Short answer: In Affresh vs Uproot, pick Uproot if dog hair stuck in the drum is your worry, since it’s sold for pet hair. It also lists enzymes and runs every 2 weeks. Pick Affresh instead for a once-a-month routine from Whirlpool’s own cleaner brand.
With a dog in the house, we’d pick our own LoveMyPuppy Washer Cleaner Tablets. You run one a month, and you also get 45 days for a full refund with nothing to send back. See our Washer Cleaner Tablets.
You lift the fleece out of the washer and sniff it. Still musty. Then you spot a gray ring of fur clinging to the door seal, even though you washed that blanket this morning.
If you keep running loads through a musty drum, the towels can come out smelling like the drum too.
Full disclosure: LoveMyPuppy sells the tablets, the Pet Hair Remover Glove and the printable puppy kit linked on this page.
Affresh vs Uproot: which is better?
Uproot fits a heavy shedder whose owner will clean every 2 weeks. Affresh, however, suits a house that wants one reminder a month.
| What to check | Affresh | Uproot Pro | LoveMyPuppy tablets |
|---|---|---|---|
| What the maker lists inside | Sodium percarbonate, sodium carbonate, processing aids, fragrance | Sodium percarbonate, sodium carbonate, citric acid, enzymes and more | Baking soda and citric acid |
| Pet hair | No pet hair claim | Loosens hair, doesn’t fully dissolve it | Made for musty puppy bedding; fur comes off first |
What’s in Affresh washing machine cleaner?
Affresh lists sodium percarbonate as its oxidizer, plus sodium carbonate, processing aids and fragrance. Whirlpool owns Affresh, and its Whirlpool, Maytag and Amana brands all recommend it.
It’s also EPA Safer Choice Certified, and its FAQ lists no ingredients harmful to a septic system.
Good for: a set-and-forget monthly routine, septic homes.
Watch out for: no pet hair claim. Real Simple says a washer that hasn’t been cleaned in a while may need several uses.
What’s in Uproot washing machine cleaner, and is Pro or Ultra better?
Uproot lists a surfactant first, then sodium percarbonate, citric acid and enzymes such as protease and lipase. Pro is an 11 gram unscented tablet for one small or medium pet. Ultra, in contrast, is 15 grams and lightly scented, for several or big pets. Uproot calls Ultra 40% more powerful, but we couldn’t check that.
Good for: heavy shedders, owners who want enzymes, a fragrance-free option.
Watch out for: a 2-week routine to keep up.
What did independent testers find on Affresh vs Uproot?
Uproot, however, wasn’t in either big test we read.
In a September 2026 report, Consumer Reports tried seven store-bought cleaners plus bleach. Its home evaluator didn’t find that Affresh did anything for the black buildup on her door gasket, though most products struggled with that spot.
Real Simple tested 10 cleaners in editors’ homes. OxiClean won Best Overall and Active won Best Tablets. Affresh made the list as Best for Septic Systems, though the editors didn’t test it themselves.
For the ratings Uproot’s own customers left on its page, see our Uproot reviews section.
Affresh vs Uproot: how often should you use each?
Affresh asks for monthly cleans, while Uproot asks for every 2 weeks. Even so, with visible buildup or a strong odor, Real Simple’s expert suggests cleaning more often.
Days between routine cleans, per each maker
A story from Michael Northcutt, our founder: Our friends got three squeaky toys, a bandana and a donut-shaped bed when their first puppy came home. But what they really needed was a plan for Tuesday.
I stopped by on day four. “Nobody told me it would be like this,” my friend said.
Then, in about ten minutes, she asked me a dozen questions. When does she need to go out? Who gets up at night?
Still, not one gift by the couch answered a single question.
Now when someone I know is getting a puppy, I bring something for the hands and something for the brain. The brain part is a printed schedule and a log they can stick on the fridge on day one.
Affresh vs Uproot: which gets dog hair out of the washer?
Even Uproot, the cleaner sold for pet hair, hedges. The Uproot FAQ says the tablets don’t fully dissolve pet hair, but help loosen it. They contain proteins meant for hair, purposely not made strong so they won’t damage the machine.
Affresh’s product page makes no pet hair claim.
Heavy fur has to come off first, whichever tablet you pick, because wet clumps of hair can keep water from draining. These steps follow Consumer Reports’ pet hair guide:
- Run a damp rubber glove over the blanket.
- Tumble it 10 minutes on no heat. Then more hair loosens into the lint trap.
- Give it a good shake, then wash it.
- Clean out what’s left. Run an empty wash or self-clean cycle, then wipe the drum.
Why we’d pick LoveMyPuppy tablets for a puppy house
- Fur off first, then the tablet. Uproot’s own FAQ admits its tabs don’t completely dissolve pet hair. Our Pet Hair Remover Glove gets the fur off before the wash. Our supplier confirms the tablets dissolve loose hair left in the drum, but we haven’t independently verified it.
- Once a month. Twelve tablets last a year, while Uproot’s 2-week routine comes to about 26 a year.
- A refund with nothing to send back. You get 45 days for a full refund, and you keep the box. Uproot’s current policy allows return requests within 30 days of receipt for unused items. Return shipping is deducted from the refund. Meanwhile, Affresh doesn’t state a guarantee on its page.
- Free US shipping on every option.
A washer that reeks right now is better served by a local store’s box today, since ours is for the steady monthly clean after that.
No independent tester has tried our tablets yet. Also, they usually take 1 to 2 weeks to arrive. Our supplier lists no enzymes, while Uproot lists several.
For a maker’s septic statement, Affresh and Uproot both give one, and our page doesn’t.
Affresh vs Uproot: are both safe for HE, front load and septic washers?
Both makers say their tablets suit HE, front-load and top-load washers and septic systems. Our box, too, is labeled for HE and works in top and front loaders.
LG warns that chlorine bleach or acidic cleaners on the Tub Clean cycle can discolor or corrode the machine. Its front loader page recommends an oxygen-based tub cleaner instead.
Uproot and our tablets both list citric acid, so LG front-load owners should check the manual first. Affresh, in contrast, lists an oxygen bleach, sodium percarbonate.
Can you use washer cleaner tablets in a house with a puppy?
Yes, as long as you keep the box closed on a high shelf. If yours chews a tablet, call your vet.
How do you use a washer cleaner tablet the right way?
Affresh asks you to empty the tub first. Then, if a small piece is left, toss it and run your usual cycle with clothes. Our Affresh vs Tide guide has every Affresh step.
A washer cleaner tablet runs through an empty washer to clear residue and odor from the drum and seal. This routine fits either brand and ours. Still, your manual and the box label win if they differ.
- Empty the washer completely.
- Put one tablet in the drum, not the detergent drawer.
- Run the clean washer cycle, or a normal cycle with hot water if your washer has none.
- Skip every other cleaner. So no bleach or vinegar in the same cycle.
- Wipe the drum, door and seal once the cycle ends, to clear loosened residue.
Can you use bleach or vinegar instead of a washer cleaner?
For the drum cleaning cycle, use a cleaner your manual allows. Consumer Reports suggests half a cup of vinegar in the rinse to loosen pet hair. It also cautions that repeated vinegar use can damage a washer.
Never combine bleach with vinegar, ammonia or any other cleaner. Our washing machine cleaning guide also walks through the full routine.
When is the smell not the cleaner’s job?
A tablet cleans the drum and seal, so these smells need a different fix.
- The drum smells fine, but the room smells like sewage. That points to the drain, and our washing machine smells guide sorts the causes.
- Water sits in the drum after a cycle. In that case, check the drain pump filter the way your manual shows.
- The smell keeps coming back. Too much detergent or softener can leave residue and buildup, LG notes.
If the smell outlasts a clean filter and a cleaning cycle, then call the maker or an appliance repair service.
Affresh vs Uproot FAQ
Is Uproot worth it?
For a heavy shedder, it can be, if you’ll keep up a 2-week routine.
Can you use Affresh and Uproot together?
Neither maker’s page tells you to combine them. Use one tablet per cycle, with no other cleaner added.
What if my washer still smells after one cleaning?
Repeat it. Real Simple suggests two to three cycles back to back for an extra smelly machine. Clean the rubber door, detergent drawer and drum edges too.
How we put this together: In October 2026 we read both makers’ pages, Consumer Reports, Real Simple and LG support pages. None of us is an appliance technician, and we haven’t run Affresh or Uproot tablets in our washers.
Sources
- Consumer Reports: washing machine cleaners tested, by Jodhaira Rodriguez, September 2026, plus its pet hair and washer guide
- Real Simple: The 9 Best Washing Machine Cleaners We’ve Ever Tested, updated August 2026
- Affresh: Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets, 12 Count
- Uproot Clean: Washing Machine Cleaner Pro, plus its refund policy
- LG: Troubleshooting Musty Odors, plus its front-load tub cleaning help