Can I wash tupperware and other plastics in a dishwasher?

Love it or hate it, we just cannot escape plastics in our house. From food packaging to storage containers - it is everywhere. All of my storage boxes are Tupperware gifted to me by my mom many many years ago - and I still use them to store my groceries. I’m slowly replacing these with stainless steel or glass where possible.

That said - most Indian households have plastic storage containers. Is it safe to wash these in the Dishwasher? What are the best practices? Let’s take a look.

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NOT ALL PLASTICS ARE DISHWASHER SAFE

Firstly - Not all plastics are dishwasher safe. Make sure that you validate the dishwasher safe symbol in your plastics before you put it in the dishwasher. Since Tupperware came to India fairly late - in the mid 90s, most tupperware in India is dishwasher safe. But be sure to validate that it is dishwasher safe before including it in the dishwasher. To be on a safer side - if you don’t see a label - assume it is NOT dishwasher safe and hand wash it

WHERE TO PLACE PLASTICS IN DISHWASHER?

Second - Make sure you put all dishwasher safe items in the top rack. The heat in the top rack is much lower than the heat in the bottom rack. Too much heat can change shape of the plastic or discolor the plastic. Even labeled as dishwasher safe, some plastic food containers can suffer damage overtime - as Polycarbonate used in plastics can be weakened when repeatedly put through the harsh water pressure and high temperatures of a dishwasher's interior. Too much heat can cause harmful chemicals such as phthalates and BPA to leach from plastics that contain them - prolonged use of which is known to cause many health disorders including asthma, diabetes, cancer, fertility issues and so on.

DOES PLASTIC DRY COMPLETELY IN DISHWASHER?

Thirdly - If plastics are not drying in your dishwasher - you are not alone. Plastics don’t dry well in the dishwasher. This is because most dishwashers in the market use air drying - which depends on the vessel to get heated up and dry through evaporation. However, since plastics don’t get heated up too much - water droplets don’t evaporate from them. If you have a dishwasher with steam drying - this problem may not occur. You can also try the extra drying facility in your dishwasher to ensure your plastics have extra scope for drying.

Left to me - I would go back to our ancestors' ways of using glass, ceramic and stainless steel as that is so much better from a health perspective. But it’s difficult to replace everything. I will get to it slowly but surely. What about you? Do you use plastics in your house and wash it in the dishwasher? Tell me your experiences!