Why you should NEVER put knives in the dishwasher

Anyone who spent years washing their dirty dishes by hand will know what time-saving wonders dishwashers can be. But though it's tempting to just bung any dirty crockery and glassware in there, there are some items that should always be washed by hand.

So if you want your kitchen knives to stay sharp as the day you bought them, never put them in the dishwasher.

• Intense heat and moisture can blunt blade of your sharp kitchen knife

• Corrosive detergent can also react with steel, causing it to discolour

• Blades can also get chipped when the dishwasher rattles around

• Instead, wash knives by hand in warm (not boiling hot), soapy water.

Dishwashers clean your plates and glasses by shooting high powered jets of water and cleaning chemicals over them. But the corrosive powder that cleans your dishes can react with the cutting edge steel, causing it to discolour or lose sharpness. The edge of the knife can also get chipped or blunted when the dishwasher rattles for however long your cycle lasts - which can be for more than an hour at a time. The intense heat and moisture inside the dishwasher can also lead to blunting. The wet heat can also damage the handle, particularly if it's made from wood. Though it may be inconvenient, take a few extra seconds to instead wash up your knives by hand with hot, soapy water straight after using. A few quick swipes with a sponge or wet cloth will wipe away any dirt and leave your blades sparkling and sharp for years. But take care to use water from the hot tap and not boiling water, as the intense heat could still damage the blade even if only under boiling water for a few seconds.