Are Dishwasher Tablets Safe To Use To Clean A Washing Machine?

With your washing machine smelling like mildew or oily residue, and a box of dishwasher tablets sitting right there under the sink, it's very tempting to pop a tablet in. Why not? After all, both the machines rely on hot water and agitation. Plus, this hack went viral a while back, so this might seem like a clever way to use dishwasher tablets around your house. Unfortunately, this hack is not very safe for your washer and can even cause damage to the machine.

The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) warns against this and specifically states on its website, "Use cleaning products only as directed on the label. Use laundry pods for laundry and dishwasher pods for dishwashing." So, while dishwasher tablets aren't the answer, there are better alternatives available, such as using products designed specifically for a washing machine. Or, you can simply follow the manufacturer's manual for care instructions. You can also get rid of funky built-up laundry odors with a simple DIY vinegar mixture: Mix either bleach or white vinegar with water and run a complete cycle. While it won't deep clean your washer, it will get the mold smell out and might even prolong the life of your washing machine.

Dishwasher detergents are specifically formulated for automatic models: They're highly alkaline, designed to deal with food soils, hard-water minerals, and grease, and formulated to produce very little foam. However, washing machines aren't built to handle such caustic detergents; they can wear down a washing machine's seals and hoses over time.

Dishwashers frequently maintain wash water temperatures around 130 degrees Fahrenheit to remove the grease and oil. Keeping this in mind, dishwasher tablets are designed to operate in these high temperatures, whereas a washing machine reaches these temperatures only during hot wash and sanitizing cycles. Due to these differences, dishwasher tablets may not completely dissolve when used in a washing machine, potentially leaving residue behind. This is particularly true for high-efficiency washing machines since they rely on tumbling action (drum turning your clothes) to clean your clothes rather than relying on more detergent and water. So, these machines need low-foam detergents. And even though dishwasher tablets are designed to be low-foam, using them in the washing machine can create too much foam. This can cause issues with your machine's tumbling action as well as sensors. In certain cases, you may also have to deal with soapy water seeping out of the appliance.