The complete guide
When plain water stops being enough
Ultrasonic cavitation does the mechanical work regardless of what's in the tank, bubbles collapsing against a surface and physically dislodging what's on it. What water alone doesn't do well is break down grease, oils and certain organic residues at a chemical level, which is where a formulated concentrate earns its keep. If items are coming out of a plain-water cycle still looking dull or greasy rather than genuinely clean, that's the signal to add a proper solution rather than running a longer cycle on water alone.