The 9 Best Dishwasher Cleaners of 2021

Best Overall: Summit Brands Glisten Dishwasher Magic Machine Cleaner

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Glisten Dishwasher Magic is a tried-and-true cleaner and disinfectant. The powerful liquid formula gets rid of grease, breaks down food remnants, and removes soap residue, hard water, and rust. Additionally, it dissolves all buildup clogging the jets, pipes, and tubes, so your dishwasher runs as efficiently as possible.

But that's not all. This EPA-registered solution disinfects your appliance, killing bacteria, salmonella, and E-coli to make sure they don't touch your clean dishes. Glisten ensures a clean, fresh dishwasher for 30 days, so you'll get the best results with monthly use.

Best for Hard Water: XROM Dishwasher Pro Cleaner Tablets

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XROM is great to have on hand if you have hard water. These three-in-one tablets clean, degrease, and descale your dishwasher in one cycle. A single use effectively dissolves and removes limescale while getting rid of detergent buildup, hard water stains, and odors.

You can count on XROM to clean every internal part of your appliance, including the pump, filter, and spray arm. You can use this cleaner during its own cleaning cycle or just add it to a full load of dishes to cut down on the number of times you're running your appliances.

Best for Limescale: Finish Dual Action Dishwasher Cleaner

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If you're looking to remove and prevent limescale, we suggest Finish Dishwasher Cleaner. It breaks down and effectively dissolves limescale, grease accumulation, and detergent buildup while cleaning all interior components of your dishwasher.

Using it once a month will help you keep limescale at bay and ensure your appliance remains clean and smelling fresh. This formula should be used in an otherwise empty dishwasher, and one bottle is used per cycle.

Best Eco-Friendly: Eco-Gals Eco Scrubz Eco-Friendly Dishwasher Cleaner

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If you prefer green cleaning products, Eco-Galz Eco Scrubz is an excellent choice. These environmentally-friendly tablets have a special foaming formula that cleans your dishwasher and eliminates funky smells without any strong fragrances.

Baking soda and natural disinfecting ingredients remove grime, soap residue, odor-causing food remnants, and hard water buildup while freshening up all internal components. Just place a tablet in your empty dishwasher and run a cleaning cycle—it's as easy as that!

Best Tablets: Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner Tablets

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Affresh is formulated to break down limescale and mineral buildup in stainless steel and plastic-tub dishwashers. The EPA recognizes the septic-approved tablets as safe for both your home and the environment.

You can use Affresh to clean your dishwasher on an empty cycle or run a tablet through with a full load to descale your dishes and glasses. Either way, you can expect a sparkly clean finish.

Best Pods: Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Cleaner Pods

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Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Cleaner comes in single-use pods. Just toss one into your empty dishwasher and run a cleaning cycle. When you open it back up, the walls, pipes, and spray arm will be free of limescale, grease, mineral deposits, and food residues.

Not only that, but you can count on a fresh-smelling dishwasher. For best results, run a pod through once a month to keep odors at bay and maintain an ultra-clean dishwasher.

Best Liquid: Oh Yuk Dishwasher Cleaner

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The best liquid dishwasher cleaner is Oh Yuk. This dishwasher cleaner is formulated to keep your appliance clean and smelling fresh. It also works to remove contaminants, bacteria, and odor-causing residues.

With a squeaky-clean, disinfected dishwasher, you can count on it to safely clean your dishes. Plus, it'll run more efficiently and help prevent issues that require repairs. Oh Yuk also has a yummy citrus scent that'll enhance the ambiance of your entire kitchen. Each bottle has enough cleaner for four wash cycles.

Best for Smell: Plink Washer & Dishwasher Freshener & Cleaner Tabs

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Speaking of refreshing scents, Plink tabs are made to clean your dishwasher while working double-time to deodorize it. The innovative formula contains powerful effervescent enzymes that create a powerful fizz to break down grease, food, and other buildup.

This formula is septic-safe and cleanses every internal component without any bleach or phosphates. Just place a tablet in your empty appliance and run it on a hot-water cycle. You'll be left with a super-clean dishwasher and an invigorating lemon fragrance in your kitchen. You can use the same tablets in your washing machine if that appliance needs a deep clean as well!