Can knives be washed in the dishwasher?

Today's housewives are accustomed to washing everything in the dishwasher. As a result, some dishes and cutlery fail prematurely. This happens because housewives do not take into account the restrictions on the use of PMM, which we will partly touch upon when considering this topic. This time we are interested in the question: can knives be washed in the dishwasher? Are there any restrictions on knives or not? Let's find out.

Why shouldn't you do this?

Experts say that knives should not be washed in the dishwasher. And why not is not always explained. There are actually quite a few reasons. The main reason is due to the fact that the metal and ceramic blades in the machine deteriorate. Whether knives get dull in the dishwasher is a controversial issue, but the fact that their blades become deformed from high temperatures is a fact. You also need to take into account that metal knives, after repeated washings, begin to become corroded and fail in the very near future.

There are also problems with knife handles. Products with wooden handles become unusable after 2-3 washes, since hot water and detergents cause the wood to swell and crack. Chinese knives with plastic handles also deteriorate quickly. 8-12 washes are enough and such a knife can be thrown away.

The most offensive thing to lose in this way is expensive Japanese knives, a set of which costs as much as a dishwasher.

Some housewives claim that ceramic knives can be washed in the dishwasher, but metal knives cannot. Our experts tested this statement and found that ceramic knives deteriorate even faster in the dishwasher than metal ones.

1. Three new ceramic knives were taken and washed three times. Their blades are laser sharpened so they are perfectly sharp.
2. After the first wash, the knives did not change at all.
3. The second wash showed some degradation of the cutting edge, but still the knives still performed their function tolerably.
4. After the third wash, the ceramic knives could no longer properly cut a loaf of soft bread; they shredded it.

Of course, our experiment cannot be called pure, since too few products took part in it. But we have drawn a conclusion for ourselves, although we will not force it on you. Housewives also claim that knives deteriorate in the dishwasher due to contact with other utensils. This may be partly true, but the fact is that a knife in a machine will definitely deteriorate over time, even if it is placed separately in a cutlery tray, so you should not do this.

There is another interesting statement that you can listen to. Experts say that an ordinary metal kitchen knife can be washed in Beko dishwashers and any others, if you bleed its blade once in citric acid. In this case, the blade will hold an edge better, and its anti-corrosion protection will increase approximately three times. How to remove a metal knife from a lemon?

1. Take a half-liter metal mug with hot water.
2. Pour three tablespoons of citric acid into it and mix thoroughly.
3. We soak a cotton swab in alcohol and degrease the blade.
4. Dip the blade into the acidic solution and keep it there for about an hour and a half.

The blade should be covered with a layer of black coating. After completing the procedure, the blade should be wiped with a swab soaked in sunflower oil and then washed.From now on, such a knife can be washed in the dishwasher, provided that it has a handle that is resistant to aggressive environments.

How to properly wash knives

Washing a knife is the easiest thing to do. You don't need a dishwasher for this. If you do not allow food debris to dry on the blade, then washing will be reduced to rinsing the knife under warm running tap water and wiping it with a clean, dry towel. It's another matter if the dirt is firmly stuck to the blade. In this case, the knife must be placed in a suitable container, filled with hot water and dishwashing detergent and held for 2-3 minutes. After this, the knife can be rinsed and all the dirt will come off.

Keep your knife clean and dry, and adjust its sharpening on time, and then it will serve you well for many years.

What we said concerned metal knives. Ceramics are even less whimsical, but they are also short-lived. Even a good ceramic knife, with constant use, loses its former sharpness after just a year. After two years, such a product can be safely thrown away, since it will no longer be possible to sharpen it again. The ceramic blade is not afraid of rust, but it must be protected from mechanical damage. In addition, a light-colored blade may lose color if the knife is kept dirty for a long time. It should be borne in mind that the juices of fruits and vegetables can stain the ceramic blade, so it will be problematic to wash it later.

To summarize, we note that it is better not to wash cheap Chinese or expensive professional kitchen knives in the dishwasher. Under the influence of the aggressive environment created in the washing chamber, any knife degrades quite quickly. It is better to rinse it by hand, wipe it with a cloth and put it away until next use. Good luck!

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