I have at least a dozen different brands of snap type containers, none of them are very expensive, in fact, most are the cheap ones you can buy at Publix. Those that do have a gasket, go in the dishwasher and, when they wear out, go in the trash. I would have a hard time believing that a $20 snap type container is any better than the one I bought for $4.99.

I have never had this experience with Glasslock containers. I have about 40 of them over 8years. I wash the lids in the dishwasher all the time. The gaskets are quite easy to remove. I use a butter knife to remove them. Glasslock also sells new lids for their items. The containers also have a one year warranty with them and they will send you new lids if you need them.

Good luck!

I've never washed the lids in the DW as my biggest concern is water getting past the seal and water hanging out between the lid/seal. It's a tight fit on the gasket....and yesterday, for the hell of it, I've tried the butter knife but it's tight enough that I know by jamming it in, there will be a tear...(based on previous experience). Sofar, I'm just been throwing them out. Looked into the cover replacement but after the cost of shipping for 4 lids, it was more ~economical~ for me to just buy another set off Amazon !

.

My seals are perfectly dry coming out of the dishwasher. What color are your gaskets?

My original ones (aks, the singles I purchased are green). These were my 1st go round with glasslocks. The newer sets are blue. Not that the color of gaskets matter...

Not to dispute the whole seal issue of dry or wet .....the silicone seal is not adhered on both sides of the lid, so the OCD in me thinks of water overspray *clean or dirty water* getting into that, etc. This may be a personal subjective opinion on cleanliness though. I've got some utensils that have those barrel style handles. I won't even put those in the DW, as I don't know if water will mitigate in, etc

A1an,

Just curious as I have the same ones. One of the things that I do is to make sure that the container is not over filled so that the gasket never really touches anything. I also don't use these containers for tomato based sauces because I did not want to discolor the lid. We all have our preferences (not OCD:-))

Good luck!

I'm religious about even doing a wipedown on the rim before I cover the lid if I think that any sauce/liquid might have dripped onto X container when using it. Yeah, it's so random with experiences I suppose.

I also have the Glasslock and LockNLock containers, they all go in my dishwasher. I've never even tried to remove the gaskets, although a couple have come out "voluntarily" and then I have a devil of a time getting them to stay back in! I've also never gotten any black spots, moldy issues or similar problems.

Annie

If there's mold, the gaskets must be wet. Question is at which stage they get wet and stay wet. I use a such containers for taking packed lunches to work, and every evening I pry out the gasket and wash it (manually) along with the container itself and the lid.

I have lots of containers like that, and I use them also for long term stoage of both wet and dry stuff. That's why I make 100% sure the lid and gasket are totally dry before I replace the gasket. Perhaps you replaced a gasket on a lid that wasn't completely dry? In such a case mold is bound to develop.

Wintercat -

Just to be clear. Are we talking the same thing - glasslocks ? Maybe the gasket design on yours is different/different brand. I considered for a brief second to try cleaning the one I was about to toss. What was I going to lose since it's getting tossed anyway. It's a tight fit in the channel and I would not even use a butter knife. I would use a feeler gauge.

As per the OP, on my 1st attempt to clean them about 2 years back, in removing the gaskets, I punctured at least 3 of them. The gaskets are of a hollow core and the OD of them are very them. Between thin and a tight fit into the -channel- , I can't see how one would be able to remove them to clean them without damaging them. If not at the very bare minimum, cause a micro-hole that unless you looked for it, it might be there but u might not be aware.

Forgot one more detail on 1 attempt while removing the gasket. The ends of the gasket are just heat seam welded.....once I must have pulled at it too hard and the weld joint just broke clean off the gasket..

Post is not to flame the product.

Just wondering if I'm the crazy one having these issues. Granted there are others in the household.....but I'm primarily the one buttoning up after meals - storage/cleaning.

maybe I have a knockoff that I bought at Costco several years ago - not sure how to tell the brand...mine go in the dishwasher and through the heated dry cycle and are never moldy, nor have the gaskets ever come out. I don't usually lock the lid on after washing, sometime store separately, but often pop onto the base without locking all the tabs.

Curious that you'd have such a mold problem when others don't. If I were you, I'd stick them in the dishwasher, let them dry in there and then test to see if you can get any water out from under a seal. I don't think you will, and honestly if water got in there it would be sanitized from the dishwasher, as opposed to hand washing them.

"The gaskets are of a hollow core and the OD of them are very them"

What does this mean?

a1an , I've got Lock & Lock containers and some Lock & Lock-type containers. They're all much the same, and I always buy the cheapest or what's on discount. I don't remember the brands. I also have glass containers.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't really see the difference between glass and plastic containers because the lids are all plastic anyway, including the lids of my glass containers. Same type of lid with channel and gasket.

I've never come across a gasket with a hollow core. The gaskets on the lids I have at home are very robust, and withstand lots of prying out, washing and reinstalling. Did you buy some very sophisticated and expensive container?

Oly -

LOL. This is the best way to describe my OCD. I hear all of ya'll responses regarding success in the DW. Yes, it's great for sanitizing but unless water IMO is hitting all sides during clean and RINSE, then there is no way I'm putting the lids in. What I'm thinking is that water can potentially mitigate past the 2 sides of the channel and get in. It can be clean rinse water but it can also be dirty wash water. How am I assure it's ~clean~ after a clean cycle.

If blackish spots are appearing the top channel already, that means liquid is making it's way past it's channel already...somewhere in the process of either how I'm using them or cleaning them. Grrr....looks like I'm the only crazy f00l having challenges using said containers.

BTW, I have alot of them/ Their large 15 cups, small ones, large ones. Some I use for stock before portioning off to smaller ones , etc.

A1an,

I have the larger round containers that look like mixing bowls. I have never had mold in these units. I do put them in the dishwasher. I have never seen water past the gasket. Maybe you could look at the Pyrex or anchor that don't have the gaskets in them? You can't tip them over but it may eliminate this problem you are having. I purchased my units from Costco, Container Store and Glasslock directly.

Good luck!

Homepro -

yeah, when I 1st was buying singles, it was purchased from the Container Store. My latter sets were from Amazon direct, hence, eliminating knock-offs...

I looked at Snapware when I bought new sets. Hinges were not nice as the glasslocks...

Yes, looked at the Anchors and even the new glass rubbermaid lines..as I've been looking online to see what alternatives there are on the market. Maybe I'll need to go to glass/terrine jars. Not the ideal storage medium, but at least it's foolproof on cleanliness..

Just for clarity, not all of have glasslocks exhibit this. ie, just looked it up. Last purchased was two 18 piece sets back 20 months ago. Only 1 of my lids on the newest sets has this mold. Me just wondering what in my routine is causing this..

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't really see the difference
between glass and plastic containers because the lids are all plastic
anyway, including the lids of my glass containers.

wintercat: I have always wanted some glass containers, but they are so expensive that I have never gotten any. I believe the difference is only that the container is glass and reheating something in it will not extract plastic residue since it is glass and presumably the lid is removed. I already had a couple of those old Corning Ware mini pans (and just found three more) to use for reheating small portions. Originally I had some plastic lids for them, but they were already long gone. Perhaps some will fall into my hands some day. Until then, I just use Saran Wrap or aluminum foil for storage.

"The gaskets are of a hollow core and the OD of them are very them"

What does this mean?

olychick: my initial assumption (still held) is that a1an is a touch typist and meant to type 'very thin' and made a duel typo into 'very them'. Admittedly, I didn't originally see that it was an 'm' rather than the 'n' that I imagined was there, but I have often found myself typing a character from the same finger but wrong hand, and have done the 'm/n' thing as well.

Olychick -

yes, typo . OD means outside diameter. To analogize, the gaskets on the snaplock are like a straw. You have a sealed outside, but the inside is ~hollow~. The material is thin, and because it's not a solid piece of silicone, it also is easy to puncture when removing it, since the gasket already is sitting tight into the channel and for one to remove it, once needs to *pick/lift * it off. I have not had any success being able to remove it without any user damage to it.....

Thanks for the clarification. I just would quit trying to take them out and start putting them in the dishwasher to sanitize them.

Wow, I use yogurt containers, sandwich meat containers, those big boxes of feta cheese from Whole Food containers, etc....

They all go in the dishwasher, are free with the purchase of the food inside them, and can be used almost indefinitely. The only mold that shows up on them is when they get lost in the back of the fridge and forgotten about.

Maybe instead of worrying about mold with those containers, you should try something different?

Sally

I know this conversation took place almost three years ago but I just wanted to confirm to the original person that posted the question you are not doing anything wrong. The glasslock lids are sturdier than the brand they have at Costco but yes, if you pay close enough attention, mold starts to develop in the lid and yes, its almost impossible to remove without puncturing them. I have three sets of three (square, circle, and rectangle) that nest into each other and they all have the same problem. I just looked on their website to see if they came up with a sturdier replacement they could provide but unfortunately they give you "free" replacement lids where the shipping pretty much covers the cost of the lids and I'm doubtful the gasket has changed in quality. Not sure its worth getting shipped brand new lids if I have going to have the exact same problem.