Rusty dishwasher harmful? - General Health Message Board

dextar · 07-18-2006, 08:23 AM

You know how at the bottom of dishwashers there're these metal bars? Well today I rubbed one of them and some rust came off on my hand. I was wondering is this is harmful since small rust particles could get stuck to silverware and stuff. Is it really bad for you to swallow rust? What can it do to your body?

6foot3 · 07-20-2006, 11:49 AM

Not a good idea as your Liver will have to try to filter out the metals. Some people working in industrial plants get heavy metal poisoning from breathing these in or exposed to solvents .....

dextar · 07-20-2006, 12:00 PM

I told my mom about it and showed her, but she says it's just minerals. Do you think she's right?

Jennita · 07-23-2006, 12:18 AM

metal and water can make rust, period. It's most likely rust. I think you can get the racks replaced by the manufacturer although I have no idea how much they cost.

o_janus_o · 07-23-2006, 08:23 PM

Well, I'm sure it's not the best for you, but I doubt it's going to kill you. When I was quite young I lived in a cabin and we had well water with a very high iron content. We got a coat of rust in our tea kettle. There was also a rust ring around our water bucket (yes, we hauled water in a plastic bucket. We were rustic folk.). Our cast iron pans rusted. I never got sick from that that I'm aware.

Your dishwasher is a slightly different situation since it's probably not all iron, but just the same, I think you will probably be fine. Most of the particles the would come loose in the wash cycle would be rinsed off as well. I really don't think it will hurt you.