Sprinkling Tang in Your Dishwasher Is the Surprising Way to Keep It Clean
If you’re sick and tired of dealing with gunked-up dishes and glasses that don’t look much cleaner than when you first put them in your dishwasher, you may think it’s time to get a new machine. Whether the gritty deposits at the bottom of your mugs or the god-awful scent from a supposedly clean glass tipped you off, there’s a simple solution to your dishwashing woes that doesn’t involve paying for new equipment. Return your dishwasher to its former glory simply by cleaning it with a sprinkle of Tang.
How do you use Tang to clean your dishwasher?
You read that right: You can clean a dishwasher with Tang, the orange-flavored powdered drink you used to give your kids. Apparently, this cleaning hack comes straight from the dishwasher technicians themselves. The reason Tang is such a powerful cleaner is because it contains citric acid, a compound that’s great for cleaning and disinfecting.
The best part about cleaning with Tang is that it’s so gosh darn cheap. Pick up a canister of the drink mix at your grocery store for a few bucks (Buy at Walmart, $2.58) or buy it in bulk online (Buy on Amazon, $12.47) if you can’t find it near you. It could be that the hardest part of this whole process is just buying the Tang — the cleanup itself is a breeze. Here’s how to clean a dishwasher with Tang in five easy steps.
- Empty your dishwasher.
- Turn on your kitchen sink until the water runs hot.
- Shut off the faucet when the water is hot and start your dishwasher.
- Let the cycle run for two to three minutes and then stop it. Pour Tang into the detergent dispenser and sprinkle liberally along the bottom rack as well.
- Shut the door and finish the cycle. Repeat this process once a month to keep hard-water deposits at bay.
Take a look at our guide on how to clean a dishwasher for more tips that will help make sure you never have to deal with funky odors and caked-on food again. Then celebrate by drinking a cold glass of zesty Tang — why should the dishwasher be the only one to enjoy the drink?