Is Rubbermaid Plastic Dishwasher Safe? (Find Out Now!)

Gary Evans
by Gary Evans

Rubbermaid has been in the manufacturing business for a very long time. You can find the Rubbermaid brand on all kinds of items including bath mats, garbage cans, and even air fresheners. Still, they are probably best known for their collection of food containers and water bottles.

You may have recently purchased some new Rubbermaid products for your home. If you’re wondering how you should approach cleaning them regularly, you’ve come to the right place.

One of the best features of Rubbermaid’s household products is that they are dishwasher safe. The heat coming from the dishwasher and the constant movements will not damage your Rubbermaid products. Even some Rubbermaid products made from glass can be safely loaded into the dishwasher.

Maintaining your collection of Rubbermaid products is pretty easy. Learn more about how to properly care for them by continuing with the rest of this article.

Can You Place Rubbermaid Products in the Dishwasher?

Many of Rubbermaid’s household products are made from a special type of plastic. That plastic is remarkably durable. It’s one of the main reasons why Rubbermaid’s containers and bottles can stay in good condition for such a long time.

Some homeowners may be concerned about that plastic though. To be more specific, they may be worried about how it might be affected by the cleaning process.

Plastic holds up well to different kinds of potential damage, but extreme temperatures can be a concern. The heat coming from most dishwashers may be too much for certain plastic products to bear. The good news for homeowners is that the kind of plastic used in Rubbermaid products is resistant to high temperatures. They should remain intact following a dishwasher cycle.

Rubbermaid’s food containers have long been dishwasher safe. The lids bundled together with them can also be safely cleaned by the dishwasher. But what about Rubbermaid’s other products? For instance, can their water bottles stand up well to a dishwasher cycle?

Unlike some of the newer water bottles available today, the ones from Rubbermaid don’t feature insulation that’s susceptible to temperature damage. You’re not getting the same kind of temperature retention from them, but they are easier to maintain. No option is clearly superior, but one may be more compatible with you.

Related Guide: Can You Put Rubbermaid In The Dishwasher?

Precautions for Placing Rubbermaid Products in the Dishwasher

Although you can clean Rubbermaid containers and water bottles in the dishwasher, that doesn’t mean they are completely safe from damage. You still have to take precautions or else those products may suffer from some serious damage. Let’s go over some of the precautionary measures you should follow while running your Rubbermaid products through the dishwasher.

Properly Secure the Rubbermaid Products

We noted earlier that Rubbermaid products are resistant to high temperatures. Do note though that they are resistant to extreme temperatures as opposed to being invulnerable to them.

To ensure that the containers and water bottles won’t be damaged by the dishwasher, you must secure them properly. Find the right spots for them along the racks and take a moment to check if they’re in the proper position.

You should also position the Rubbermaid products as far as you can from the heating element. Place them along the top rack of your dishwasher. Doing so will keep the products from getting damaged even if they’ve moved out of position during the cleaning cycle.

Don’t Forget the Lids

Pay attention to how the lids are secured before loading up your dishwasher. The lids could come off during the cleaning cycle and accidentally land close to the dishwasher’s heating element. By the time the cleaning cycle is over, the lids that came off may also be partially melted.

Double-check the lids before placing them in the dishwasher. They should also be kept along the top rack of the dishwasher during the cleaning process.

Remove Any Labels before Washing

Removing the label should be among the first things you should do after getting your Rubbermaid products. They can get in the way of using the product so it’s best to just remove them.

Failing to remove the label before placing the container or water bottle in the dishwasher can turn out badly. The label could melt and cause a mess inside the dishwasher. Remember to follow this precautionary step each time you purchase a new Rubbermaid product.

Can You Place Glass Rubbermaid Containers in the Dishwasher?

Not everyone knows this, but Rubbermaid also has a collection of glass food containers. You can use them to present certain items more elegantly at the dinner table and they work well for storage too.

Since they’re made from a different material, you may be wondering if Rubbermaid’s glass containers are dishwasher safe. Thankfully, the glass Rubbermaid containers are indeed safe to load inside your dishwasher.

You can handle the plastic and glass Rubbermaid containers in pretty much the same way. Place them along the top rack of the dishwasher, secure the lids, and you’re all set.

How Do You Hand Wash Rubbermaid Containers and Water Bottles?

Hand washing your Rubbermaid containers and water bottles is an option if you don’t have a dishwasher. It’s even the recommended course of action if the products are stained. Find out how to properly hand wash your Rubbermaid products by following the steps detailed below.

Step 1: Choose the Right Cleaning Items

When it comes to hand washing Rubbermaid products, the number one rule is to never use abrasive cleaners. Abrasive cleaners will damage the material and you obviously don’t want that. Stick to gentler items such as microfiber cloths for this job.

As for the cleaning agent, your preferred brand of dish soap will work just fine. If you’re dealing with deep stains though, you’ll also need some baking soda.

Step 2: Soak the Products

Place the Rubbermaid products in the sink and let them soak in some soapy water. Leave them to hang out there for a few minutes at least to loosen up any dirt particles.

Step 3: Hand Wash the Products

After waiting, you can now hand wash the Rubbermaid products using your microfiber cloth and the dish soap. The bigger stains will need more work though. Before tackling those bigger stains, you should create a mixture using some baking soda and water. Continue tinkering with the mixture until it starts to look like a paste.

Apply the paste now on to the products and let it dry. Once the paste has dried, you can start washing it off. Keep applying and removing the paste as many times as needed to get rid of the stains.

You can start rinsing off the products once you’re satisfied with how clean they are. Remember to clean the lids as well during this time.

Step 4: Allow the Rubbermaid Products to Dry

All that’s left now is to allow the Rubbermaid products to dry. Place them on top of a rack and position them upside down to let the water run out.

Don’t store the Rubbermaid products before they are completely dry. Storing them when they still contain moisture can lead to unpleasant odors developing inside of them.


Related Questions

Can You Place Rubbermaid Products inside the Freezer?

Yes, placing a Rubbermaid container or water bottle inside the freezer is fine. That’s assuming you follow some precautionary measures though.For starters, you should avoid filling the container or water bottle with too much liquid. The liquid will expand once it freezes and it could burst through the container or water bottle. Once a container or bottle is cracked, you may not be able to use it any longer for storing liquids.You should also exercise more caution while handling a container or bottle that came from the freezer. It’s more brittle in that state and it could shatter if you accidentally drop it.


What Does BPA-Free Mean?

Rubbermaid advertises their products as being BPA-free and they do so for a good reason. Being exposed to BPAs can cause health problems, especially for children. BPAs can have long-term effects on a child’s brain and possibly even their behavior.It would be ideal to stick to using BPA-free products. By the way, you don’t have to only purchase Rubbermaid products. You have numerous options to choose from if you’re seeking BPA-free containers and water bottles so check them all out.

Gary Evans
Gary Evans

Gary Evans is passionate about home improvement. He loves finding out how to make improvements in the easiest, most practical, and most affordable ways. Upgrading his home kitchen is one of his ongoing hobbies. Gary is also a long-time content creator and enjoys spending his free time tending to his hydroponic vegetable garden.

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