We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

There’s a hack that’s gone viral on TikTok, and all it takes is your regular laundry detergent and a freezer. While we have to say it’s quite clever — it’s basically a way to DIY your own laundry pods, which are notoriously quite expensive — experts agree that it may be a laundry hack that’s a waste of time.

Each creator demonstrating this hack follows a similar process: Detergent is poured into silicone ice cube trays and left in the freezer overnight. Once completely frozen, the cubes are removed and placed in a container to safely store in the freezer. A cube is taken out of the container and thrown into the washing machine with a load of dirty laundry, just like you would a normal pod. It’s seriously as simple as that.

The purpose of the hack seems quite simple: no more spills or over-pouring, just an easy toss and you’re done. It’s quite satisfying to watch the detergent being poured into the trays, especially when they’re going into fun-shaped silicone molds, so it’s not a shocker that these videos are gaining popularity. Not to mention, it’s an easy hack that anyone can try as long as they have laundry detergent and a silicone ice cube tray. But how does the detergent actually hold up once frozen, and is there any real benefit to this DIY?

While there’s no denying the frozen cubes look fun to prep and just toss in your washer with each load, is frozen laundry detergent the same as regular detergent? Here’s what we found.

It turns out laundry detergent is quite sensitive to extreme temperatures. This actually makes a lot of sense since it’s suggested that you shouldn’t store your laundry detergent in places like the garage with little to no temperature control. Once laundry detergent freezes, it can become unstable, leading to the separation and breakdown of the active ingredients, making it less effective over time. Not only can it become less effective, there’s also the possibility of uneven washing. While the ingredients of laundry detergent remain active even when frozen, they can clump together, making some parts more concentrated than others.

While frozen laundry detergent will still work to some extent, you’ll most likely end up having to use more to get the same results. And while more detergent will get your load clean, you may also end up with damaged and color faded clothes due to the possibility of extra detergent reacting with the fabric and dye. It’s also important to note that the more laundry detergent used, there’s a higher risk of damage being done to your washing machine. So, you have to ask yourself — is the convenience of frozen detergent cubes worth all of the risks and downsides?

After doing our research, our final verdict is that this is a popular TikTok cleaning trend to avoid. While using fun-shaped laundry detergent cube sounds like an exciting, mess-free, and time saving hack, it simply isn’t worth risking all of the potential issues you may run into. This hack could definitely cause more of a mess in the long run.

Viral hacks are fun to try as long as they’re harmless and get the job done right. We do laundry to keep our clothes fresh and clean, not to end up with damaged clothes or residue buildup in our washing machines. If you’re looking for clean convenience, we’d say it’s best to stick to the tried-and-true laundry pods. If you’re big on aesthetics and you just don’t like the way bulky laundry detergent containers look, then try putting your laundry detergent in a glass dispenser like the Glass Laundry Detergent Dispenser from TIPGO for a more a more efficient and stylish laundry room. At the end of the day, laundry is the last thing you want to experiment with. Stick with what works and skip the freezer.