Why dishwasher tablets never dissolve in the detergent compartment
Opening the dishwasher after a cycle to find the tablet or tab hasn't dissolved properly is hugely frustrating.
And if it keeps happening, you might start to wonder if your dishwasher needs repairing or replacing.
Well, thanks to cleaning expert Melissa Pateras we now know what is most likely causing the problem.
Watch the video above.
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We've all experienced dishwasher detergent not dissolving fully in the dispenser. Getty
"After the pre-wash cycle the [detergent] compartment door will open up and it will allow the detergent to just drop out and start getting to work cleaning the dishes unless it's wet," she explained in a TikTok.
"That compartment and your hand both need to be completely dry before the tab goes in. If it gets wet it will start to dissolve right away and it will stick."
To demonstrate what happens when a tab is wet, Pateras placed a dry tab and a slightly wet tab on a plate, which was acting as the dispenser.
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The dry tab quickly slid off while the damp tab stuck to the plate, just like in the dishwasher. TikTok/@melissadilkespateras
In the video we can see that when Pateras lifts the plate up – just like the dishwasher door going from horizontal to vertical – the damp tab sticks to the plate, while the dry tab just slides straight off.
"Now at the end of the cycle I might see – and this is why you think something is wrong – the tab that is partially dissolved or not dissolved at all. The reason being nine times out of 10 is that you put it into a wet compartment or your hands are wet when you put it in," she said.
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That means the simple fix is to check the compartment and your hands are dry before putting the tab or tablet in the detergent compartment.
If the compartment is still wet you can use a cloth or tea towel to dry it out and ensure the door is slightly ajar after the dishwasher has finished running so that it will dry faster.
Cleaning expert Melissa Pateras dries her dishwasher detergent dispenser so the tab doesn't stick. TikTok/@melissadilkespateras
Another option is to toss the tab or tablet in the bottom of the dishwasher instead of the compartment. According to CHOICE's dishwasher expert, the detergent compartment was designed for powder so that it doesn't get washed away during the rinse cycle.
"Tablets, however, are too big to wash away like that, and by having them loose in the tub from the get-go, it gives the dissolvable wrapper a head-start in the initial rinse, so the tablet itself is more readily available from the start of the wash cycle," Matt Steen, director of reviews and testing at CHOICE, said.
"This is especially important if you're running a quick wash program, where there's less time for the detergent to work, or if you find the dishwasher tablet's wrapper hasn't dissolved by the end of the cycle."
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