Dishwasher Pods Vs Powder Vs Liquid Detergent: Which Is Best?

While everyone has an opinion on the best way to do the dishes, the one thing that most homeowners seem to agree upon is that the dishwasher is one of the must-have appliances in the kitchen. Think about having to hand wash the stack of dirty dishes on your sink after a hearty meal; certainly, there is no fun in that! Of course, dishwashers are nothing without a good detergent, whether it's pods, powder, or liquid.

The two main ingredients that are common across most detergent types and brands are bleach and enzymes, mentions Domex Appliance Services. That said, it is worth acknowledging that picking a dishwashing detergent is often a matter of choice that is arrived at through trial and error. To save you from the trouble of having to try out every type of detergent, here is a detailed breakdown of the most popular dishwashing detergent options available today.

While it might take a different form compared to the popular liquid options, pods work essentially in the same way. Once you place the pod on the detergent dispenser drawer, it makes its way immediately to the bottom of the dishwasher and slowly dissolves in hot water. Unlike using liquid detergents, a pod takes the measuring bit of the process out of the equation; A Clean Bee notes that a single pod is concentrated enough to clean one load. However, you might want to use a rinsing aid if you are using hard water to clean your dishes.

Note that a dishwashing pod comes wrapped in a thin membrane that prevents the pieces from getting stuck to one another. According to Grist Magazine, you shouldn't worry about this film getting stuck in a corner inside your dishwasher; it is made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) that quickly dissolves as soon as it gets into contact with water. The one major setback of this particular dishwashing detergent is that kids can easily mistake them for candy, so it is vital to keep them away from the reach of children.

If you are looking for a dishwashing detergent on a budget, then powdered alternatives might be a good option. This type of detergent is also quite useful if you are in an area with hard water. Compared to the other types of detergents, you have a better chance of dealing with the limescale deposits from hard water when using a dishwashing powder detergent, per Mike's Quality Appliance Repair. Keep in mind that the accumulation of limescale in the dishwasher will compromise the performance of the appliance.

However, if you are lucky enough to have one of those dishwashers with water softeners, you don't have to be limited to the powder options only. Although dishwashing powders are generally more eco-friendly compared to their counterparts, their main disadvantage is that they can get quite messy when dispensing in the dishwasher. This could easily cause you to waste a lot of the product over time. Also, the powder doesn't dissolve completely in water compared to other options like pods.

This is another good option if you are looking for an affordable dishwashing detergent. Liquid detergents are generally gentler on the dishes compared to the aforementioned alternatives. According to Jessica Petrino, an appliance expert at AJ Madison, liquid detergents don't have bleach as an ingredient (via Martha Stewart). Although this might be advantageous on fragile dishes, the caveat is that it might not be as effective in dealing with every type of stain. Nonetheless, this doesn't mean that liquid detergents are no good; they are quite effective in cleaning everyday dishes, particularly if you are using soft water.

Note that this type of detergent has a lot of enzymes that are quite effective in removing leftover food particles. Also, the fact that you can control the amount of product you use to wash your dishes makes it possible to increase the concentration per cycle. Keep in mind that some liquid detergent brands might leave streaks, especially on silverware.