Can You Put The Ceramic Part Of A Slow Cooker In The Dishwasher?

I’m sure most of us have slow cookers in our kitchens. They are great for making soups, stews and other meals when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

However, many people wonder if they can put their ceramic parts into the dishwasher?

Can I put my ceramic slow cooker in the dishwasher?

You should never put your ceramic part of a slow cooker in the dishwasher because it will affect its performance over time.

Especially regarding caramelization (the process that makes food brown).

If you keep running it through the dishwasher, water and heat damage will take its toll on your pot, which could lead to chipping or cracking!! Please only put the lid of your slow cooker in the dishwasher.

How to clean your crockpot if it’s not dishwasher safe? Step by step guide

1. Fill half of the crockpot with hot soapy water and let it soak for 30 minutes.

2. Use a sponge, nylon scrubbing pad or brush to remove any loose food particles from the inner wall of the slow cooker. While taking care that no scratch marks are made on the surface of the inner pot.

3. Keep rotating the sponge/scrubber to different areas of the inner pot to clean it properly.

4. You can also use a non-abrasive cleaning powder or paste if required. But make sure to avoid any harsh scrubbing action on the surface of your crockpot.

5. After removing all residues, give it a final rinse with clean water and wipe out everything with a dry cloth or paper towels before using it again.

Don’t remove slow-cooker liner before dishwashing.

If you are considering removing the food residue from the inner pot after cooking in your crockpot then you should never do that by slipping down. The slow cooker liner will scratch off the ceramic coating on the wall of your pot.

This is a very common mistake that people do while cleaning up their crockpots and damages the ceramic coating on the inner part of the slow cooker.

This damage eventually results in bad odor and stickiness which will ruin your food quality.

Why you shouldn’t put the ceramic part of a slow cooker in the dishwasher?

Here are 8 reasons why we generally don’t recommend putting the ceramic part of your slow cooker in the dishwasher.

1. Ceramic is a very porous material,
2. Can damage or scratch the surface,
3. Stain or odor won’t come out,
4. Can lead to cracking and breaking,
5. Ceramic is not dishwasher safe,
6. Destroy the slow cooker’s original performance,
7. Affects food safety,
8. Slow cooker or dishwasher can break.

1. Ceramic is a very porous material

This means it has lots of microscopic holes. If you put your slow cooker’s ceramic pot in the dishwasher, all those little micro-holes will fill up with soap and water.

Then that nasty soap residue will be trapped inside. When you go to use your slow cooker again, that stuck-on soap is released back into the food.

Not only does this create a weird taste (and smell), but it can also cause stomach problems like nausea or vomiting.

2. Can damage or scratch the surface

Most of us don’t have fancy soft-bristle brushes for washing dishes because they are kind of expensive and take up so much space!

So what do we usually reach for? A regular old sponge! Unfortunately, most sponges have very sharp, jagged edges that can damage the surface of your slow cooker.

This will cause scratching and staining, which leads to discoloration on your pot. You don’t want that – especially if you’re trying to cook up some tasty caramel!

3. Stain or odor won’t come out

Soap residue sticks on porous surfaces like ceramic pots. If you wash it with soap, then dry it with a paper towel (because all dish towels are full of germs).

Then the smell of soap is going to remain stuck inside those micro-holes forever! Yuck!!

4. Can lead to cracking and breaking

If you put your ceramic part in the dishwasher too many times without removing the sticky residue left behind by the soap. The slow cooker’s surface will begin to break down.

This can cause splitting and cracking of your pot, which could lead to some pretty dangerous chipping or even breakage!

5. Ceramic is not dishwasher safe

I know – this seems blatantly obvious. But we just got to make sure we’re all on the same page here!

The biggest problem with putting a ceramic part in the dishwasher is that it simply wasn’t made for that kind of exposure and wear and tear over time.

If you keep running it through the dishwasher, eventually water and heat damage will take its toll. So be careful!

6. Destroy the slow cooker’s original performance

When your ceramic pot gets damaged from being run through the dishwasher, you’re going to start having some pretty big performance problems.

Especially in terms of caramel! If your pot is all scratched up and cracking, it’s not going to distribute the heat properly. This means your food will cook unevenly. Yuck!

7. Affects Food Safety

Another reason we generally don’t suggest putting a slow cooker in the dishwasher is because it can affect food safety. When you put your ceramic pot in the dishwasher, for instance, water gets trapped inside those little holes.

And crevices that are impossible to get out once it dries. The moist conditions can breed mold or bacteria over time.

If you don’t wash the pot thoroughly with soap and water before continuing on with future uses.

8. Slow cooker or dishwasher can break

And last but not least, let’s just say it – using a slow cooker in the dishwasher risks breaking your machine!

If you’re putting a ceramic part in a high-temperature machine, you risk cracking or even shattering your appliance.

So please only put the lid of your slow cooker in the dishwasher.

The handle on top can be scrubbed with a sponge and a little soap! And as always, please consult your user manual for specific instructions on how to care for your slow cooker.

We would hate for anything bad to happen during any of those holiday cooking days spent with friends and family.

FAQs

In Summary

Ceramic is not dishwasher safe. If you put your ceramic part in the dishwasher too many times without removing the sticky residue left behind by the soap, your surface will begin to break down.

This could lead to cracking or even chipping of your pot, which can be pretty dangerous!