How Your Dishwasher Could Be Ruining Your Baking Sheets

From roasting vegetables to making chocolate chip cookies, baking sheets are a staple of many kitchen collections. This form of cookware allows you to keep your oven tidy while cooking your food evenly. The common piece of cooking equipment is used so often that stains arise, even if you are careful.

Whether it is grease or food, the pans can easily become dirty and suffer from wear and tear. A common mistake is putting your baking sheets in the dishwasher. However, according to Home Cook World, the item is normally made from uncoated aluminum. If it is not anodized, it can be corroded by detergent from the dishwasher. 

Now you may be wondering if you should do this even if the sheet has a non-stick coating and the dishwasher safe symbol. Although the manufacturer may claim this, the dishwasher detergent can still erode the coating quickly. This may make it unsafe to use.

Continually, the dishwasher can discolor your baking sheets, making them look splotchy and unclean. The Kitchn explains that the product can warp over time. So, what is the solution? It is simple. Always hand wash baking sheets, especially if they are uncoated aluminum sheet pans.

One tip for keeping the pan serviceable is to use wooden or silicone utensils instead of metal utensils when baking. Scratches from metal utensils will appear easily and make the aluminum look damaged. Additionally, baking sheets brown over time. You cannot help this, but it does not mean that you need to throw them away!

It is evident that "Browned baking sheets can actually brown food better than shiny new ones. Older baking sheets can also be super helpful for non-cooking tasks..." (via The Kitchn). The modern baking sheet is much more versatile than you may think. That is why you should keep them safe — and that means keeping them out of the dishwasher.