I'm trying to figure out the best way to wash and clean my cans.
I put the inner caps in the utensils area in my dishwasher and the outer caps on the top rack. They still seem to get slightly rusty.
Also, if one of the glass jars gets mold on the inside, my dishwasher doesn't clean it out. I have to manually brush the inside.
Is this normal? Is there anything else I should be doing or better ideas y'all have?
by 83713V3R
5 Comments
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Just fyi, you aren’t supposed to preheat those lids unless you aren’t using them for canning but just dry storage.
“Preheating Ball® lids is not advised. The sealing compound used for our home canning lids performs better at room temperature than it does pre-heated in simmering water (180°F). Simply wash lids in hot, soapy water, dry, and set aside until needed.” [source](https://www.ballmasonjars.com/water-bath-canning.html)
I tend to pre wash any really stuck on stuff in my jars and then run them through the dishwasher. But that’s just me 😇
Agreed with the other poster that you should not wash lids. The heat of the dishwasher may affect its ability to seal properly. Plus once you’ve used it you cannot use them again for preserving.
The center lids are single use and should be discarded. And rings should only be on the jars during heat treatment, they can hide a bad seal.
The rust tends to happen if they stay damp for too long, I would suggest taking the metal parts of the jars out ASAP after the dishwasher is done and either giving them a quick pat dry with a towel or letting them air dry on a towel. I usually take a dish brush to anything really stuck on before I run them through the dishwasher.