This viral TikTok cleaning hack just revealed why your dishwasher tablet isn't working — and it makes total sense

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

You can spend a lot of time trying to figure out the right products to achieve the perfect clean. But unfortunately, even when you've chosen wisely, they might not give you the results you expect.

Take cleaning your dishwasher, for example. Even the best dishwashers need a good clean and tossing in a tablet just simply won't do, but why? Surely all that research should be paying off.

@edgecleaning
♬ original sound - edgecleaningwa

Well, according to professional cleaner @edgecleaningwa, it's because you're not following three essential pre-cleaning steps that will get the most out of your dishwasher cleaning tablet.

It's all in the prep work

As the pro cleaner so helpfully explains, in order to get a really clean dishwasher, you need to do some prep work before you actually run a dishwasher tablet on a heavy duty cycle. Below, we've outlined the steps you need to take before that product you've spent ages choosing does exactly what you want it to.

1. Spray disinfectant

An unlabelled spray bottle being held by a gloved hand on a blue background — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Firstly, @edgecleaningwa recommends spraying a disinfectant, like Clorox, onto the shelves to eliminate any hidden germs. As per the manufacturer's instructions, you leave it to sit before rinsing it off.

2. Remove and clean the filter by hand

Dishwasher filter — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Again, following your dishwasher's instructions, safely remove the filter to give it a proper scrub in the sink. As the pro cleaner so rightfully puts it, "a tablet won't scrub it for you." Take the part into the sink and clean it with hot, soapy water before returning it to the dishwasher and locking it back in place.

3. Scrub away

A woman cleaning a dishwasher with a cloth — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

There's lots of nooks and crevices in a dishwasher, so using the same bristle brush and hot soapy water, it's important to then scrub inside the dishwasher and get in all those hard-to-reach places. He adds: "Do not forget to wipe those door seals that never get any type of attention."

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Grace is a freelance journalist working across homes, lifestyle, gaming and entertainment. You'll find her writing for Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Space.com, and other sites. If she's not rearranging her furniture, decluttering her home, or relaxing in front of the latest streaming series, she'll be typing fervently about any of her much-loved hobbies and interests. To aid her writing, she loves to head down internet rabbit holes for an unprecedented amount of time.