Is it safe to wash LEGO pieces in the dishwasher?

Question

I've heard from a lot of people that LEGO can be washed in the dishwasher, but I'm concerned about warping, losing stickers, wearing off of painted pieces, etc. Is it safe to actually wash them in the dishwasher? Is there any other precaution you should take?

Answer 1

I have had good experiences when putting them into a washing bag. Stickers will usually come off. Paint differs from model, year and make. Some of my bricks from the 80'ies (such as this one) still look very new, with the original print intact.

Answer 2

LEGO does not recommend using a dishwasher to clean your bricks:

We recommend that you clean or wash your LEGO parts only by hand at max. 40°C or 104 degrees (F) Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures may affect the quality of the LEGO parts. You can add a mild detergent to the water, followed by rinsing with clear water. Please don't put your bricks in the washing machine or dishwasher or attempt to dry them in ovens, microwaves or with hair dryers. Any electrical parts, such as cables, motors, battery compartments, can only be wiped off with alcohol. Air-dry parts at room temperature. For disinfecting please use mild bleach.

(emphasis mine)

Answer 3

The real answer here is no, but please have a look at my answer to this other question for an alternative that really works, bringing them up as new, with only a little elbow grease - a bath of Milton solution.

Answer 4

At some point, LEGO recommended the use of a washing machine instead of a dishwasher, since you could limit the temperature to 40°. However, you'll need to make sure all parts are safely enclosed in a cloth (pillow case for example), and don't expect your bricks not to be scratched at all.