#13 Surprising Ways To Clean With Dishwasher Pods

It’s been said that good things come in small packages. When it comes to dishwasher pods, this couldn’t be more true. As far as we’re concerned, the fact that so much cleaning power can be packed into those tiny dishwashing pods is pure magic. The same goes for dishwasher tablets. Convenient and hard-working, dishwasher pods and tablets are a staple to keep on hand for anyone who values quick and easy cleaning solutions. Just pop one into the dishwasher, and you’re all set—it couldn’t be simpler. Now, repurpose these helpful tablets to expand that ease across your home. Not only do they make doing the dishes a breeze, but these pods can also hold their own for cleaning other parts of the house, too. 

Chemist Alexis Rochester explains that the versatility of dishwasher pods is due to their ingredients. “The mixture of enzymes, alkalis, and surfactants is good for grease stains, food stains, and even odors,” she explains. These things are all very helpful for cleaning dishes, but can also be used to tackle grease, food, and odors elsewhere.

If you haven’t already, stock up on dishwasher pods or tablets immediately. Either the compacted powder or gel-filled kinds will do. With these household cleaning tricks under your belt, you’re surely going to be using a lot more pods. Here are some surprising ways to use dishwasher tablets or pods outside the dishwasher. 

Soak Silverware

When silverware emerges from the dishwasher streaked, some may feel defeated. Don’t resign yourself to subpar silverware. Instead, leave the forks, spoons, and knives in a basin of water with a dishwasher gel pod or powder table, then scrub away streaks or tarnish. 

Clean Oven Doors

Cleaning the entrance to the oven can be a major hassle, but a powder dishwasher tablet can make the chore far less painful. Simply dip a tablet into some warm water and get to scrubbing. Watch as the glass door brightens and clears easily before your eyes. 

Remove Burnt Food

Just like how dishwasher tablets wash away food debris off in the dishwasher, they can also tackle food in hard-to-handle places outside the machine. Scorched food on the bottom of pots and pans, as well as in the oven can otherwise be hard to clear, but with an easy tablet, it’s no problem. For melted food stuck to the oven, use the same method deployed for the oven door. If handling a pot or pan, fill with hot water, add the pod or tablet, and give it a few minutes to work its magic. After, dump the water and use a sponge to scrub away what was once firmly stuck on. 

Refresh Kitchen Sinks

After cleaning the kitchen, the final battle is often the kitchen sink. It’s been hard at work for the rest of the cleaning process, but now it’s the sink’s turn to freshen up. Use a powder dishwasher tablet to make that last task supremely easier. Give your sink a nice bubble bath by stopping the drain and filling the basin along with a tablet. This will loosen any attached food or oil so that once you drain the sink’s contents, a quick wipe-down will leave the sink shiny clean.

Disinfect The Trash

Inevitably, the trash can is going to suffer some dirtying from everything you put it through. It may also stink. Rather than getting your hands dirty to clean the can, let a dishwasher pod or tablet do the heavy lifting. Give it a similar treatment to the sink: Filling it up with water and a tablet to let sit before pouring the water out and giving it a significantly-easier scrub.

Clear Up The Garbage Disposal 

Another spot that may begin to smell if not attended to is the drain of the kitchen sink. If you have a garbage disposal, tiny bits of food can get caught there and be left to rot if not detached. To remove any gunk and stop foul smells, throw a dishwasher pod or tablet down the drain and run the hot water and your disposal.

Wipe Floors

Rather than a floor cleaner, DIY your mopping solution by simply adding a dishwasher pod or tablet to a bucket of water. This alternative works best for eliminating grease and food stains all too prominent on kitchen floors.

Refresh Patio Furniture

No matter how hard you try to protect it, patio furniture is bound to get dirty. Whether it’s metal or plastic, a dishwasher tablet can assist in the cleaning process to bring your outdoor furniture back to its former glory and prepare for patio entertaining. Take the tablet straight to the furniture for scrubbing, or dilute it with water for a gentler cleanse.

Remove Fabric Stains

Grease and food stains are no match for a hard-working dishwasher tablet. They can conquer difficult debris on dishes and can similarly help out when fabric is the victim of a spill. Combine the tablet or pod with warm water and use it to gently scrub away a stain before it has set into the fabric.

Wash Grout

Once grout goes gray and dirty, many think that it can never go back. Or at least—they don’t know how to get it back, Return grout to its former glory by combining a dishwasher pod with warm water and using a brush to target deposits in the grout. If you have powdered dishwasher tablets, whip it into a thicker paste with warm water for the best results.

Clean Tricky Appliances

Far too many of us are going too long between cleans for appliances like air fryers and coffee makers. The truth is that cleaning these things is too much of a hassle to do often. With a dishwasher tablet, some warm water, and a cloth of towel however, it is much easier to get in the nooks and crannies to get these appliances grime-free and suitable for handling food.

Wash The Washing Machine

The washing machine does a ton of washing, but it’s hardly ever washed itself. If left uncleaned, the machine can build up with unfortunate bacteria and mildew. Get ahead of the grime by popping in a tablet or two where you normally put laundry detergent and put the cycle on hot.

Wipe Away Doodles

Too many parents know the horror of leaving the kids on their own for bare minutes and coming back to find artwork all over the walls or furniture. Luckily, dishwasher pods and tablets can be mixed with water for a solution that will help remove marker and crayon but not your wall’s good paint.