Well, this topic should seem obvious, but unfortunately people forget and accidents happen. Part of being a responsible person and making sure your house doesn’t burn down and you don’t get arrested. Being smart in the way you use your appliances, like your dishwasher, is part of being an adult.

There are times when everyone wishes they could throw something in there and clean it instead of taking the time to hand wash it. For example, no matter how much your cat scratches you when you’re giving him his flea bath, putting him in the dishwasher with the soap is not a good idea. You should also keep firearms and flammable items out of there. These things are obvious, but there are some things that may be less obvious that you should be aware of.

Always be careful with plastic. Your plastic plates and cups may be labeled dishwasher-safe, but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll come out of your dishwasher unscathed. When plastic is heated to a certain level, it will melt. If you’ve ever tried to remove melted plastic from the inside of your dishwasher, you know how tedious and annoying it is. The best thing to do with your plastic utensils is to keep them as far away from the heat source of your dishwasher as possible and remove plastic items during the dish drying or warming cycle.

Although washing underwear in the dishwasher is probably easier than washing them by hand, think about this for a second. There’s a reason you’re supposed to hand wash these items. They should hold their shape and don’t need to be exposed to the heat your dishwasher produces. A shrinking bra is a stinking bra! If you insist on washing your underwear this way, don’t wash them at the same time you do the dishes. Oh really! Do you think that washing your underwear with your cup of coffee is hygienic?

There are many great and exciting innovations that have occurred in recent years with small appliances. Many parts of these machines are now dishwasher safe. It is important to know which parts you can put in your dishwasher and which parts you should wash by hand. When in doubt, don’t do it, because in case you’ve forgotten, water and light don’t mix. This means that you never put an entire machine, including the cord, in the dishwasher. If you try to do it, you will find that the device will no longer work or catch fire when faced with electricity.

All of these things are self-explanatory, but you’d be surprised how many people need to be reminded from time to time. Always be responsible when using large appliances like dishwashers. You must consider your health and safety, that of your family and that of your pets. If you’re wondering whether or not to put something in the dishwasher, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so whip out a sponge and get to work.