A dishwasher can look clean while grease, limescale, food residue and detergent buildup collect in hidden areas such as the filter, spray-arm channels and internal plumbing. A dedicated dishwasher cleaner can help tackle that buildup and unpleasant odors, but the best choice depends on whether your main problem is hard-water scale, grease, odors, or simple monthly maintenance.
We compared leading dishwasher cleaners on cleaning focus, format, ease of use, and available safety information to narrow down the best options.
Best Dishwasher Cleaners at a Glance
| Dishwasher cleaner | Best for | Format | Main cleaning focus | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner | Best overall | Tablets | Mineral buildup, residue, odors | Best balance of convenience and routine cleaning |
| Finish Dishwasher Cleaner | Deep cleaning | Liquid | Grease + limescale | Best for a visibly dirty machine |
| Glisten Dishwasher Machine Cleaner | Hard water & limescale | Liquid | Limescale, rust, grease, odors | Best multipurpose heavy-duty option |
| Finish In-Wash Dishwasher Cleaner | Convenience | Tablets | Grease and grime | Best if you don’t want an empty cycle |
| Lemi Shine Dishwasher Cleaner | Mineral deposits | Powder/liquid-style cleaner | Hard-water deposits | Best choice for a citric-acid-focused approach |
1. Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner — Best Overall
Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner Tablets
Why we recommend it: Affresh is an especially easy choice for regular dishwasher maintenance. Its tablets are formulated to address limescale and mineral buildup, and the manufacturer recommends monthly use or cleaning as needed.
The formula includes ingredients such as citric acid, sodium bisulfate and sodium carbonate, while Affresh says its dishwasher cleaner uses EPA Safer Choice-certified ingredients and is septic-safe.
Best for:
- Monthly maintenance
- Hard-water buildup
- Dishwasher odors and residue
- People who prefer tablets
Potential downside: Tablets are less flexible than buying a bulk cleaning ingredient such as citric acid, and severe physical grime still requires manual cleaning of the filter and seals.
Verdict: The best dishwasher cleaner for most households.
2. Finish Dishwasher Cleaner — Best for Deep Cleaning
Finish Dishwasher Cleaner
Finish takes a different approach from tablet-based cleaners. Its liquid dishwasher cleaner is designed to attack grease and limescale in hidden parts of the dishwasher, including internal pipes. Finish recommends using the cleaner in an empty dishwasher on a high-temperature cycle; one regional product page specifies at least 60°C.
Best for:
- Greasy buildup
- Older or heavily used dishwashers
- Limescale
- A periodic deep clean
Potential downside: The liquid bottle requires a dedicated cleaning cycle, so it isn’t as convenient as an in-wash product.
Verdict: Choose Finish when your dishwasher needs more than routine maintenance.
3. Glisten Dishwasher Machine Cleaner — Best for Hard Water
Glisten Dishwasher Magic is another strong choice if mineral deposits are a major problem. Good Housekeeping’s 2026 roundup selected Glisten as its overall pick, noting that it tackles limescale and rust as well as odors and grease. It is also EPA Safer Choice certified.
The bottle-style design is straightforward: expose the wax plug, place the bottle upside down in the silverware basket and run the hottest, longest cycle recommended for the dishwasher.
Best for:
- Hard-water households
- Limescale
- Rust stains
- Odor problems
Potential downside: The lemon fragrance isn’t universally loved, according to Good Housekeeping’s review.
Verdict: A particularly good pick when hard water is your main enemy.
4. Finish In-Wash Dishwasher Cleaner — Best for Convenience
Finish In-Wash Dishwasher Cleaner
If you don’t want to run an empty dishwasher just to clean the appliance, Finish offers In-Wash Dishwasher Cleaning Tabs. The product is designed to clean the machine while it cleans a normal load of dishes. Finish says the product provides more grease-removal actives than detergent alone.
Best for:
- Busy households
- Regular maintenance
- People who dislike empty cleaning cycles
- Grease and grime
Potential downside: Availability and exact instructions can vary by market, so check the package and your dishwasher manufacturer’s instructions.
Verdict: The easiest option for people who want dishwasher cleaning to happen alongside normal washing.
5. Lemi Shine Dishwasher Cleaner — Best for Mineral Buildup
Lemi Shine is worth considering if your biggest issue is hard-water residue. Citric acid is particularly effective at breaking down mineral deposits; Epicurious has also highlighted citric acid’s usefulness for removing mineral buildup in kitchen appliances.
Lemi Shine’s dishwasher cleaner is used in an empty dishwasher, followed by a normal cleaning cycle.
Best for:
- Hard water
- Mineral deposits
- Cloudy interiors
- Homes looking for a citric-acid-based cleaner
Potential downside: Citric acid is excellent for mineral deposits but isn’t a substitute for physically removing food debris from the filter or wiping dirty seals.
Verdict: A smart choice when mineral buildup is your primary problem.
Affresh vs. Finish: Which Dishwasher Cleaner Is Better?
This is probably the most useful comparison if you’re choosing between two widely available options.
| Feature | Affresh | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Tablet | Liquid or in-wash tablet, depending on product |
| Best at | Routine maintenance & mineral buildup | Grease + limescale |
| Empty dishwasher required? | Usually, depending on how you use it | Liquid: yes; In-Wash: no |
| Hard-water buildup | Excellent | Excellent |
| Grease | Good | Excellent |
| Convenience | Excellent | Excellent with In-Wash tabs |
| Best overall | Yes | Best for deeper cleaning |
Affresh’s official instructions allow its tablet to be used either in the detergent tray with an empty machine or at the bottom of the dishwasher when dishes are present, while Finish offers separate liquid and in-wash products for different cleaning approaches.
Our pick: Affresh for routine monthly maintenance; Finish liquid when the dishwasher has substantial grease and limescale buildup.
What Does Dishwasher Cleaner Actually Remove?
Dishwasher cleaner isn’t the same thing as dishwasher detergent.
Dishwasher detergent is designed primarily to clean the dishes.
Dishwasher cleaner is designed to clean the machine itself, targeting things such as:
- Grease and food residue
- Detergent buildup
- Limescale and mineral deposits
- Unpleasant odors
- Residue in hidden areas
This distinction matters because a dishwasher can continue washing dishes while gradually accumulating residue inside the machine. Finish specifically describes grease and limescale buildup in hidden dishwasher components and pipes, while Affresh emphasizes mineral buildup and descaling.
How Often Should You Clean a Dishwasher?
For routine maintenance, about once a month is a reasonable starting point. Affresh specifically recommends monthly use or cleaning as needed.
You may need more frequent attention if:
- Your dishwasher runs several times a day.
- You have very hard water.
- The machine develops an odor.
- Glassware develops removable mineral deposits.
- You notice grease or residue inside the tub.
However, a dishwasher cleaner isn’t a replacement for basic maintenance. Clean the dishwasher filter and wipe the door gasket/seals separately, because a cleaning tablet or liquid isn’t necessarily designed to physically remove debris trapped there. Recent consumer discussions also emphasize that dirty seals often need manual cleaning.
Are Dishwasher Cleaning Tablets Worth It?
For most people, yes—if they’re used as periodic maintenance rather than as a substitute for cleaning the dishwasher filter.
The biggest advantage is convenience: put the dedicated cleaner in the machine and run the appropriate cycle. Affresh, for example, recommends monthly cleaning and sells its cleaner in six-tablet packs.
There is also a cheaper DIY route: citric acid can be effective against mineral deposits. Some cleaning enthusiasts use bulk citric acid instead of branded tablets, although you should check your dishwasher’s owner’s manual before using an alternative cleaning method.
Final Verdict
If you want the best dishwasher cleaner for most homes, I’d choose Affresh Dishwasher Cleaner. Its tablet format is convenient, it is designed specifically for dishwasher mineral buildup, and the manufacturer recommends monthly use.
Choose Finish Dishwasher Cleaner if your machine has noticeable grease or heavy buildup, Glisten if hard water and limescale are the biggest problems, Finish In-Wash Cleaner if convenience is your priority, and Lemi Shine if you’re particularly focused on mineral deposits.
Quick picks:
- 🏆 Best overall: Affresh
- 🧽 Best deep clean: Finish Dishwasher Cleaner
- 💧 Best for hard water: Glisten
- ⚡ Best convenience: Finish In-Wash Cleaner
- 🍋 Best citric-acid/mineral approach: Lemi Shine
Tip: Always check your dishwasher owner’s manual and the cleaner’s label before use, particularly if your appliance manufacturer specifies a particular cleaning product or cycle.
