10 Things You Didn't Know You Could Put in Your Dishwasher

It may surprise you, but your dishwasher may be the most multifunctional appliance in your home. In one of the latest viral trends sweeping TikTok, users are sharing their most unconventional uses for the piece of equipment that most of us simply use to wash dishes. In fact, lots of people even use their dishwashers for cooking food, with the hashtag #dishwashercooking amassing over 4.8 million views on TikTok. Here 10 things you didn't know you could put – or even cook – in your dishwasher. 

Who needs an oven? Apparently cooking lasagne in the dishwasher is the preferred method of cooking the Italian dish for lots of people. Use either fresh or precooked lasagne sheets (not dried noodles) and build the casserole per usual. Wrap a heatproof dish with a double later of foil, completely sealing it off and place on the top shelf. Cook on a two-hour intensive cycle. 

Can you imagine cooking a steak in the dishwasher? Millions of people watch videos of how to "sous vide" steak. The French method involves vacuum-packing steak and simmering in a dishwasher by running it through a 50C cycle for 90 minutes. Then, sear in a hot pan.

Making soft-boiled eggs is easy in the dishwasher. Stick the eggs in a jar of water and cook for an hour on an intensive cycle. 

Eat your veggies and cook them in the dishwasher. Simply fill a jar with your favorite veggies, including green beans or carrots. You can even spice them up with seasonings of your choice. Then add water, seal the jar, and cook on a standard cycle. 

You can also poach fruit, including peaches, apricots, and plum, in the dishwasher. Fill a jar with your favorite fruit, add some honey or maple syrup and a plash of water, and seal and cook on a standard cycle. 

Need to clean beauty and hair care items? Toss them in the dishwasher. Make-up sponges, blenders, and brushes are all fair game, as are combs, hair claws, tweezers, nail clippers, nail brush, and shower poofs.

Get the stench out of sporting equipment. Dirty golf balls, shuttlecocks, football shin guards, gloves, and even mouth guards can all be cleaned in the dishwasher. 

You can also clean head and footwear it the dishwasher. Throw baseball caps, flip flops, and rubber ankle wellie boots – just scrub any mud off first.

You can also clean garden tools. Rinse off terracotta plant pots, hose sprayer heads, and other gardening tools by placing them in the dishwasher. 

Save yourself some time and throw vacuum and steam cleaner attachments as well as scrubbing brushes inside of the washer.