Can ceramics be washed in a dishwasher?

In most cases, ceramics can be washed in a dishwasher without fear for either the dishes or the machine for washing it. But there are some exceptions. To prevent the cleaning process from damaging the dishes, use the tips below on how to properly clean ceramics.

What ceramics are not suitable for a dishwasher?

The dishwasher seriously tests the dishes for durability. Products must withstand the high temperature of water during washing and exposure to hot air during drying. Strong chemicals also affect cutlery in a bad way. The duration of being in the water also affects: this process can last up to 4 hours.

Among ceramics there are objects that automatic washing is contraindicated:

• Dishes on the surface of which there are patterns, but there is no coating of glaze. Over time, the picture will certainly begin to collapse. It is possible that not only the dishes themselves, but also the machine will deteriorate from improper washing: breakaway fragments damage the technique.
• Terracotta dishes and fireclay products.
• Products with gilded or silver inserts (after some time, the coating will lose its former appearance, and then completely wash off).
• Fine antique porcelain. Even at one time, an expensive thing can be ruined.
• Majolica - ceramics made of decorative clay painted with decorative glaze. Due to washing in the car, it very quickly loses its original appearance. After just a few sinks of a luxurious appearance, the plate or cup will become cracked and clog the filter of the machine.

Violating these prohibitions, you can damage not only ceramics, but also the dishwasher itself. It is one thing to buy a new plate, quite another to repair a dishwasher or spend money on a new one.

Which ceramics best tolerate automatic washing?

The manufacturer must put on the packaging an icon that explains whether the product can be washed in a dishwasher or not. If there is no such image, then it is better not to give preference to such sets of dishes.

It is best to choose ceramics on which a layer of glaze is applied. This kind of coating is a good protection against chemicals, water and heat. Thanks to him, pots and plates are more likely to last longer and will not spoil the equipment. In addition, the protective layer does not allow the porous clay to absorb chemicals, so it is much safer to eat from such dishes, and besides, it will not start to smell unpleasant.

It is better to choose such ceramic products, which were made no more than 15–20 years ago. Old dishes, as a rule, are not so durable.

Dishes of individual brands better tolerate washing in the car:

• Nikko - Japanese porcelain ceramics, well protected by a persistent layer of glaze.
• Narumi - Hand-made ceramics resistant to high temperatures.
• Royal Bone and Fine China - strong ceramic dishes, in which aluminum is present.

Properly selected dishes are unlikely to crack during automatic cleaning.

How to wash ceramics?

The dishwasher has various washing modes. Among them, in most cases, there is a delicate one, characterized by not very high temperatures. It is well suited for ceramics. This is especially true for Japanese and Czech porcelain, for which it is necessary to set no more than 50–65 ° C, otherwise cracks will appear.

It is better to use the delicate mode even if you need to wash fine, fragile ceramics.

When washing thin china, you need to position it so that objects do not touch each other.A poorly fixed plate can not only cause the contents of the machine to break, but also to cause fragments to damage the equipment itself.

Spoons, forks and knives are best washed separately from ceramics and in general any dishes, especially fragile ones. Care must be taken in how the machine handles sturdy utensils before placing fragile cutlery in it.

In order not to spoil the ceramics, it is best to first check how it can withstand small cycles before leaving it in the dishwasher for 4 hours. Each time after the process is over, all plates, pots and cups must be allowed to cool. Especially in the case of washing bone china. So the likelihood that they will be damaged will greatly decrease.