Most homes have a dishwasher, and the staple “diet” of the dishwasher is the detergent. This product in capsule format–the one that isn’t a solid block but rather, a soft gel capsule comprising powder and liquid compartments–has many spectacular uses besides cleaning up your family’s baked-on crockery. Dishwasher capsules should be the must-have home cleaning secret you keep at hand.
Here are five great ways to maximise the use of your everyday dishwasher capsules.
1. Clean the washing machine
When washing machines get past their prime, they develop nasty mould spores and black residue on the inner door seal. On display to visitors to the home, this looks unpleasant and unhygienic.
Pop a dishwasher gel capsule into the washing machine on an empty cycle, and run a hot wash. The door seal will release its nasty black grime. Following the cleaning process, run one more clear, detergent-free wash to get rid of capsule residue.
2. Revitalise cleaning cloths, towels and nappies
If you hoard cleaning cloths and tea towels, or have a mass of grubby, pale fabric items, a soak in a dissolved detergent capsule brings them back to life. You can even pop them in your washing machine on a hot wash alongside one capsule, in place of laundry detergent. The cloths will emerge far whiter than they would using laundrycare products, and you needn’t use laundry detergent in addition. Again, run one clear wash after using a detergent capsule before putting dark colours in your machine.
3. Get super-shiny wall tiles and surfaces
Put one dishwasher capsule into a bucket and pour on boiling water; one kettle full is sufficient. Ensure the capsule disperses fully, then don your thick rubber gloves. Never immerse your hands in either dishwasher capsule solution or boiling water for obvious reasons. Grab a fresh, white cleaning cloth; muslin cloths–as used in baby reusable nappies–are perfect for dishwasher detergent cleaning tasks, since the muslin’s roughness and the super-enhanced cleaning agents make the perfect combination. Failing that, however, any white cloth suffices.
Immerse the cloth and wring it out, before rubbing it as swiftly as you can across your bathroom tiles, door fronts, paintwork or work surfaces. Be careful if using this technique on marble or tiled floors, as dishwasher capsule solution is slippery, so apply the liquid sparingly. However, you can achieve great floor results by using a wrung-out cloth that’s still steaming.
Repeat the process until tiles and other surfaces look pristine and the cloth is coming up clean. This technique also restores bathroom grout and leaves a fresh, inviting scent. Citrus-scented capsules are best for residual freshness.
4. De-gunk bathroom silicone sealant
When your bathroom or shower enclosure sealant has a layer of fungus or mould spots, take a white cloth, immerse it in boiling water in which you’ve dispersed one capsule, and soak the stained areas. Leave the solution for a few minutes and either give a fresh soaking to allow the black to float off, or apply fresh water and brush lightly with a toothbrush. You’ll be amazed what grime comes away.
Use this same solution to revitalise the taps, shower hose, bath and basin plugs, as well as your shower doors. It will remove calcification, dirt and skin oils, bringing glass doors and chrome back to new.
5. Clean up your car and oven
Don’t apply dishwasher capsule solution to vehicle paintwork as it could dull your prized car, but using it on glass, rusted parts and solid chrome works a treat. The same applies to using it inside a baked-on oven or a glass oven door. Apply the solution with a soft brush and allow it to work for a few minutes before rinsing or brushing off.
You’ll be treated to glass that’s like new, and shiny, fresh surfaces ready to polish up.
Now you’ve learned the top five tips for using dissolved dishwasher capsules, you’ll soon discover many more applications both indoors and externally. Although it works best when very hot, dishwasher capsule solution is versatile and keeps for several days, so you can keep some to hand for all your unexpected or stubborn cleaning tasks.
