How do you keep plastic tubs from flipping over in the dishwasher?

April 25, 2024 9:42 AM

When I put plastic containers in the dishwasher, half the time they flip over and don't get fully washed or rinsed. What works well for you to keep that from happening?

This happens most often with the 8 ounce and 16 ounce plastic tubs (like these 16 ounce containers).

I typically have just one, or sometimes two, in a load.

Suggestions I've seen that seem to have drawbacks:

* plastic prongs or spikes (seem fiddly, and like they'd be likely to break quickly)
* clips (which seem like they would interfere with the container getting fully washed)
* a silicone net (which also seems fiddly and also seems like it wouldn't work well for just one item)
* a drying rack, flipped over and laid on top (wouldn't fit with a bunch of mugs and bowls filling the rest of the top rack, also might keep outsides from getting cleaned if it's sitting right on top of things)

What works well for you?

Thanks!

posted by kristi to Home & Garden (14 answers total)

I wedge other stuff around it. Like put it between two cups that each catch a bit of the rim. Or trap it between some larger utensils that don't fit in the basket. I'd say this prevents >90% of flipovers, and that's enough for me.
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:47 AM on April 25 [3 favorites]

Some newer dishwashers have a flat basket kind of thingy with a lid that holds all your plastic junk in position. I don't know if anyone sells them separately but I would buy one if they did! Instead I use the wedge method.
posted by mskyle at 9:55 AM on April 25

The answer is better quality containers. The ones you linked are quite light so of course water is going to move them around substantially. Containers like this are much better.
posted by dobbs at 10:05 AM on April 25 [1 favorite]

I put our plastic containers on the top rack, on top of the loosely packed tea mugs. There's not enough room between them and the top of the DW to flip over, and there are plenty of gaps for the spray to reach them. Still, about one in ten containers isn't properly cleaned and get re-loaded into the dw for the next go around. The top rack is the coolest part of the DW -- farthest from the heating element -- and I have never had anything melt or get out of shape. We also don't use heated dry. Plastics come out wet (because they don't retain enough heat from the hot water to drive off the last droplets from the rinse) and sit in the countertop dish drainer for a while then are put away. It isn't perfect, but it is less annoying than hand washing lots of plastic tubs.
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:16 AM on April 25 [2 favorites]

If they don't get clean because of their movement and you have to rinse and wash them afterwards, why not just wash them by hand initially?

I gave up on putting my reusable plastics in the dishwasher because of just the problem you describe and the heat tends to warp them, and some vague notion I have of plastics leaching into other things in the washer. I am also able to run the washer less frequently because of it.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:24 AM on April 25 [2 favorites]

I lean a ceramic side plate on each one. Sometimes this requires that I wash ceramic plates that weren't dirty in the first place.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:26 AM on April 25

Do you have any wire cooling racks that are dishwasher-safe? Since those are just a rigid wire grid there's not much keeping the outside of anything getting clean if you put them on top of your containers.
posted by Aleyn at 11:19 AM on April 25 [1 favorite]

I prioritize putting the smallest plastic containers at the corners of the top rack, where I think there will be less pressure from the spray arm. My dishwasher also has a flip-down cup shelves that I lower on top of the plastic containers, which gives less room to flip over.
posted by grouse at 11:24 AM on April 25

I also kind of wedge them into the area that fits them best, but maybe consider resting a big utensil on top. Like a big serving spoon. Even if it doesn't need to be cleaned.
posted by vunder at 11:56 AM on April 25

My mother has a long "paddle" style cutting board that is not really good for cutting so it lives in the dishwasher for this purpose.
posted by Lyn Never at 12:15 PM on April 25

Silicone net, 100%. You can rearrange it for howevermany items you happen to have (it's not like it'll hurt anything if your heaviest bowl is also underneath it because you just had one tupperware). It's a lifesaver.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 12:22 PM on April 25

Top-rack tine row (check for compatibility with your dishwasher).
posted by Iris Gambol at 12:37 PM on April 25

I agree with grouse, find a spot where the spray is less forceful, and use any flip-up shelves. I also gently squeeze to get them to fit between the tines, which helps because the container is a section of a cone and therefore will get slightly pinned by the slant.
posted by wnissen at 12:37 PM on April 25 [2 favorites]

We usually have a double layer of things in the top rack, where the second layer might include sieves, silicone baking mats, (heavier) lids, spatulas and anything else that fits. It mostly gets clean, and otherwise it gets a second trip.
posted by demi-octopus at 1:58 PM on April 25