Dishwasher tabs come in numerous varieties – but which are the best? To answer this question, there are a few things to consider:
In order for the dishwasher to do its job well, you have to feed it with the right dishwasher tabs. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing tabs. What does a tab have to be able to do and which products should be avoided?
What to look out for when buying
There are many different dishwasher tabs that can do different things differently well. Simple mono tabs, for example, can only rinse, while multi tabs contain rinse aid as well as rinse aid and special salt for water softening. In theory, this saves having to regularly add rinse aid and special salt to the dishwasher.
In practice, however, this is not always possible because the water is usually too hard. That is, it has a high lime content and the amount of rinse aid and salt in a Multitab is not sufficient. In addition, dishwasher tabs can also contain substances that are harmful to the environment and, in the worst case, to health. Here you can find out in detail what to look for when buying dishwasher tabs.
What can I clean with dishwasher tabs?
Dishwasher tabs usually clean everything you put in the dishwasher evenly and ideally cleanly – but some things don’t belong in dishwashers. Besides washing dishes (and in some cases rinsing them clear) and softening water, however, dishwasher tabs can do a lot more. If you run out of some cleaning agents or detergents, dishwasher tabs quickly become a sparkling clean alternative in the kitchen and bathroom. This is how dishwasher tabs are practically used in the household.
What can be used as a substitute for dishwasher tabs?
The most critical ingredient in dishwasher tabs is the silver protection agent benzotriazole (BTA). Other substances could also theoretically be harmful to water, but surfactants and the like can be filtered out well by wastewater treatment plants, according to the consumer magazine Stiftung Ware test. In contrast, BTA remains in the water and accumulates there. Traces of it can therefore already be detected in drinking water. Those who prefer to do without tabs for reasons like this have these three alternatives for dishwasher tabs to choose from.
Dishwasher trick: Home remedy against rust and limescale
While good dishwasher tabs can also protect cutlery from rust, for some pieces it’s already too late. The blades of knives in particular are susceptible to damage in the dishwasher, and rust on stainless steel is not a pretty sight. However, there are a few tricks to combat the deposits. While some swear by vinegar, baking soda, or even fluoride toothpaste, a popular home remedy has several benefits – here’s how to do the trick with Coke in the dishwasher.
