0

Can Dishwasher Tablets Be Used To Clean a Washing Machine?

Even though you use your washing machine to clean things, you must maintain it—so it doesn’t grow mold. Although there are some excellent products for cleaning a washing machine, you might ask yourself—can dishwasher tablets be used to clean a washing machine?

You can use dishwasher tablets to clean a washing machine, but you should avoid using them because better options are available. One of the main reasons why dishwasher tablets aren’t appropriate for washing machines is that they are only effective at very high temperatures.

This article will delve deeper into cleaning a washing machine with dishwasher tablets. It will also discuss the best ways to clean your washing machine, so keep reading to learn some valuable information.

Do Dishwasher Tablets Work in a Washing Machine? 

Dishwasher tablets can work to clean your washing machine—but you should avoid using them as they are not as effective as other washing machine specific cleaners. If you use them in your washing machine, you’ll probably notice leftover residue due to the water in the device being too cold for the tablets to dissolve.

If you are unsure dishwasher tablets can be used to clean washing machines you should consider the potential headaches. If you’re cleaning your washing machine, the last thing you need is to clean the residue of dishwasher tablets. To avoid this scenario, consider cleaning your washing machine with a special washing machine cleaner or white vinegar.

Why You Shouldn’t Clean Washing Machine With Dish Tablets

If you’re still wondering if you can still use dishwasher tablets to clean a washing machine, it’s essential to understand the main cons. While dishwasher tablets are unlikely to cause severe damage to your device, you shouldn’t use them regularly. 

Some Washing Machines Might Not Be Hot Enough

Firstly, you need to consider the temperature of a dishwasher and the temperature of a washing machine. 

Although some washing machines have high-temperature settings, not all do. Some washing machines may only go up to 120°F (49°C). On the other hand, dishwashers can reach as high as 140°F (60°C) during the wash phase and 180°F (82°C) during the rinse phase. 

The water needs to be hot enough. Otherwise, the dishwasher tablets won’t fully dissolve. As a result, you might land up with residue that you’ll need to clean. 

Since dishwashers get so hot during the rinse cycle, the dishwasher tablets can fully dissolve in them. 

Manufacturers Don’t Design Dishwasher Tablets for Washing Machines

It’s generally best to avoid using products not formulated specifically for washing machines, including dishwasher tablets. They design dishwasher tablets to kill bacteria and germs on kitchen items, such as plates and glasses, so they’re not ideal for the washing machine. 

According to Eurotab, some ingredients in dishwasher tablets include:

• Protease enzymes. These enzymes help fight food stains, such as egg stains. As you can imagine, this ingredient wouldn’t be necessary to clean a washing machine!
• Amylase enzymes. Amylase enzymes eliminate starch residues left on plates and other dishes. For example, potatoes might leave a starch residue.

Washing machines don’t need these enzymes for cleaning, so it’s best to stick with products containing only essential ingredients. 

There Are More Appropriate Options

There are better options for cleaning your washing machine, so there’s no need to use dishwasher tablets. Plus, some of the things you can use might already be in the cupboard! For example, white vinegar and baking soda are some of the most popular cleaning agents for washing machines (and many other things).

Baking soda and white vinegar are on opposite sides of the pH scale, so they work well together despite their different properties. While vinegar is highly acidic, baking soda is alkaline, breaking down various substances. This alkalinity makes them an excellent pair for cleaning places that accumulate stains and dirt, including your washing machine!

And since they don’t require as much heat as dishwashing tablets, you won’t be left with clumps.

The Right Way To Clean a Washing Machine

Cleaning your washing machine with dishwasher tablets isn’t the brightest idea. So now you might wonder how to clean your washing machine as efficiently as possible without causing any damage or clumpy leftovers. 

Below, I’ll discuss some of the best ways to clean a washing machine; these methods will certainly work better than dishwasher tablets.

Wipe Around the Door

This point only applies to people with front-load machines. If you open your machine door and notice dirt, grime, or fluff around the edge, it’s best to wipe it before putting a wash on. It’s normal for things to accumulate along the door after a while, especially if you don’t clean your machine very often.

You can use a warm, damp cloth to wipe away any debris. Once that’s done, you can wash your machine with the settings on the hot cycle. Read the following sections to learn more about this!

Use Washing Machine Cleaner

One product you can use to clean your washing machine is a washing machine cleaner (duh!). There are different brands and products, but most contain the same ingredients.

An example of a product you can use to clean your machine is the Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner (available on Amazon.com). It helps to remove odors and grime, and it’s made specifically for washing machines. Also, it doesn’t matter whether you have a front or top load machine because this product works for both.

If you use a washing machine cleaner, you must place the recommended number of tablets directly into the machine’s drum and put it on the recommended cycle. Some machines have a specific wash setting for cleaning the device, but others don’t. 

You should read the machine cleaner’s packaging instructions to see which wash cycle to use.

Use White Vinegar

As I mentioned in a previous section, white vinegar is an excellent product for cleaning your washing machine. When paired with baking soda, white vinegar can leave your washer looking as fresh and clean as ever!

If you want to know how to clean your washing machine effectively using white vinegar, I will explain it below.

Cleaning a Top Load Washing Machine With White Vinegar

If you have a washing machine that loads from the top, here’s how to clean it:

1. Turn on your top loader.
2. Choose the cleaning setting. If there isn’t one, turn it onto the hot setting.
3. Pour in the vinegar. You want to use 3-5 cups (710-1180 ml).
4. Put in some baking soda. You should pour 1 and ½ cups (around 200 g).
5. Keep the wash on for 10-15 minutes.
6. Stop the wash for 30 minutes to an hour to pick up all the dirt and grease.
7. Put the wash on again. Ensure it’s a long and hot cycle because hot water cuts grease.

Baking soda is optional, but it’s best to use it if you want to clean your machine deeply. It’s good to leave the wash on for a few minutes before stopping it so that the vinegar and baking soda have time to mix.

Cleaning a Front Load Washing Machine With White Vinegar

It would be best to ’clean front-loading machines the following way:

1. Wipe around the door with a warm damp cloth to remove debris or grime.
2. Put white vinegar in the drawer. You should use approximately two cups (470 ml).
3. Put some baking soda in the drum. Use one cup (around 150 g).
4. Put on a long, hot wash.

How Often Should You Clean Your Washing Machine?

You should clean your washing machine around once a month. However, you may only need to wash it once every two months if you don’t use it often. For example, a washing machine used multiple times a day by different family members should be washed once a month.

But if it’s just one person using the machine, and it’s only on a few times a week, you can get away with cleaning it once every 2-3 months.

Conclusion

Using dishwasher tablets to clean a washing machine is not a good idea. Dishwasher tablets will only fully dissolve in high temperatures, and most washing machines don’t reach these temperatures.

Plus, there are ingredients in dishwasher tablets that aren’t necessary for a washing machine. Instead, you can use a washing machine cleaner. You can also use white vinegar and baking soda.