Cleaning experts are encouraging people with dishwashers to stop putting the cleaning tablet in the designated drawer to get a better result from their machine. Millions of people across the UK have dishwashers installed in their kitchen for ease, and to help save valuable time that can be spent with loved ones or on things they enjoy.
Why the drawer method may be wrong
Families spend an average of 25 minutes each day at the kitchen sink dealing with pots and pans, which doesn't seem like a lot until you add it up to around six days over the course of a year. Dishwashers do take longer to clean dishes and use more energy, but many people feel the cost is worth it to spend more time doing other things.
Dishwashers work by adding water, high heat and chemicals from dishwasher tablets to clean dishes over the course of a cycle. But there are ways to get more out of your machine.
What the Which? test found
Andrew Laughlin, a dishwasher expert working for Which?, confirmed the company had tested the best way to make sure your dishes are sparkling clean after every cycle. Andrew said: "Most people think that throwing the tablet into the body of the machine won't give you as good a clean. But actually, we did a snapshot test which shows not only the clean was comparable, but actually it was slightly better."
"So, if you don't like using the dispenser, don't feel beholden to it. You can just throw the tablet into the base of the machine, and it'll clean just as well." Andrew said the method would prove especially effective for people who have found a dishwasher tablet stuck in the dispenser.
Public reaction to the findings
Which? shared Andrew's findings on social media, but people couldn't agree with his method. One person said: "So the wash cycle just comes one massive rinse then because the detergent drains after the initial rinse?" A second said: "Unless the program or machine decides to do a pre-rinse cycle to remove heavy soiling of the dishes. In that case the tablet will be gone afterwards." A third added: "Who has an aversion to using the dispenser?"
Others, however, confirmed they had always thrown the tablet into the bottom of the machine. One person said: "Always throw it into the bottom." A second said: "Glad to know my laziness pays off."
