To thoroughly clean, degrease, shine, and dry dishes, our top pick is Cascade Platinum ActionPacs + Dishwasher Cleaner Action, which also cleans the dishwasher. For a more natural option, we recommend Puracy Dishwasher Detergent Packs, which are just as effective and also act as a rinse aid for spotless dishes.

Likewise, you shouldn't use dishwasher detergent when hand-washing dishes. Dishwasher detergent doesn't suds up the way your go-to liquid soap does, so you might end up using a ridiculous amount of detergent in order to get the bubbles you're after.

A: The Cascade Platinum is designed to give you the best clean for your dishes while also keeping your dishwasher clean and eliminating the need for a rinse aid. Cascade Complete will still get you a great clean, however we'd recommend using with Cascade Rinse Aid and Dishwasher Cleaner.

At a minimum, though, clean your dishwasher once a month - and the simplest way to check that chore off your list is with Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Cleaner. Running the dishwasher in an empty wash cycle with just one single-dose pac gives you a clean machine!

Go for pods if you prioritize cleaning performance and convenience, while powder is a good choice if you want to have less of an environmental impact. And if you prefer measuring out the detergent yourself, both liquid and powder are good options.

To sum it up, Cascade Platinum Plus Dishwasher Pods have redefined the standard for dish detergents. Their superior cleaning power, combined with a delightful freshness, ensures that dishes not only look clean but feel clean too. An absolute must-have for any household seeking the pinnacle of dishwashing solutions.

Also, as the name soap would suggest, it's formulated to use thick, bubbly suds to dissolve food and oils (rather than enzymes). To recap: Dishwasher detergent contains bleach and enzymes not found in dish soap - which is sudsier and milder for our hands. Don't put liquid dishwashing soap in your dishwasher.

Having dishes in the dishwasher. When using the dishwasher cleaner can prevent it from getting into those deep areas that we need to focus on which can cause foul smells coming from your dishwasher.

What happens if I don't use rinse aid? Not using rinse aid decreases the drying performance of your dishwasher. It might also leave water spots on your dishes, especially if you have hard water.

White vinegar can be used as a rinse aid in the dishwasher, especially to combat hard water staining. Speaking from personal experience, it's extremely frustrating to run the dishwasher only to open it to dishes that are far from sparkling. Hard water stains leave spots on dishes and can make glasses cloudy.

Annually. Run the dishwasher on its hottest cycle while empty. Or better yet, give it a clean with a bowl of vinegar or a commercial cleaner. This helps flush grease, limescale and deposits out of the pipes and removes foul odours.

How do you prevent a smelly dishwasher? An easy way to prevent a smelly dishwasher is by regularly cleaning the inside of the machine. "We recommend cleaning your dishwasher every 30 days to help prevent the buildup of detergent and to ensure your dishwasher's running at its optimal performance," explains Lemmen.