How Dishwasher Pods Can Keep Your Kitchen Appliances Sparkling Clean

Pre-measured, compact, and convenient, dishwasher pods take up less space than liquid or powder detergents, making them perfect for kitchens with a limited footprint. Aside from cleaning your crockery and glassware, these guys moonlight as useful tools for keeping other kitchen appliances clean, too, such as ovens, air fryers, and microwaves.

Dishwasher pods work so well because they contain surfactants, rinse aid, and enzymes in a single concentrated package. Some varieties are hard and made with pressed powder (also known as dishwasher tablets), whereas others are soft or gel-like and coated in a plastic film that dissolves in water. Hard dishwasher pods made of pressed powder are incredible for effortlessly cleaning your oven in particular, because of their solid surface; you can wet them with water and use them like a sponge to scour off burnt food particles, greasy splatters, and streaks. Just make sure to wear gloves to protect your hands. If your tablet dries out, submerge it in water again and continue scrubbing until the glass front and walls of your oven are clean. Meanwhile, wrap the oven racks in aluminum foil, place them in the sink (or bath if they don't fit), and submerge overnight in hot water with a second dishwasher pod. This technique triggers a chemical reaction between the foil and the tablet, dissolving away any grease and stains without scrubbing. Both a hard and a soft dishwasher pod are suitable for this job.

You can also clean your slow cooker with a dishwasher pod by placing it in the insert with a splash of water and turning it on low for one hour. This trick also works for cleaning air fryers. Don't be tempted to switch your air fryer on with the dissolved dishwasher tablet solution inside. While this tip has been making the rounds on social media, it is unsafe. Instead, place the basket in the sink, fill it with hot water, drop in the tablet, and allow it to soak. Once cool, use a sponge to scrub the basket clean and rinse thoroughly in plenty of cold water to remove any concentrated surfactants from the dishwasher tablet that could still be on the basket.

To clean a microwave with a dishwasher tablet, allow it to dissolve in some hot water first before soaking a cloth in the solution. Then use the cloth to wipe clean the interior, ceiling, door, and window of the appliance (wash the turntable separately in the sink). Any stubborn grease should wash away with ease, allowing you to give it a final wipe down with clean water. For extra shine, buff the interior with a microfiber cloth. One last tip: You are supposed to clean your dishwasher filter.