With so many items made from this material, you are probably wondering, can you put silicone in the dishwasher?
Items made from silicone have made cooking and baking so much easier because foods don’t stick.
The products are reasonably priced, lightweight to use, and can help your kitchen skills improve dramatically.
Silicone items are easy to care for and can be cleaned easily by hand or by the dishwasher.
If you do use the dishwasher, there are some things you should do to make sure they are completely cleaned and are safe to use again.
What Exactly is Silicone?
First of all, it will help to know exactly what silicone is.
While this material looks a lot like plastic, in simple terms, it is actually a combination of rubber and plastic.
It has all the benefits of both making it flexible to work with, easy to clean, and products made from it enjoy a long life.
While silicone does consist of both rubber and plastic, it does have more of the good parts of each.
You cannot break silicone, and it can take extreme heat and cold. It can be used in products that can be safe in the freezer just as well as in the oven.
Because it can take high temperatures, the extremely hot water levels do not affect the ability of silicone to be cleaned in a dishwasher.
Note: Make sure you find out if the silicone product you are placing in the dishwasher should be placed on the top shelf, bottom shelf, or either place.
What Products are Made of Silicone and Can They All Go in the Dishwasher?
You may not be aware of all the products that are made up of silicone. Besides kitchen and cooking items, silicone is used in everything from baby bottles to technical items.
Kids’ toys and computer keyboards all have elements of silicone in them to keep them moving smoothly and safely.
Not everything made of silicone needs to be cleaned on a regular basis.
All of the silicone products used in your kitchen need to be able to be cleaned and hygienically treated every time you use them.
Kitchen equipment, kids’ toys, and baby products made of silicone can all go into the dishwasher as well.
It is a good way to get them not only thoroughly cleaned but it will help kill harmful germs.
Note: With the way kids get and spread germs it seems as though putting their silicone toys into the dishwasher is an easy and quick way to keep them germ-free.
Can You Put Silicone in the Dishwasher?
The introduction of silicone products for use in the kitchen has made the field of cooking personally and professionally much easier.
The baking products don’t require you to grease them before making cupcakes and casseroles so they won’t stick.
And cleanup is a breeze. You can wash silicone by hand but it is much easier to place it in the dishwasher so it can reach heat levels that will kill any potential bacteria.
You don’t need any special setting when washing silicone in the dishwasher.
No matter how hot the temperature of the water gets or how long the washing cycle is, your silicone items will come out perfectly clean.
They will not shrink and their colors will not fade.
Tip – After baking your cakes or casseroles in the oven, you can not only put the moulds in the dishwasher, you can throw your silicone oven mitts in to get them clean too.
Can Silicone Baking Mats Go in the Dishwasher?
Silicone baking mats are great for making cookies. Just roll out your dough, shape, and bake. And, yes, silicone baking mats can go in the dishwasher.
All you have to do is roll them up and put them in the top rack of your dishwasher.
You can put other dishes in to wash at the same time but let the baking mat rest rolled up in the top rack without being crowded.
The baking mats can go into the dishwasher after every use but because they deal with oils and baked products you might want to try one of the following extras to make sure they don’t get an oil build-up.
Soaking Silicone Mats
Soak the mats in a sink filled with very hot water with about a tablespoon or two of lemon juice added in for about 10 minutes.
They will then be ready to be rinsed off and placed in the dishwasher.
Use a Degreaser
You should also use hot water with a Microsoft cloth and a degreaser to get off any oil buildup.
You can run them under warm water and put them in the dishwasher to get the degreaser off completely.
Make a Paste with Baking Soda
If you don’t have a degreaser you can mix a small amount of baking soda with hot water and spread the paste on your wet baking mats.
Let them sit for a few minutes then scrub, rinse, and put them in the top rack of the dishwasher.
Tip: Next time your silicone sponge looks grungy, stick it in the top rack of the dishwasher and it will come out looking brand new.
Can You Put Silicone Moulds in the Dishwasher?
Silicone Molds hit the cooking and baking industry in a big way. They can make a home cook look like a professional so taking good care of them is very important.
Silicone molds can be put right into the dishwasher with no problem.
Here is the best way to keep your silicone molds in top condition all the time:
1. You can place your silicone molds on the top rack or on the bottom of your dishwasher.
2. Wherever you put your molds make sure that they are not near anything that is sharp like forks and knives. They will not break but they can become pierced or sliced.
3. If you have smaller molds that are individual pieces you may want to get a net bag to put them in and set them on the top shelf.
4. If you put them in by themselves they may move around.
FAQ
What do you do if your mold has water in it when it comes out of the dishwasher?
Sometimes when you take your cups out of the dishwasher they may have flipped over and you will find that they are filled with water.
Make sure all of your molds do not have any sitting water in them. Get the water out and dry the mold with a clean kitchen towel.
Can I Put my Silicone Spatulas, Whisks, or Spoons in the Dishwasher?
Yes, you can put them into the dishwasher but make sure you put them on the top rack.
Try to keep them away from the high heat of the element in case the handle is glued on.
If it gets too hot it may start to melt and it could be hard to use the utensil, it can also make a burnt plastic smell.
Can I put my silicone ice cube trays in the dishwasher?
Absolutely! Put them in the top rack facing down so they don’t fill up with water.
Once they get cleaned in the dishwasher not only will they be sparkling clean, they will have gotten rid of any odors they may have picked up in the freezer.
Conclusion
Now that you know the answer to the question, “can you put silicone in the dishwasher”.
It is easy to clean and sanitize your silicone items, you will be able to keep them looking brand new for a very long time.
You won’t have to worry about items melting, losing their shape or color, or breaking into pieces.
Simply set them in the correct position in the dishwasher, dry them off if needed, and you will be able to enjoy them for years to come.