Why do my glasses keep breaking in the dishwasher? Water in a dishwasher is very high temperature ranging from 70°C to 75°C. When this high temperature hits a thick bottom glass, the glass expands disproportionately, resulting in breaking or cracking.
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People conveniently use a dishwasher to do their dishes. They throw all the dishes and glasses into the dishwasher to clean. But sometimes we find our glasses broken into it. There are several reasons behind this.
The high temperature of the water is one of them. When we do our dishes by hand, the water temperature is between 40°C and 45°C. But in a dishwasher, the water temperature is 70°C to 75°C. So, if your glass is cold or thick-bottom, it will break.
Water pressure in the dishwasher might be another reason for breaking glasses if you do not place them correctly.
Can Dishwashers Break Glasses?
A dishwasher is a fast and easy way to clean all your dishes. You have to throw all your dishes into the machine, and it will clean them automatically. But the problem here is that they can break your glasses.
Breaking glasses in a dishwasher is a common problem in every household. I’m sure you have faced it several times. There are multiple reasons why your dishwasher breaks your glasses.
You can take all the precautions, but the glasses might still break. Despite placing them appropriately, giving enough space between glasses, and careful loading, the chances of breaking glass are still on the table.
Eventually, glasses become weak and thin after going through repeated thermal shock. Rapid changes happen in a dishwasher, and it can put enough stress on the glass and break it. So, yes, a dishwasher can break glasses, especially the used ones.
Why Do My Glasses Keep Breaking in the Dishwasher?
Rinsing a cold glass with hot water and vice versa can break it. The reason is that glasses have very poor flexibility, and different amounts of stress on different thicknesses will cause them to break.
Generally, used glasses with various thickness levels are prone to breaking. After contact with thermal shock, the thin part of glass becomes cool or hot quicker than its thicker part, resulting in expansion or contraction faster. As a result, your glass will break.
A dishwasher uses water at a much higher temperature than you would do dishes by your hand. The water temperature in a dishwasher is 70°C to 75°C, whereas you would use water between 40 and 45 °C. Your glasses might not be able to bear the stress caused by this high temperature and break eventually.
Not loading glasses correctly and not keeping enough space between them might be another reason your glasses break.
Why Do Wine Glasses Break in the Dishwasher?
Wine glasses are not as strong and durable as plates and other dishes. So, you cannot wash them at a maximum temperature in a dishwasher. You will have to reduce the temperature of the washing cycle of the dishwasher while cleaning wine glasses.
As we know, the water temperature in a dishwasher is very high, ranging between 70°C and 75°C. Wine glasses are not designed to withstand this high temperature. So, if you do not reduce the water temperatures, your wine glasses will break for sure.
Another reason wine glasses break in a dishwasher is not loading them properly like any other glass. You will have to load your wine glasses on the top shelf in your dishwasher and keep enough distance between two glasses.
If you have expensive or antique wine glasses, it will be wiser to clean them by hand, avoiding the dishwasher because you will have to take each wine glass into account and clean them delicately.
How Do I Keep My Glasses from Breaking in the Dishwasher?
Although glasses are very susceptible to breaking in a dishwasher, you can avoid it by following a few simple rules. After you start your dishwasher, your glassware starts shaking, and the sound is breathtaking, which might cause a fracture or breaking of your glasses.
So, to avoid it, you will have to place the glassware firmly and adequately in the rack so that they do not become dislodged. You can stretch a rubber band around each of your glasses and over the spokes. It will keep your glasses in place and won’t let them shake too much.
Always load your glassware at the top rake in your dishwasher. You’ll have to lean glasses against the tines with the rims and let them rest on the bottom of the rack. Make sure you keep an adequate distance from one glass to another.
Avoid the dishwasher if you think your glass might break inside. Breaking a glass inside makes your glasses useless, but it might cause severe damage to your dishwasher. So, do not send old glasses and expensive ones inside.
How to Load Glasses in the Dishwasher?
How you load your glasses in a dishwasher is vital because it reduces the chances of breaking them. You must load your glasses on the top rack of your dishwasher—otherwise, the risk of breakage increases.
But you cannot load them over the tine; you will have to place them beside them. This way, you can accommodate more glasses and keep enough space between them. Place them upside down so that the inside cleans appropriately.
What Happens If Glass Breaks in the Dishwasher?
Broken glass inside a dishwasher can damage other dishes and the dishwasher. It might damage the washtub. But if the broken piece somehow gets past the filter, it might cause severe damage to the pipe.
If glasses break inside your dishwasher, you will have to remove them immediately. Stop the appliance quickly and remove any broken pieces very carefully. Check the drain basket for additional pieces of broken glass. Call a professional if the situation is out of your hand.
Final Thoughts
Breaking a glass inside a dishwasher involves heat, not loading correctly, and other things. So, make sure you keep them in your mind to avoid breaking any of your favorite glasses.
James is an organic fertilizer professional who owns a successful organic fertilizer company in new jersey. He is an expert in waste management in both houses and community cases. In his free time, he loves to write about his experiences in the field.
