Your dishwasher can clean a whole lot more than your dishes. Take a look at some of the surprising things that you can put in the dishwasher.

Note: Just to be safe, you shouldn’t wash these items at the same time that you wash dishes.

1. Rain boots (with liners removed and placed horizontally)
2. Hairbrushes and combs made of plastic (remove all hair first so that you don’t clog the drain!)
3. Plastic fan grilles, switch plates and vent covers
4. Shin guards, knees pads and mouth guards
5. Garden tools without wooden handles
6. Action figures and small toys (in a mesh lingerie bag on the top rack)

What else do you clean, besides dishes, in the dishwasher?

For more ideas, head over to Real Simple’s Surprising Uses for Your Dishwasher.