Urgent! Run out of dishwasher tabs. Can I use washing powder?

[Melassa]

Just that. Dishwasher desperately needs to go on. Can I use laundry detergent? I have an eco smell free one.

Either that or I have soda, but I find it leaves my glasses with a layer of fine white powder.

Any suggestions? Apart from washing the lot by hand, which I really want to avoid as the dishwasher is heaving and I'll be here all night....

[PurplePillowCase]

run it without anything.

[FannyWisdom]

No laundry detergent.
Sink.

[Melassa]

Really? Will it get the grease off?

[PurplePillowCase]

the hot water will clean well enough this once.
do. not. use. washing up liquid. unless. you. want. a. foam. party.

[Melassa]

Sink I'd rather avoid. I also have limited drying space due to some cake making earlier.

Why oh why didn't I notice before the shop downstairs shut?

[reallybadidea]

Squirt some fairy liquid in and have a foam party!

[MotherofPearl]

I thought washing powder ruined dishwashers? I'm sure I've read horror stories about it producing huge amounts of foam which destroy the dishwasher's insides.

[SleepFreeZone]

I looked this up a week or so ago and the advice was a small amount of washing up liquid, 2/3 bicarbonate and 1/3 salt. It worked rather well for me!

[Melassa]

Yes, I remember a foam fountain from the washing machine in my student days. Flat mate had used Fsiry liquid. It was not pretty.

[abbsisspartacus]

Just run it without there should be enough residue to clean it

[TizzyDongue]

Note: Do not use Fairy or any other dish detergent

I repeat: DO NOT use Fairy or any other dish detergent

Important notice: DO NOT use Fairy or any other dish detergent

[Melassa]

I might try something between zero detergent and a pinch of bicarbonate. I wonder if the odd flake of Marseille soap would help?

[TheQueenOfWands]

I put washing up liquid in the dishwasher at work once.

My supervisor looked at me like this:

[Melassa]

No, Fairy is not going anywhere near it! I need to be up at 5am tomorrow so I'd rather avoid spending the night catching suds.

[SwedishEdith]

Don't know. But only realised, when packing, that I'd washed all the laundry with dishwasher tabs over a two-week holiday.

[Melassa]

Did it smell lemony?

[RunRabbitRunRabbit]

Run it on a hot cycle. It will get almost everything clean.

[SwedishEdith]

If it did, I didn't notice.

[Frustratedboarder]

I put our dishwasher on with no tablet more often than not tbh, particularly if it's just everyday stuff like plates, cups, Bowls, etc. Maybe twice a week with a tablet to keep it fresh.

It will be fine!

[Melassa]

Have just put it on a hot cycle with a pinch of Solvay (the stronger soda) hopefully that'll do the trick. At the very least I'll have a clean dishwasher

[Melassa]

I have a few pans in there, so there is a bit of grease. I might try a water only run when I have only glasses and plates. Thanks for the tip!

[user1483808257]

I run every other wash without a tablet, much cheaper and works fine.

[holdthewine]

I have used laundry tablets and they work perfectly fine. Never use washing up liquid!

[Melassa]

I've never really thought of running it without detergent, although I've had the odd occasion where the detergent flap didn't open, so the dishes were essentially washed in just water. Mind you, while they did come out pretty much clean, a few knives remained crusty (from peanut butter etc) and for some reason parsley flecks stayed on the plate. Not sure what it was about the parsley that made it so resistant...

[whirlyswirly]

I used washing up liquid. Don't do that.