9 Other Things to Put in Your Dishwasher - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

  Spring cleaning is underway in a lot of households right about now, and lots of us are looking for ways to make the chore go a little faster.  So why not ask your kitchen workhorse to step it up a bit-- we found new ways to use your dishwasher.

  Use it to clean glass globes from light fixtures.  Run them through on the top shelf on the delicate cycle and skip the heated dry option. Do not do this with antique or hand-painted globes or those with gold-leaf trim.

  You can also wash showerheads and faucet handles in your dishwasher -- again on the top rack, and you can stick them in with the pots and pans and use that cycle.

  Your dishwasher can also take care of cleaning your plastic brushes, combs and other plastic hair accessories, but these need to be either in your top silverware rack or in a zipped mesh bag. You should also clean all of the hair out the items first.

  Linda Cobb -- the so-called queen of clean -- says your dishwasher is also the perfect place to clean and keep your caps in shape. Top rack... head opening down ... and use a separate wash cycle from dishes because you can't use dishwasher detergent. Instead, fill the detergent cup with borax, then run a regular cycle without the heated dry option. Place hat over a glass or jar to dry and reshape the brim while it's damp.

  You can also use your dishwasher to clean plastic toys -- such as baby toys, teethers and action figures.  They get dirty pretty fast... so toss them in a mesh bag or dishwasher basket and place on the top rack.  Wash them on a normal cycle along with your other dishes.

  Pet bowls and toys can also load up with other dishes -- the American Veterinary Association says to wash them regularly to prevent the growth of bacteria that can make both you and your pet sick.  It's best to run a separate load or use the sanitize cycle if you have a baby or a family member with a suppressed immune system. Most dishwasher-safe toys are labeled on the package.

  Other items you can clean in your dishwasher are kitchen dish sponges and brushes -- put these up at the same time you do the regular dishes on the top rack through on a normal cycle.

  Also, kitchen appliance parts like drip pans, burner caps, fridge water dispenser grate, sink plugs, microwave tray and range hood grease filters -- once a week with will make the whole kitchen seem shinier.

  Butter dishes, sugar bowls, spoon rests, and salt and pepper shakers can go into your dishwasher -- we handle these things every day, so they collect lots of grease and grime.

  And our last idea for what else to wash in the dishwasher .. Are personal care items: things like toothbrushes, toothbrush holders, nail brushes, plastic makeup brushes and bathtub drain plugs all benefit from an occasional run through the dishwasher. Place things like scummy soap dishes on the top rack with smaller items tucked in a dishwasher basket, and wash on a normal cycle with your other dishes.