How to Wash Knives Safely

How you wash your knives matters. Hand-washing is the best way to preserve their sharp edge and to assure longevity. So, here is our advice on how to wash kitchen knives safely.

How to Wash Kitchen Knives

First and foremost, wash knives immediately after using them. Leaving them sit to have food particles dried on to them will make them more difficult to clean. Also, leaving highly acidic foods like mayonnaise, tomatoes or citrus to sit on a steel blade can lead to corrosion.

When hand washing, always use great care and follow these easy tips:

• Save your sharp knives for washing last and wash one by one.
• Carefully wash each knife with the sharp edge pointing away from you.

• Never leave a sharp knife sitting in soapy water where you or someone else may unknowingly reach in toward the sharp edge.

If for some reason you experience some surface staining on the knife, a mild cleanser like Flitz® Polish or Barkeepers Friend® can be used to clean the blade.

Washing Knives in a Dishwasher

With all that being said, Cutco knives are dishwasher safe, but we recommend hand washing for these reasons.

• Dishwashers can be hard on knives, as the agitation can cause blades to bump up against other items, possibly damaging the sharp edge.

• Sharp knife edges could also damage the protective plastic coating found in dishwashers.
• Cutlery can also fall through the rack and end up resting on the heating element or getting caught in the washing mechanism, potentially damaging the knife and/or the dishwasher.

If you must put your knives in the dishwasher, here is what we recommend:

• Lay your knives flat in the dishwasher rack.

• If you must put them in the flatware basket, place them point side down so there’s less chance of grabbing the blades when unloading.

It’s also important to know that different dishwasher detergents and the mineral content of water can affect results. You may have to experiment with detergent brands, styles, rinse agents and softening additives to find the best combination for the best results.