The internet is full of clever cleaning hacks that promise to save time, money, and effort. Some become household favorites, while others turn out to be more hype than help. One trick making the rounds involves placing a dishwasher tablet near the shower drain and using hot water to dissolve it, supposedly helping with soap residue, odors, and slow drainage.

It sounded almost too simple, so I decided to see what would happen over a month. Once a week, I dissolved a standard dishwasher tablet with very hot—not boiling—water and thoroughly rinsed the area afterward. During the first week, the most obvious difference was the strong clean scent. By the second week, residue around the drain seemed somewhat easier to wipe away, although hair still needed to be removed manually. By week three, the occasional musty smell seemed noticeably reduced. But after the fourth treatment, I started noticing something else that changed my opinion of the hack.