Social media sites like TikTok and Facebook have changed how we live and do certain things by introducing hacks and trends to make work easier. The latest trend is the dishwasher tablet cleaning hack to keep your shower super clean.
It turns out that you can use a dishwasher tablet to remove stains and soap scum in your bathroom. While it makes sense why this method would work, considering that dishwasher tablets are compressed detergent, this method is not the most cost-effective since these tablets are quite expensive.
The question, however, is, does this cleaning hack work? This article will tell you everything you need to know about this latest trend. In addition, we know for sure that you should be prepared to scrub vigorously.
What Is the Dishwasher Tablet Shower Hack?
This shower cleaning craze started when a mum posted this discovery on a Facebook group, Mums Who Clean. The mum took a cleaning sponge and cut a dishwasher tablet size square into it. Next, she passed the tablet inside the sponge.
The next step involved removing the power ball from the dishwasher tablet, wetting the bathroom walls and fixtures and scrubbing. In addition, this avid cleaning mum revealed that she vigorously scrubbed every inch of her bathroom using the dishwasher sponge then rinsed it. The results were sparkling and gleaming.
According to her and the viewers of this hack, the soap scum, grime and watermarks were gone to leave a new squeaky clean bathroom. In addition, she cleaned her shower glass, bathtub and bathroom tiles, which were all a testament to her new hack.
Ever since this sponge dishwasher tablet hack was revealed, thousands of people on Social Media have hailed this invention as the biggest game-changer in the cleaning world. But does this method really work? Let's find out.
How To Use Dishwasher Tablets To Clean Your Shower
Cleaning projects have a certain satisfactory feeling to them. Your appliances are left sparkling clean and your home smells fresh and divine. However, like most people, cleaning the bathroom is often dreadful. The use of potent chemicals, scrubbing and rinsing, can be a lot for many.
Fortunately, this new dishwasher tablet cleaning solution promises to save the day. Although you will still need to scrub and rinse vigorously, you do not have to withstand smelling products. In addition, since dishwasher tablets are primarily used to clean your dishwasher and dishes, you are assured that this method is safe for your health.
If you are ready to try this method to clean your bathroom walls and shower screens, follow the instructions below.
You’ll Need:
- Pressed dishwasher tablet
- Warm water
- A pair of rubber gloves
- Microfiber cloth
- Ziploc bag
Steps:
- Soak the dishwasher tablet inside a warm water container.
- Leave the dishwasher tablet for a few minutes to saturate.
- If the tablet has an outer coating, wait until it is fully saturated and starting to dissolve to access the soap inside.
- Wear your rubber gloves, then take the tablet and start scrubbing. You can hold the tablet with a cleaning sponge, ziplock bag or a soft cloth to prevent the dishwasher tablet from sliding off as you clean.
- Rub the dishwasher tablet against the shower glass, wall and fixtures while scrubbing to remove soap scum and stains.
- Use hot water to rinse an area once you are done scrubbing and repeat to clean any leftover scum.
So, Does this Dishwasher Tablet Shower Hack Work?
Yes and No.
This method may work depending on the severity of soap scums in your bathroom and how much time and patience you have. Since there is a lot of scrubbing and rinsing involved, you need to be thorough to ensure you leave no stains behind.
Dishwasher tablets are also quite small in size, meaning that you get to cover a small surface area at a go. Unfortunately, this means that it will take time and effort to get all parts of your bathroom sparkling clean.
One of the major cons of using this method is the abrasive nature of the dishwasher tablet. It is still abrasive when cleaning grout and soap scum off your shower walls, even when moistened and saturated. In addition, this makes your hands and fingers sore, not forgetting the arm workout that you didn't sign up for.
There is also much kneeling and moving around involved with this method. Again, this is a result of the size of the dishwasher tablets.
Another discovery is that the dishwasher tablets did not successfully clean all the bathroom parts. However, the metal faucets and handles were bright and shining. This shows that the effectiveness of this method partly depends on the material used to make your shower. In addition, it will be difficult to notice the difference between grout lines and tiles.
While the scum and limescale do not budge as you clean, the dishwasher tablets disintegrate into small pieces. This may prompt you to grab another tablet to ease cleaning and handling. However, doing so is not cost-effective, bearing in mind the cost of dishwasher tablets compared to commercial shower cleaners.
Why Is the Dishwasher Tablet Shower Hack Ineffective?
One of the reasons this method is ineffective at removing grout and soap stains in your bathroom is the ingredients used to make dishwasher tablets. These ingredients include Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Carbonate Peroxide, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Silicate and Sodium Bicarbonate.
These water-soluble salts plus baking soda dissolve grease in dishes and even your oven door but are not so effective at cleaning your whole shower. This is because of calcium, magnesium and other mineral deposits in the water, making it difficult to clean them out.
Instead, to remove soap scum and limescale in your shower, you need a cleaner with surfactants derived from fatty acids, lactic acid and alcohol. This way, unlike using dishwasher tablets to clean your shower, you are guaranteed that the commercial cleaners will do a great job.
However, if you want to stay away from chemicals but still keep your shower clean and sparkling, you can create your at-home cleaner. First, use warm water and baking soda to make a paste, then use a sponge or soft microfiber cloth to apply it all over your walls. Next, rub the mixture where there are grout and soap scums, then rinse with hot water. Not only is this method effective, but it will also save you time saturating the dissolvable tablet.
