OK, this topic should seem obvious, but unfortunately people do forget, and accidents occur. Part of being a responsible person, and making sure your house does not burn down, and you are not arrested. Being smart in how your use your appliances, such as your dishwasher is part of being an adult.
There are times everybody wishes they could just throw something in there and get it cleaned rather than taking the time to hand wash it. For example, as much as your cat scratches you when you are giving him or her their flea bath, putting them in the dishwasher with the soap is not a good idea. You should also keep firearms and flammable objects out of there. These things are obvious, but there are a few things that might be less obvious that you should be aware of.
Always be careful with plastic. Your plastic plates and cups may be labeled as dishwasher safe, but that is no guarantee that they will come out of your dishwasher unscathed. When plastic is heated to a certain level, it will melt. If you have ever tried peeling off melted plastic from the inside of your dishwasher, you know how tedious and annoying it is. The best thing to do with your plastic ware, is to keep it as far as possible from the heat source in your dishwasher, and take the plastic items out during the drying or plate warming cycle.
While, washing your lingerie in the dishwasher is probably easier than hand washing it, think about this for a second. There is a reason you are supposed to hand wash these items. They need to keep their shape, and they do not need to be exposed to the heat that your dishwasher produces. A bra that shrinks, is a bra that stinks! If you insist on washing your lingerie this way, please do not wash them at the same time as you wash your plates. Seriously! Do you think washing your underwear with your coffee cup is sanitary?
There are many cool and exciting innovations that have come about in the past few years with small appliances. Many parts of these machines are now dishwasher safe. It is important to know what parts you can put in your dishwasher and what parts you must wash by hand. When it doubt don't do it, because in case you have forgotten, water and electricity do not mix. This means you never put an entire machine including the cord in the dishwasher. If you attempt to do so, you find that the device will no longer work, or will catch fire when confronted with electricity.
All of these things are pretty self explanatory, but you would be surprised how many people need to be reminded from time to time. Always be responsible with the use of major appliances such as dishwashers. You need to consider the health and safety of yourself and that that of your family and your pets. If you question whether or not to put something in the dishwasher, you are better off safe than sorry, so break out a sponge and get to work.
