A variant of a parent .alpha.-amylase enzyme having an improved washing and/or dishwashing performance as compared to the parent enzyme, wherein one or more amino acid residues of the parent enzyme have been replaced by a different amino acid residue and/or wherein one or more amino acid residues of the parent .alpha.-amylase have been deleted and/or wherein one or more amino acid residues have been added to the parent .alpha.-amylase enzyme, provided that the variant is different from one in which the methionine residue in position 197 of a parent B. licheniformis .alpha.-amylase has been replaced by alanine or threonine, as the only modification being made. The variant may be used for washing and dishwashing.