Frequently asked questions

Your detergent needs to complement the cleansing action of your dishwasher. Automatic dishwashing detergent is specially formulated to disperse food residue and greasy soiling, hold it in suspension, and remove it in the final rinse. It does all this while producing little or no suds.

For best results use the detergent recommended by the manufacturer of your machine.

However, Finish is the #1 Recommended brand by leading dishwasher manufacturers such as Beko and Bosch*. In very hard water areas we also recommend the use of separate Salt and Rinse aid to protect your machine and achieve the best result.

*Finish is the most recommended detergent based on the market share of dishwasher manufacturers that recommend Finish

No need to! Pre-rinsing is a thing of the past. And although many British households do it, it’s time consuming and wasteful of precious resources.

Modern detergents such as Finish Quantum Ultimate contain both bleach and enzymes and are recommended by dishwasher manufacturers for use without pre-rinsing.

Bleach fights tough stains like tea and coffee, and enzymes breakdown proteins and starches. All you have to do is scrape the larger pieces into the rubbish bin and load your dishwasher.

Your dishwashing detergent should be stored in a dry environment. If you are using powder, be careful to close the spout after each use to help keep the product dry (and to avoid spills!). Like all cleaning products, store your detergent out of the reach of children.

Rinse aid is required to:

• Ensure spot-free, shiny dishes
• Assist the drying function

Salt is required to:

• protect your machine from limescale
• soften the water for better cleaning

With multi-benefit tablets such as Finish Quantum Ultimate and Finish All in One, rinse aid and salt functions are included. However, in very hard water areas we also recommend the use of separate Salt and Rinse aid products to protect your machine and achieve the best result.

Dishwasher tablets contain surfactants, which affect the liquid they are added to, making it more efficient at picking up and washing away debris. They also include enzymes (to break down starchy foods and protein), builders (to tackle hard water ) and safe bleaches.

Once you’ve put your dishwasher tablet into the detergent dispenser compartment, your machine will release the contents at the optimal time allowing the tab to disintegrate into the water, release all ingredients and clean your dishes!

Dishwasher tablets are very simple to use. If needed, remove any protective packaging, pop the tablet into your detergent dispensing compartment, close the compartment, turn on your washing machine and let technology and Finish handle the rest!

For detailed information on how to use Finish Tablets, read on below.

For optimal results, it is recommended to also use Finish Rinse Aid for shinier and drier dishes (vs detergent alone).

Detergent tablets should always be placed in the detergent dispenser compartment.

If you’re placing the tablet at the bottom of the dishwasher it’s likely that it will dissolve too quickly, releasing the detergent during the prewash and leaving no detergent for the main wash cycle. This will reduce the efficiency of your wash.

The standard shelf life of dishwasher tablets is two years but it’s best not to stockpile Finish products in case the product and its packaging deteriorates over time.

While using an out-of-date dishwasher tablet isn’t going to cause any damage to your kitchenware or dishwasher, it may be less effective than when used within the correct timeframe.

Whether you need to remove the plastic from your dishwasher tablet depends on the product you have bought. As a good rule of thumb, if the tablet comes individually wrapped then yes, you should remove the plastic wrap before using. If, however, the tablet is encased in a skin of thin, transparent plastic, this should not be removed and will dissolve itself safely during the washing process.

Dishwasher tablets should only go in the dishwasher detergent compartment of your dishwasher, not loose in the dishwasher itself.

If your tablet is not dissolving properly this could be down to two reasons: the water isn’t hot enough or it isn’t being released from the detergent compartment at the right time.
You should first check that the cycle you are using is hot enough (around 45 to 65°C) to fully dissolve the ingredients – see your manual for more advice.
Check that the spring on the detergent dispenser door/clip is working. Sometimes they get stuck and it can mean the tablets aren’t released at the proper time, i.e. when the water is hottest. If you’ve found that this is an issue, you may want to check our articles on dishwasher maintenance and care.