Why does washing knives in the dishwasher dull them?

Question

Why does washing knives in the dishwasher dull them?

In: 890

Answer 1

I’m late to the party but here’s my answer. I was told that the high heat of a dishwasher would, over time, ruin the temper of the steel. I haven’t found any evidence that this is true. Tempering steel happens at a much higher temperature than dishwashers could possibly reach, unless the knife fell directly onto the heating element during a dry cycle. Even though I know this is true, I still hand wash all my good knives.