Can You Clean Your Dishwasher With Lemons?

There are a lot of dubious claims out there on social media, but sometimes, you get lucky and come across a tip that offers bonafide results. And that’s exactly what’s happening with the lemon dishwasher hack that everyone is currently fanning over on TikTok. 

Over the last few weeks, videos by influencers like lynsey_queenofclean have been going absolutely viral on the platform. In just 10 seconds, Lynsey changes her followers’ lives (or, at least their cleaning routines) by suggesting they toss a lemon in their dishwasher as a way to clean their dishes and the machine itself, along with keeping “limescale at bay.” 

It seems super simple, right? Yes. But, there are a few caveats. Keep reading to find out how to use this hack the right way. 

What is limescale anyway? 

Limescale, American Home Water explained, is made up of calcium and carbonate ions found in hard water. It’s not hazardous to your health, but it is gross looking and can clog drains. “Accumulated limescale can easily clog your showerhead holes, faucets, and plumbing systems,” the website added. “Layers of limescale will keep on accumulating until your pipes are completely sealed. If this happens, your only option is to unclog or replace your plumbing system.” Additionally, it added that Limescale build-up in appliances can reduce their efficiency by 30%, meaning you’ll have to hand-scrub those pots and pans if your dishwasher can’t do the trick. 

How does lemon help fight limescale?

Lemon’s acidic properties are excellent for fighting off limescale, which is alkaline, meaning the two are totally incompatible (in a good way). 

“Acids, like lemon juice, can react with the calcium carbonate in limescale, dissolving it and making it easier to remove from surfaces,” Diamond Home Support explains on its website. “This process is known as chelation, in which an acid binds to a metal ion, effectively dissolving the mineral deposits.”

Best of all, lemons are a super eco-friendly tool, and you can get bonus points for having them pull double-duty as a drink garnish and cleaning agent. 

How should I use a lemon in my dishwasher? 

You shouldn’t just toss a whole lemon in there and call it a day. In fact, you shouldn’t even just throw in a slice. As Lynsey, and other influencers, noted, it’s key to prep the lemon by taking out all the seeds before adding to your dishwasher as they may become lodged in the various parts of your machine causing it to clog — or worse, to break. So instead, stick to adding a lemon that you’ve already used for cooking, in dressings, or squeezed into a drink, take out the seeds, and pop what’s leftover in the top rack. As bonus, once the rinse cycle is done, you’ll get to enjoy that lemon-fresh scent. 

So, does this hack work?

It could. In theory. As long as you used a lot of lemons. But as Larry Ciufo, senior test project leader at Consumer Reports, noted in 2023, you may just want to purchase a cleaning solution specifically for this task. “I would use a dishwasher cleaner that is made for that,” Ciufo said, adding that half a lemon likely won’t have the descaling power you need. But hey, never hurts to try.