Why isn't the Dishwashing Tab wrapper dissolving?Updated 7 hours ago
TL;DR: Dishwashing Tabs are wrapped in a water-soluble PVA film that is designed to dissolve completely during the wash. Film or residue left behind almost always points to one of three things: where the tab was placed, how hot the cycle ran, or whether water was reaching the tab at all. Three checks below, in order.
What should I check first?
✓ Placement
Normal or auto cycles: in the dispenser. Short or eco cycles: flat on the tub floor under the lower spray arm.
✓ Temperature
The tab is built to activate in a wash reaching 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. Cold or very low temperature cycles can leave film behind.
✓ Water flow
Spray arms need to spin freely and the filter needs to be clean. Water has to reach the tab for anything to dissolve.
What if the tab is stuck or still not dissolving?
✓ Before loading
Dry hands only, and check the dispenser compartment is completely dry before the tab goes in. Moisture starts the PVA film dissolving early, or sticks the tab to the compartment.
Leave the film on. It's meant to go in with the tab.
✓ Try in order
Check the dispenser lid. Tall items, protruding handles or a crowded top rack can stop the lid opening mid-cycle.
Move to the tub floor. Lay the tab flat under the lower spray arm. Bypasses the dispenser entirely.
Switch to a hotter or longer cycle. Normal or intensive, reaching 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. Eco and quick cycles can run too cool or too short.
What about film or residue left on dishes?
✓ Quick fixes
Run a hot rinse cycle with no detergent to clear residue off the dishes and the interior. Top up the rinse-aid reservoir, which helps water sheet off cleanly. Move to a hotter wash cycle going forward. If your dishwasher has a salt reservoir, refill it with dishwasher salt.
Film that keeps coming back in the same pattern is usually hard water rather than the tab.
✓ What the film is made of
The wrapper is PVA, a water-soluble film used across dishwasher tabs, laundry pods and detergent sheets. It goes into the wash with the tab and needs no unwrapping. If you want the detail on what happens to it after the wash, that has its own article: Are Koh sheet and tablet products free from plastic?.
Why is the tab wrapped in film at all?
✓ A sealed dose, not a scoop
Dissolving is only half the job. The PVA film also holds the detergent in a pre-measured dose, so the tab goes straight from the pack into the dishwasher. There's nothing to tip, scoop or measure, and no loose powder on your hands or the bench.
That's part of why the tabs suit a sensitive household. Dishwashing Tabs are Sensitive Choice approved under the National Asthma Council Australia programme. People vary, so if someone in your home reacts to a particular ingredient, check the full list first: What are the ingredients of Dishwashing Tablets?.
Around 2 months in an average home. 10 ingredients, two enzymes, each tab sealed in water-soluble PVA film. GECA certified, Sensitive Choice approved.
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Last reviewed: September 2026 · Koh Australia