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Expert reveals why you're probably using dishwasher tablets wrong

By Rachael Gavin|

If you've been putting your dishwasher tablets in the detergent dispenser, you might not be getting the most out of the cleaning product.

Though it seems like the logical spot to put it, and is often recommended by dishwasher tablet brands, an expert has revealed it's better to put them loose in the machine.

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CHOICE dishwasher guru Ashley Iredale? always puts dishwasher tablets in the bottom of the machine and told 9Honey Living why.

"It wasn't a formal testing process, it was something we've learnt from 60 years of testing dishwashers in the laboratory. What we found was that using the dispenser, sometimes you would find the tablet wouldn't dissolve fully by the end of a cycle, or if it was a tablet with a dissolvable wrapper, sometimes the wrapper wouldn't dissolve at all either," he said.

Dishwasher detergent
Tablets don't always dissolve well if placed in the dispenser. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"We've just found that by putting the table in the bottom of the tub rather than in the dispenser, it gives the tablet the best possible chance of dissolving and having the detergent actually available."

Iredale added that it's particularly important to pop the tablet in the bottom of the appliance if you're running a short cycle.

"Your tablet may not have enough time to fully dissolve otherwise," he said.?

While some brands warn putting a tablet loose in the machine will risk the detergent dissolving during the rinse cycle or pre-wash?, Iredale explained this isn't likely with tablets as they take a while to break down.

"It would probably take more than your rinse cycle to dissolve both the wrapper and the tablet. We've actually filmed inside a dishwasher to capture how long it takes for a tablet to dissolve, it's certainly not instant that's for sure," he said.

READ MORE: 6 things you can clean with a dishwasher tablet that aren't your dishes?

As for powders, they are best in the dispenser, which prevents it from dissolving during the rinse cycle.

And while CHOICE hasn't done as much testing on dishwasher detergent pods or capsules yet as it has on tablets and powders, Iredale thinks they are likely better in the dispenser than loose in the machine.?

Dishwasher detergent
Capsules or pods are newer technology but likely work better in the dispenser. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"Pods will be slightly different because quite often their contents are liquid... once the pod itself is punctured or dissolved, all of the detergent will be immediately available, so it's probably more of an argument to put a pod in a dispenser rather than a tablet," he said.

By now you're probably wondering which of the three types of dishwasher detergents you should actually be using, and according to CHOICE testing tablets are the best option.

"We consistently find that tablets outperform powders, so that in my opinion is the way to go. You do pay a premium for the tablets, but they do do a better job," he said.

"One of the reasons is, you know when you look at a dishwasher tablet and you've got the stratified layers? That's partly marketing, but partly also to keep the enzymes and bleaches separate, so those two things don't play well together, so by separating them you actually extend the shelf life of the detergent."?

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