Do you throw your dishwasher detergent pod in the bottom of the dishwasher? A lot of us do, but we’re doing it wrong. And Cascade wants us to stop.
This dishwasher hack went viral on TikTok, where millions watched videos explaining that since the pods can get stuck in the dispenser or prevent it from opening during the wash cycle, putting them in the bottom of the dishwasher was better. Some folks even advised sticking them in the silverware caddy, but it turns out, that’s not great either. We learn the truth from Renae DuHaime, an appliance repair technician, who has a huge following on TikTok thanks to sharing educational appliance content.
Renae had been a fan of putting the dishwasher pods in the utensil caddy, until Cascade reached out to let them know they were wrong. Cascade actually invited Renae to their HQ and testing facilities to show how dishwashers work and during the tour, the company made sure to explain the best way to use the pods: “Dishwasher detergent pods should always go in the detergent dispenser of your dishwasher unless otherwise specified by the detergent packaging or dishwasher manual.”
- The reason is that many dishwashers have a pre-wash cycle, so putting the pod in the bottom means that like 80% of it will be washed away in the pre-wash, before the main wash even starts.
- For sticky dispensers, the main reason pods make them stick is moisture. If the pod gets wet, even a little, it starts to dissolve. So dry the inside of the dispenser before putting it in and keep your hands dry when you reach for a pod.
- It’s also important to load the dishwasher correctly. “Loading dishes parallel to the door can block the water from getting into the dispenser once it’s opened, which would prevent the pod from dissolving as well,” Renae explains. “Load the dishes, especially the ones on the bottom rack, perpendicular to the dishwasher door.”
Source: Simply Recipes