

Plus, some insulated products are not constructed to withstand a dishwasher, and all things made of cast iron must be hand-washed.  

Of course, clean all items in separate loads. Washing baseball caps with dinner plates is not wise, even though most dishwashers are designed to wash thoroughly on high-heat, germ-killing settings.