The lemon-scented all-in-one capsules come with integrated salt and rinse aid, promising to remove tough stains and leave your dishes and glassware sparkling and streak-free. (And on the subject of sparkling, don't miss our guide to the best glass cleaners) Dishwashers also need rinse aid to assist with drying and to leave your dishes shiny and with fewer spots, and salt for softening the water and protecting the machine from limescale. You can buy dishwasher tablets that come with rinse aid and salt included. But in hard water areas where you can get a build-up of limescale, you may need to top them up separately to get the best out of your machine. Not sure what you need or where to put the salt? Which? has more information on how to use salt and rinse aid. Price While they don’t contain intentionally added preservatives and are fragrance-free, the tablets promise to deliver the same cleaning performance as Finish All In 1 Max Dishwasher Tablets while being kinder to the environment – and to your nose. Caring for your dishwasher will also boost the cleanliness of your dishes. Stop the filter clogging by scraping off food residue from your plates and bowls before you load it. We recommend cleaning the filter regularly too, ideally after every use, but once a week should suffice.

No matter what dishwasher tablets you use, if your machine is dirty you’ll never get the best results. Some dishwasher cleaners require you to put the dishwasher on empty, which can be frustrating when you have piles of dirty plates waiting to go in. However, Finish has developed the In-Wash tablets so that you can clean your dishes at the same time. Dishwasher tablets come in liquid or tablet form, or a capsule containing both. While each product is different, they are generally made up of a combination of builders, bleaches, enzymes and surfactants. Some are designed to work better at a high temperature while others are more successful at removing tough stains or cutting through grease when set at lower temperatures. Eco-friendlyWhen placed in dishwashers that aren’t Miele, some reviewers have found that a whole tablet creates too much soap, which then stays on the dishes. We recommend putting in half a tablet to begin with.

For crystal-clear glasses, Fairy Platinum All in One tablets come with integrated salt and rinse aid, as well as glass and silver protection. We know that word of mouth and real recommendations are the most reliable way to find products that actually work, which is why most of our recommendations for dishwasher tablets came from Mumsnet users themselves.They’re suitable for those wanting to be more eco-friendly as the wrappers are 100% biodegradable and the tablets also work at lower temperatures. How we chose our recommendations The tip, which was posted on the Mums Who Clean Facebook group, recommends that you pop four dishwasher tablets into the drum on a hot wash. The water turns brown as it cleans out the inside of the washing machine and, when it drains, the drum is left gleaming. The dishwasher tablet you use will also depend on the results you want from your wash, the type of water in your area, and the types of stains you need it to clean. Astonish makes a range of budget-friendly cleaning products, and their dishwasher tablets are excellent value. Once you’ve closed the dishwasher door, the dispenser will open and start depositing the detergent into the hot water that’s filling in the bottom of your machine. The hot water dissolves and releases the ingredients within the tablet and these are then pumped around the dishwasher. What are dishwasher tablets made from?