I have a few utensiles that when placed into the dishwasher (hot water plus power dry) come out covered in rust after just one cycle (slightly less then one hour, drying included). These same utensils can sit in a moist sink for days and not rust, at least to this degree.
What is going on to bring about this process so quickly in there? Anyone else have this problem?
Increased temperature generally speeds up chemical reactions exponentially. Presumably this is what’s going on in your dishwasher. (The moisture doesn’t help either.)
You can see the temperature effect even more dramatically in a BBQ grill. The steel heat distribution plates in my grill rapidly rust through, far faster than if they were left at ambient temperature.
I almost never use the dishwasher because it’s the ultimate in wastefulness & laziness. I mean really- running two major appliances (dishwasher and water heater) for an hour to clean the dishes from a dinner for two? It takes about 3 minutes to do it by hand.
::Ed Begley Jr. hat OFF::
On the few occasions when I do use it (Thanksgiving dinner for 12 or something similar) I have found that the dishes dry faster (and with fewer spots and you don’t get little pools of dishwater in the undersides of the glasses) if you open the dishwasher as soon as the washing & rinsing cycle stops. The dishes are very hot and the water evaporates very quickly. Not having to run the heating element is the best part of all. I have never had any rusting problems ever. You’re not putting cast iron in there, are you?