GradedHealth

Dishwasher Rinse Aid

Last reviewed October 2026 · Based on 3 studies

Bottom line

In lab tests, dishwasher rinse aid and its alcohol ethoxylate ingredients damaged the barrier of cultured human gut cells. No human studies have tested whether residue on dishes affects anyone's health, so the evidence is preliminary.

What it helps with

  • Rinse aid residue on dishes damages the gut lining — Harm, evidence grade D (Preliminary). Lab studies only (cultured gut cells, organoids, gut-on-a-chip) from one research group; no human or animal data found.

What it is

Rinse aid, also called rinse agent, is a product used in dishwashers, and alcohol ethoxylates are among its ingredients [1].

What the research says

One 2022 lab study found rinse aid was toxic to human gut lining cells in a dose-dependent manner up to a 1:20,000 dilution and weakened the cell barrier in cell layers, organoids and a gut-on-a-chip [1]. Alcohol ethoxylates, tested alone, had a strong toxic and barrier-damaging effect [1]. The authors also reported rinse aid left on washed dishware from professional dishwashers that was cytotoxic and barrier-damaging in the same tests [1]. We found no human or animal studies and no replication.

Safety and interactions

We found no human data on side effects from residue on dishes, on upper limits, on interactions with medicines, on pregnancy or breastfeeding, or on people with kidney, liver or bleeding conditions. Swallowing dishwasher detergent concentrate is a separate, well-documented danger for small children: a US analysis counted 62,254 children under 6 exposed to laundry and dishwasher detergents in 2013 and 2014, and a New Zealand hospital series described dishwasher powder as highly corrosive [2][3]. Keep detergents out of children's reach and ask a doctor or poison centre if one is swallowed.

Caveats and open questions

The evidence is one research group's work in cells in a dish [1]. How much rinse aid a person could actually swallow from dishes, whether household machines leave the same residue, and whether any of this matters for health are all open questions [1].

References

  1. Gut epithelial barrier damage caused by dishwasher detergents and rinse aids.. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2023.
  2. Pediatric Exposures to Laundry and Dishwasher Detergents in the United States: 2013-2014.. Pediatrics, 2016.
  3. Serious injuries from dishwasher powder ingestions in small children.. J Paediatr Child Health, 2006.