So you got your hands on some new utensils. Straying away from metal or wood, you’ve opted for silicone.
For some people who have been using silicone for years, they’ve got care down pat. But do you find yourself wondering if you can put those new utensils in the dishwasher?
The short answer is yes, and let me tell you why.
What is Silicone?
First of all, let’s talk about what silicone actually is. Silicone is a synthetic polymer that is usually liquid or a flexible rubber. It consists of oxygen, silicon, and, usually, carbon and hydrogen.
This compound has many different uses. It can be used with kitchen utensils, as you already know, as well as oil, rubber, resin, caulk, and grease.
It also is used in many different applications in the medical field, from catheters and implants to contacts lenses and bandages. It’s also in personal care products, such as shampoo and shaving cream.
What Makes Silicone so Great?
Silicone is such a versatile and useful substance. It’s properties lend it well to so many applications, especially in the kitchen.
Due to its high heat tolerance, it’s used as a covering for the handles of cookware, as oven mitts, as utensils, and even as bakeware! The slippery nature of silicone makes it a great nonstick option for kitchen needs.
What Makes Silicone Not so Great?
One big con of having silicone utensils, or silicone baking/cooking items of any kind, is the flexibility of the item. Silicone is very rubber-like, and it may have a hard time holding up to what is in or on it.
A way to get around that with utensils is to look for utensils that have metal inside them. They are basically your average metal utensil, but with the silicone coating, they are now nonstick and are less likely to scratch up your nice pans and plates. Aim for the thicker utensils, so they are less bendable when you use them.
You will also want to make sure that the utensils are made with food-grade silicone. They should have the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as you wouldn’t want to be using silicone that you couldn’t eat off of!
Can I Put Silicone in the Dishwasher?
Like most other items you use in the kitchen, you have the option of either hand washing or putting it in the dishwasher. What is best for silicone?
For silicone utensils, putting it in the dishwasher is always an option. It will not struggle with the temperatures, and it will clean easily in the dishwasher.
Just make sure you take the time to get anything that’s stuck on the utensil off, as the dishwasher may not be able to pick up the slack in that department.
That being said, it may be just as easy for you to throw the utensil in a soap-filled sink. Most of the time, it would take a simple wipe down to get it all clean.
It all comes down to personal preference on that one. If you are already filling up a load for the dishwasher, toss that spatula right in.
I have two Associate’s degrees, one in Medical Assisting and the other in Computer Technician, and I am roughly five classes from a bachelor’s degree. Though I never ended up working in the medical field, I have five and a half years of experience in IT. I recently became a stay-at-home mom to my two young boys, and I’m so excited to start this adventure with them! In my spare time, I love to bake and read pretty much anything I can get my hands on.