I mean, I put them through the dishwasher sometimes anyway, but I’m told I shouldn’t? 🤷🏻♀️
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I work full time in a pottery studio with a strong focus in glaze chemistry/formulation/testing.
Handmade mugs can go through the dishwasher just fine so long as they’re relatively well made and the glazes are well formulated.
Like others have said, the dishwasher is a very rough environment on glazes, and less durable glazes can be noticeably affected.
Plenty of handmade ceramics have vivid glazes that flow and run to give nice effects, but these glazes are necessarily less durable. It may be worthwhile to handwash hand made pottery if you want the finish to stay pristine over the years.
That said, I put all my stuff in the dishwasher and so far it’s all been fine.
The issue with dishwashers is less about great and more about the abrassiveness of the detergents and things better banged together
Here is a simple answer:
Never risk an item in the dishwasher that can’t easily be replaced.
Detergents, dishwasher water jets, dishwasher or plumbing malfunctions, loose glasses or other dishes hitting things, or even just high powered water jets can break down enamel, glaze, or cause fractures in the material. Dishwasher water jets are tiny power washers – you shouldn’t power wash materials that can be damaged by intense pressure mixed with temperature changes and heat.
There are also different types of clay and unless you know what was used, you can’t be sure that a material is safe under your dishwasher’s conditions. It might be fine once then break, but it will definitely shorten the lifetime of that product.
High heat once may harden a piece, but regular high heat and exposure to water can degrade materials.
If you value something, hand wash it gently to ensure care and longevity.
Ever had a handle break off of a mug? Or maybe a microfracture form on the rim of your favorite bowl? All of that can be from your dishwasher.
I throw pottery and have 2 dozen pieces at home and they are completely dishwasher safe. Some glazes or pieces aren’t, but plenty are.
You can. My wife makes ceramic dinnerware/cups and we dishwasher them frequently, never had an issue.
Home made ceramics, such as a mug, should not be put through the dishwasher because the extreme heat and pressure of the dishwasher can cause the ceramic to crack or break. Additionally, the detergents used in the dishwasher can cause glaze on the ceramic to become discolored or damaged. It is best to hand wash home made ceramics with mild soap and water.
I’m a potter. You absolutely can put most home made ceramics through the dishwasher. I do all the time. There are some exceptions. But if someone is making a mug or other functional piece, they should not be using those exceptions.
Go for it.
I thought it would be for the same reason you don’t wash china and crystal.
The detergent has micro-abrasives to help scrub and a glossy surface can be dulled by them.
Potter here…
This is a complicated subject. Well-made and tested homemade ceramics can go through the dishwasher just fine. However, a dishwasher is a very rough environment. Most potters, who recommend handwashing only, do so because the pot is less likely to get banged around. Stress cracks, formed by banging against another pot in the dishwasher, can cause the entire pot to crack when hot liquid is poured into it, not to mention chips and dings to the rim.
Other considerations: Dishwasher detergent is very basic. If the glaze is not tested for basic conditions (rare in foods) a dishwasher can cause the glaze to fade over time. Also, there are certain finishes, such as gold enamel, that will fade badly in the dishwasher. Finally, if the clay body is not fired to low absorption, a dishwasher can cause water absorption in the clay, which can cause mold and excessive heating in the microwave.
So, for dishwasher, microwave safe ceramics, the clay body and the glaze need to be tested together for fading under both acid and basic condition, no enamels applied, and the clay body should be fired high enough to ensure a low absorption. It is highly recommended that each clay body be tested by the potter prior to use. It’s not uncommon for manufacturers to label a clay cone 6-cone 10 when the clay is not really suitable for functional use when fired to cone 6.
I’m probably forgetting something, but these are the use cases that affect my work.
EDITED: Corrected a term. It’s “basic” not “caustic”. Thanks to ScienceIsSexy420 for pointing that out.
It depends on the ceramic, some are dishwasher safe and some are not. Fully vitrified clays (fired at a high temperature) don’t absorb water and are dishwasher safe. Some ceramics are fired at a lower temperature, are porous, and are not dishwasher safe.
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