Can Chef Knives Go In Dishwasher: Here’s the Answer

Chef knives are the most valuable possession for a cook who has a knife collection. Chef knives are very versatile and can be used for cutting, dicing, mincing, chopping, and slicing a variety of food. Therefore, you should take care of them properly to maintain their quality for a more extended period.

Can chef knives go in dishwasher?

You should not put your chef knives in a dishwasher because it may damage your knives. The moist environment of the dishwasher can result in dullness, rusting, blunting, discoloring, and even breakage of blades. Further, the water jets shooting from every direction can displace your knives and cause a collision, and repetitive collisions can dull the blades.

Continue reading to learn how you can clean them properly. Further, you will find out whether they can go in the dishwasher or not, and if they are dishwasher safe, how can you put them in the dishwasher.  

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Are Chef Knives Dishwashers Safe?

The chef knives claim to be dishwasher safe, but you should never put them in the dishwasher. It is because they can get damaged or cause damage to the other items in the dishwasher if they get misplaced.

Further, the chef knives are high quality and expensive as they have sharp edges, steel blades, and wooden handles. And the dishwasher can be bad news for them if you want to maintain their quality. Another reason for this is that the chemicals in the dishwasher detergents can cause corrosion that can dull the blades over time. 

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Additionally, you may cut your fingers while unloading them from the dishwasher or your utensils may get scratched by them. Therefore, either way, it is not safe, even if you put them facing down (risk of damaging your dishes) or facing up (risk of injury). 

Moreover, you should take extra care of your chef knives to extend their lifespan, and the dishwasher may do the opposite and ruin your knives. Therefore, just because you can put your chef knives in the dishwasher does not mean you should be doing it. 

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How Do You Load Chef Knives In The Dishwasher? (6 Tips) 

After all the warnings about not washing your chef knives in the dishwasher, if you still want a quick solution to clean your chef knives and put them in the dishwasher, then do it the right way. Follow the following tips to load them properly into the machine to minimize damage. 

1. Make sure to place your knives with blades facing the same direction.
2. Always keep your knives away from each other and maintain a safe distance between them to prevent chipping and denting. Consequently, avoid overcrowding because you should not glue the utensils and tools together. 
3. Always put your knives with their blades facing down to avoid cutting your hands. 
4. Place your chef knives in a safe place where you can see them and remove them first for your safety and to prevent chipping other utensils. 
5. Put your knives and sharp tools on the lower rack in the dishwasher. So that if they get misplaced, there is a lesser risk of damage to other utensils.   
6. Make sure your cutlery basket is not touching any other item in the dishwasher. 

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Why Do Chef Knives Lose Sharpness In The Dishwasher?

The chef knives lose sharpness in the dishwasher because it has a moist, hot, and humid environment that is not suitable for your chef knives. Additionally, you will wash your knives in a lot of water. However, they will be sitting in that moist environment for a long time, which could potentially ruin your knives.  

As a result, your knives can rust or dent and damage their handles or blades, making them blunt and unable to cut anything properly. Further, your knives may get displaced during a cycle, resulting in a collision, which can dull the blade.

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Do Modern Dishwashers Dull The Blade Of Chef Knives?

The modern dishwashers can dull chef knives because blades can rust due to humid conditions. Furthermore, abrasive detergent in dishwashers can dull and discolor the blades of the knives, causing them to become less sharp.   

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How Can You Clean Your Chef Knives?

According to Viola Wüsthof, the proper way to clean your chef knives is with your hand. Follow the following steps to clean them properly. 

1. Clean your chef knives individually with warm soapy water.
2. Use a soft sponge to remove food residue.
3. Rinse with clean water and dry your knives thoroughly using a soft towel. Store them afterward.  

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Do’s And Don’ts For Cleaning Chef Knives 

Here we have compiled some do’s and don’ts for using chef knives to maintain their sharpness. 

Do’s 

1. Dry your knives thoroughly immediately after washing them. 
2. Try to clean your chef knives immediately after use, or put them aside to clean later.
3. Always wash and store your knives separately to avoid scratches or cutting yourself. 
4. Hold your knives from the handle when washing and, when wiping the handle, hold the side of the blade with the least sharp edge. 

Don’ts

1. Never let your knives soak in the water.
2. Do not use boiling water to wash your knives to avoid warping due to the expansion and shrinking of metal.
3. You should not put your chef knives with other utensils as it can dull their blades, and they can also damage and scratch those utensils. 
4. Do not use steel sponges to clean the blades. 
5. Do not air-dry your knives as it can lead to rusting.

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Final Thoughts 

To wrap it up, one can say that washing your chef’s knives in the dishwasher may seem easy and convenient, but it may be killing your knives. Instead, clean them by hand with warm water and gentle detergent and dry them thoroughly. It will keep them sharp so that you do not have to spend extra time and effort sharpening them every other day.

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