Don't put them in the dish washer and don't put them in the sink. My wife ruined the handle on one after years of telling her not to do soak or do the dish washer. She finally believed me after that. I've since bought a set of wustoff knives. She doesn't clean them. She just leaves them on the counter and I clean them when I see them. Better than the alternative. Henkels and Wustoff both make a cheaper line with totally synthetic handles that are more appropriate for those that doen't want to take the effort to treat them with more care.