Cleaning Your Washing Machine With a Dishwasher Tablet? Expert Explains

August 11, 2026, 3:24 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

To ensure your washing machine reliably delivers clean laundry, it should be cleaned regularly. Over time, dirt, limescale, and detergent residues accumulate in the drum and other components. A supposedly simple cleaning trick is circulating online: a dishwasher tablet is said to make the machine clean in no time. But is there any truth to this life hack? myHOMEBOOK asked an expert.

How Does the Washing Machine Trick Work?

The method of the life hack is simple: a dishwasher tablet is placed in the washing machine, followed by a wash cycle set to 90 degrees. At the end, you see brown sludge in the drum. The life hack seems to have worked. But is the machine really cleaner afterward? myHOMEBOOK put the trick to an expert test.

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What Does the Expert Say?

“We generally do not recommend using products contrary to their intended purpose,” says Bernd Glassl from the German Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association in response to a myHOMEBOOK inquiry. Anyone who does so is always acting at their own risk. In this context, he also advises against using vinegar for cleaning in the washing machine. Manufacturers warn against it, as “vinegar, being a volatile acid, can damage metal and plastic parts of washing machines.”

But what about using dishwasher tablets in the washing machine? Glassl sees no problem with running a wash cycle without textiles but with dishwasher tablets instead of detergent. Even the high temperature of 90 degrees is not an issue. “Even for the textiles washed afterward in the same machine, I see no problem,” says the expert.

Additionally, various detergents (dishwasher detergents, full or universal detergents) in Germany often have the same components—namely, oxygen-based bleach. However, there are significant differences in other ingredients: for example, fragrances in dishwasher detergents must not transfer to dishes and cutlery, as this would be disruptive when eating or drinking. “In contrast, it is usually desirable for textiles to be scented with laundry detergents,” the expert explains.

Where Does the Brown Sludge Come From?

The video clearly shows the brown discoloration of the water after the dishwasher tablet wash cycle. Glassl comments: “How brown the water becomes depends, in my estimation, on how many residues were in the washing machine. If the detergent is always added according to the dosing instructions, then no brown sludge should occur.” By the way, the brown liquid is pumped out by the machine after the wash cycle.

The expert suspects another cause: frequent under- or overdosing can lead to the accumulation of dirt or detergent residues, which could be responsible for the brown color. Here you can learn how to properly clean a washing machine—and how often to empty the lint filter. And here you can read what the right compartment in the washing machine is actually for.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@myhomebook.de.