Thinking of switching to Blueland Dishwasher Detergent Tablets for a greener clean? Here’s an honest review from a mom of 3 who gave them a real-life test—and wasn’t impressed.
About Blueland Dishwasher Tablets
Blueland’s mission is beautiful: reduce single-use plastic by offering refillable, sustainable home cleaning solutions. Their dishwasher tablets (or pods) are completely naked—no plastic film, no synthetic fragrances, and they come in compostable packaging. Safe for the planet, and safe for homes with curious toddlers like mine.
I was excited. A brand that claims to be eco-friendly and effective? Sign me up. So I placed an order on Amazon. It costs about $23 for 60 tablets. Unfortunately, when it arrived the performance didn’t match the promise.
Our Experience
As a mom of three, I run the dishwasher once—sometimes twice—a day. We put these pods to the test across a full range of family messes: spaghetti night plates, smoothie blender jars, crusty baking trays. And what did we get?
Cloudy glasses. Gritty spoons. Funky smells.
I adjusted the water temperature, added rinse aid, and even used the “heavy duty” setting. No matter what I did, the results were underwhelming. Some loads were borderline okay, but many needed manual rewashing defeating the whole purpose of a dishwasher.
Even my usually chill husband asked, “Did the dishwasher even run?” That’s when I knew it wasn’t just me being picky.
After two weeks of testing, I gave up and went back to our old pods. Sorry, Blueland.
Is Blueland Safe?
Absolutely. Blueland’s dishwasher pods are:
- Free from chlorine bleach
- Paraben- and phosphate-free
- Non-toxic
- Safe around kids and pets
They’re a great choice if you’re hyper-conscious about chemicals in your home. But here’s the catch: gentle doesn’t always mean effective. While they’re safe, they’re just not strong enough for our high-traffic kitchen.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
✅ Plastic-free, compostable packaging
✅ Non-toxic, eco-conscious ingredients
✅ Compact, space-saving design
✅ Kid- and pet-safe
Cons:
❌ Doesn’t clean thoroughly
❌ Leaves cloudy film and food residue
❌ Sour smell after several cycles
❌ Expensive for underwhelming results
Better Alternatives (Amazon Favorites)
If you’re searching for eco-friendly but actually effective dishwasher detergent, here are a few highly-rated options:
- Seventh Generation Dishwasher Detergent Packs
🌿 Plant-based and seriously effective. A solid upgrade from Blueland. - Ecover Automatic Dishwasher Tablets
🌱 Clean ingredients and clean dishes—great for hard water areas.
Final Thoughts
I wanted to fall in love with Blueland Dishwasher Tablets. The mission, the packaging, the eco-friendly ingredients—it all felt perfect. But as much as I support sustainable swaps, my dishes just didn’t get clean. And as a mom juggling three kids, school runs, and never-ending laundry, I need products that work.
If Blueland ever reformulates, I’d be open to trying them again. But for now? I’m going back to what actually works—even if it comes with a bit more plastic.
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