To leave your dishes and glassware sparkling clean, we recommend finding a solid dishwasher detergent to effectively remove food residues and grease. According to the product label, it should not come into contact with fabrics or be used to wash your hands. A rinse agent helps make the water in the dishwasher sheet off of your dishes more easily, which can help with rinsing away residue and lead to fewer water spots on your dishes,” says Brian Sansoni, Senior Vice President of the American Cleaning Institute (ACI). Some are better for minimising transport CO2 emissions, some better for recycling, and some are safer when it comes to pollution and toxics.

Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. This means that when you open the dishwasher, chlorine fumes are released in the steam that leaks out. Most recipes were posted on blogs and weren’t referenced or informed by science or chemicals experts.Some gels can be a bit drippy to pour and may separate if left unused for extended periods of time, but in our most recent GH Cleaning Lab dishwasher detergent test, Cascade Complete + Oxi was our top-tested gel formula — and the only one to sport a child-resistant cap for safety. The eco-packaging includes a 1L bottle made from 100% recycled plastic with SECOND LIFE PLASTIC certification.

It comes in recycled cardboard packaging, and a 48-ounce box contains enough detergent to wash up to 50 loads of dishes. If you own a Miele dishwasher, try this detergent on the QuickIntense cycle to get incredibly clean and dry dishes in under one hour. This product is a game changer for glassware and silverware, which can be prone to discoloration and water spots. Once per month, give your dishwasher a thorough cleaning with a dishwasher cleaner, like GH Seal Star Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Cleaner.Blueland's Dishwasher Starter Set offers a great option for those trying to eliminate plastic packaging from their cleaning products. And because they are neat, perfectly shaped little blocks of powder detergent, you won't find any stuck or burst packs like you often get with liquid-containing pods. Liquids are less messy than loose powders but it’s easy to use too much, and they’re probably the heaviest option of all detergent forms, being largely water, resulting in higher transport emissions. These gels are designed to dissolve quickly and thoroughly, leaving no residue or streaks on dishes.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. The abbreviations in the score table mean the product gets a sustainability point for: [Vg] = vegan, [S] = plastic free. This detergent is perfect for busy households that want to save time, effort and money while getting a great clean every time.In our tests, we see the biggest differences between brands — not within different forms of the same brand — so if you find a brand that cleans well in your machine and water hardness, any form should likely work for you. She usually reaches for Finish Powerball or Cascade Complete when loading up her dishwasher at home. If you want to cut out unnecessary packaging and plastic then choosing a dishwasher detergent refill product is a good way to go. But choosing and using the right dishwasher detergent can mean the difference between spotless results the first time and having to pre-wash (or, worse, re-wash! Lemi Shine’s Shine + Dry Rinse Aid removes traces of iron, limescale, calcium, rust, and other mineral deposits, making it an ideal choice for homes with hard water.

Rhea Mehta, PhD, is an award-winning toxicologist who has worked to empower people to lead healthier lives, starting in their homes, for over a decade.

Note that these pods have a dissolvable wrapping, and we read some complaints that they don’t fully disintegrate, requiring a second run through the dishwasher. If you use a dishwasher, the most difficult decision may be less about finding an eco brand and more around product type.