Are garden gnomes dishwasher safe?

[Deleted User]

The previous owners of the house left all kinds of outdoor knick-knacks; ceramic birds, concrete mushrooms, a turtle riding another turtle, and one creepyass clay bust.  I've now had my first summer in the house.  The flowers are amazing.  I'm thinking of buying some blue/turquoise spray paint and painting all the outdoor knick-knacks the same color.  So what's the best way to clean the items before they get painted?  Are outdoor ceramic crap dishwasher safe?  Or is the hose my best option?

labro

I'd hose and scrub them with a bristle brush outside TBH. I wouldn't want any of that crap or debris getting lodged in my dishwasher.

OliveOilsMom

I would not use a dishwasher for items that have been left outside like that.  I would use a garden hose and buy a spray gun that has multiple settings including a jet or high powered spray.  Or I would hand wash them with a bucket of water and a sponge that gets thrown out after.

Maggie0829

I would just get a scrub brush and use some dish soap, warm water and some elbow grease to clean them.

Are they glazed?  If so you may need to rough them up a bit to allow the paint to stick.

lyndausvi

hose and scrub brush.

novella1186

ya know those hollow-handled scrubby things with a sponge on the end? They look like this: 

If the yard ornaments are too dirty for just a hose to get them clean, get one of those things and fill the handle with half regular dish soap and half white vinegar. The rough sponge surface, in my experience, works better for cleaning stuff like that than a bristle scrub brush. I bought one just for cleaning my shower and it works like a charm.