
They are easy to dispense and can have enzymes, oxi bleach or other ingredients for effective cleaning and stain removal and more. ✔️ Liquids or gels fall somewhere in between powders and packs. They can be all powder or have separate gel or liquid components for bleaching or other benefits that combine with the powder once the tablet is dispensed into the cycle. Because they're so popular, they're the most likely to be improved on a regular basis. ✔️ Single-dose packs or tablets are neat, easy and convenient - and, therefore, usually the most expensive. Powders can also be a bit messy to pour directly into the detergent dispenser and if not stored correctly can clump when exposed to moisture. They generally contain grease-cutting capabilities and other key ingredients, like chlorine bleach, but they may not always have the most advanced cleaners like those found in the popular single-dose packs where detergent manufacturers are putting most of their development efforts. ✔️ Powders are usually the most economical choice. And we never pre-rinse! Evaluating the loads after this heavy-duty test enables us to differentiate between superior and so-so brands, to make sure the best performers really stand out. We bake and dry on macaroni and cheese, baked beans and more. We make sure our test loads are dirtier and more soiled than any of the loads you would ever put in your dishwasher at home, coating dishes with our own proprietary greasy spinach mix, milk, eggs and even lipstick. When testing dishwasher detergents in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we fill the dishwashers to capacity with dishes, flatware, glasses, mugs, cookware and bakeware. The right dishwasher detergent will mean you can spare yourself pre-washing (or, worse, re-washing!) your dishes. On top of that, it should be safe for your dishwasher - whether it's a full-sized or a countertop dishwasher - and work with your water hardness. It should power through all types of baked-on, dried-on foods on dinnerware, flatware and cookware while also preventing cloudy glasses.

We also added a new recommendation from Method, based on recent testing in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab.ĭishwasher detergent should be making your life easier. We updated this story in July 2022 to add photos of our testing process.
