The Clever Potato Hack That Rids Your Dishwasher Of Broken Glass Shards

When you fill your dishwasher with bowls and cups, you expect them to be nice and clean when you take them back out. Unfortunately, whether something inside of the appliance goes wrong or you just happen to be a little clumsy and drop things more than you'd like, your dishes can sometimes break and leave dangerous pieces of glass behind. Fortunately, you can use a handy potato hack to handle the situation.

First, along with picking out one of the root veggies — likely one that you wouldn't want to eat anyway — and cutting it in half, you'll want to find a flashlight. After turning off or down the overhead lights, use the flashlight to direct a beam into the dishwasher and watch for any glittering. These tiny flashes might be the light reflecting off bits of glass. When you spot this sparkly sign, place the potato down onto the potential shard and press it down to pick up whatever might be there.

Although this may seem easy enough, there are a few tips to keep in mind for it to work properly. Frankly, if you don't do this right, it can cause permanent damage to your dishwasher.

Potatoes are a pretty common ingredient that can be found in a lot of people's kitchens. However, you might not be a fan of them or may have run out. In that case, you could also opt for a piece of paper towel that's a little damp, a piece of tape, or even bread. Whatever you end up using, you want to ensure that you're being safe. That means protecting both yourself and your dishwasher.

If you are using a potato, you must use the raw side of the veggie you've cut in half. If you're using a bit of paper towel or bread, it really doesn't matter which side you use (unless you're using an end piece of bread, then opt for the soft side). Beyond that, you need to put the tuber — or whatever you have on hand — gently down and quickly pick it back up. You never want to move it back and forth to try to catch glass like a broom. This might leave gauges and scratches on the inside surface of the dishwasher.

When you think you might have nabbed all of the glass you can, toss the potato, paper towel, or bread directly into the garbage. But, of course, this all comes after deciding if a potato is a suitable choice for you and your dishwasher.

There are probably quite a few items around your kitchen that you can use to pick up shards of broken glass from your dishwasher or other spots if necessary. However, one might work better for you, and potatoes may be the best.

For instance, although using a damp paper towel might seem convenient, you can end up scratching or cutting yourself on the edges of the glass if they poke through. You will surely face the same issue if you try to collect broken glass with a piece of tape on the thinner side. Fluffy bread might offer your fingers more protection but it also has a few drawbacks. Not only can the glass still poke through since you have to hold the bread a little tighter than you would a paper towel, but it turns out it isn't as effective at collecting the tiniest bits of glass. On top of that, this latter option can be rather pricey if you use it often or need multiple pieces of bread to get the job done.

As for using a potato, it will keep the glass well away from your hands and can pick up pieces of glass that are both small and large. That's why it might be your best bet if you want to rid your dishwasher of broken glass shards.