Can I use my dishwasher as a drying rack for my bottles?

[Ill hophead]

Hey there, I'm bottling my first batch soon and I was wondering if I can run my dishwasher, empty the clean dishes, then use the clean dishwasher as a drying rack for my bottles and other equipment. I also planned on spraying some StarSan on the rack to help keep it sanitized. I'm thinking this would be the cleanest thing to use since I don't have a bottle drying tree. Just wondering if anyone does this or thinks this is a bad idea. Any opinions or info is appreciated.

[HogieWan]

sounds like a good plan to me. I doubt you'll have enough room for a batch worth of botttles, though

[cafejames]

:D Great idea. Since you aren't going to shut it you can use both racks it should give you plenty of room to dry your bottles. It'll be clean and sanitary. Wish I would have thought of that before I bought my bottle tree.

James

[unkle bik]

That's what I use.
Just make sure you dishwasher is squeaky clean before cleaning your bottles. No food particles anywhere and clean the trap.
The only thing I use in there is a couple tbsp. of bleach.

[gallowd7]

I heard that a quick rinse (no soap) and heated dry will generate enough heat/steam to sterilize the bottles. Obviously, you can't clean the insides in there.

[HarkJohnny]

do you actually RUN the dishwasher too??

would a couple scoops of One Step hurt anything? My DW has a "sanitizing rinse" mode on it... useful or not worth it??

[unkle bik]

Originally posted by HarkJohnny
do you actually RUN the dishwasher too??

would a couple scoops of One Step hurt anything? My DW has a "sanitizing rinse" mode on it... useful or not worth it??
Yup.
I am anal about rinsing my bottles prior to putting them away, though.
(that might not sound too good):eek:

[Ill hophead]

I'm not planning on running the dishwasher with my bottles in it. I'm going to sanitize them with StarSan and just use the dishwasher rack to dry the bottles.

[gallowd7]

I think the sanitzing rinse is thee same as "rinse and dry" There is a big burner at the bottom of th DW that dries your plates/silver/battles. In the process it makes high, sterilizing heat.

Back to an even earlier point, when I've done bottles (not often) I always sanitize with starsan and drain, and let them sit out while bottling. Before filling I tip them over one more time. That gets almost all of the residue out and I haven't yet tasted any ill effects of a "not perfectly dry" bottle.

[chazwicke]

Although it has been many moons, I used to run my cleaned bottles through the DW without and soaps and allow it to heat and sanitize. Never had a problem ever.

[neldor19]

Yep,I use my Dishwasher too.I also throw in a few scoops of one step.I always makes sure thier clean inside of course,but it works great for sanitizing.Oh,and I can squeeze 53 bottles on the lower rack.:)

[mortong]

Just to throw in some support here: I've been using my dishwasher with no soap/sanitizer for about 1.5 years. Never had a problem with sanitation. In fact, it the quickest, easiest (and probably cleanest) bottle sanitation method i've found.

[HarkJohnny]

Originally posted by neldor19
Yep,I use my Dishwasher too.I also throw in a few scoops of one step.I always makes sure thier clean inside of course,but it works great for sanitizing.Oh,and I can squeeze 53 bottles on the lower rack.:)

nice!

glad I happened to see this thread again. I forgot and spent half a night last week bleaching, rinsing, re-rinsing, sanitizing, rinsing and scrubbing the labels off about 50 bottles. ugh!