Phosphate free dishwashing soap and dirty dishes

<p>Not all States banned these phosphates. I am in Texas and our detergent has not changed formulas. I found this tidbit about the states included:</p>

<p>“States instituting the rule include Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, reports the Associated Press.”</p>

<p>On another note, our water is really hard so water softeners are basically mandatory!</p>

<p>Our state didn’t institute it either. But we can’t buy the phosphate stuff here. The manufacturers supposedly changed the formulas for everywhere. Check next time you are in the store.</p>

<p>Collegeshopping -we are in Texas, and I’m sure our dishwasher detergent has changed!!! And not for the good either - :eek:</p>

<p>The store brand my local grocery store sells comes in phosphate and nonphosphate versions, identified by a different code letter on the box. I looked for the phosphate version but couldn’t find one (and I live in a state that did not ban phosphates). I am looking forward to hearing swimcatsmom’s results!</p>

<p>In my opinion, it is better to conserve water, use phosphates (less than 10% in detergents that contain them) and end up with clean dishes than to waste water, eliminate phosphates and have dirty dishes.</p>

<p>I had this problem running my new-ish (2005) dishwasher on the Energy Saver setting. There was gunk on the dishes and on the inside surface of the dishwasher. Once I switched to the regular wash setting, the problem went away.</p>

<p>I recently read that the dish washing detergent manufacturers are making only phosphate-free detergent as it is simpler for them to do this than to make both kinds and then make sure that that the correct kind only goes to certain states.
Huge bummer, I agree.</p>

<p>Last fall we suddenly started having the same problems with our dishewasher. I did some research via google, and it definitely is the combination of hard water and phosphate free detergent causing the trouble. The on line suggestion which worked for me was to add 1/4 cup of old fashioned powdered 20 Mule Team Borax Laundry Booster to the floor of the dishwasher when starting every load. Add your normal detergent products(s) and wash as usual. </p>

<p>My neighbor had the repair person from Sears out for the same problem. He recommended Lemi-Shine.</p>

<p>My question for all you scientists out there: do you think one product or the other is more likely to damage the china? When my kids were little, I worked in the fine China/Bridal Registry area of a major department store. The china & flatware manafacturers were all in complete agreement to NEVER use any product with lemon as it could cause pitting over time. Any thoughts on the matter?</p>

<p>I tried Lemi-Shine for a few loads now with phosphate free Cascade. Doesn’t work. There is a film on the flatware and sticky foods like egg are not coming clean from the plates. </p>

<p>I’m going to order from restockit also.</p>

<p>We had the same problems! I actually called the 1-800 number for Cascade and they basically admitted that their product no longer works well since the phosphates have been removed. My understanding is that several states have outlawed the use of phosphates in detergents (I wonder what will be happening with laundry detergent, hmmm . . . ), so the manufacturers have removed it from their products nationally in response. I guess that is easier from a manufacturing perspective.</p>

<p>I was told by a local source to add a very small amount of trisodium phosphate (TSP) in our dishwasher detergent compartment (about 1/4 teaspoon) with our regular detergent (we also switched from Cascade Complete to Finish PowerBall tablets, which seems to have helped). We have not had problems since. You can find TSP in the paint department at a hardware store. It is a cleaner.</p>

<p>I hope this helps.</p>

<p>You may find the Consumer Reports article helpful:
<a href=“http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2010/08/09/consumer-reports-finds-low-phosphate-dishwasher-detergents-that-work/[/url]”>http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2010/08/09/consumer-reports-finds-low-phosphate-dishwasher-detergents-that-work/&lt;/a&gt; </p>

<p>I remember having a terrible time with my dishwasher (and hard water) last year. I was going crazy dealing with it and trying everything on the market. </p>

<p>I did try the products that Consumer Reports recommended and I have to agree with them. Finish Quantum does work quite well as does the Finish Powerball tablets. Yup, the stuff is pricey, but they do work well and I no longer have icky looking glasses and dishes, so that makes it worth it to me. However, my inner frugalite cringes every time I use on of those Quantum tablets. I am just not used to spending so much to wash my dishes!</p>

<p>My commercial cascade dishwasher soap arrived. I’ll let you all know after a couple of washes. Of course I have to somehow stop my husband from mixing it the huge box of non working non phosphate stuff we still have left from SAMS. Hopefully I can at least try it before he messes with it.</p>

<p>I had heard about TSP. I don’t want to use it, because the phosphates truly are an environmental problem and my greenie self would have hypocrisy problems. But my dishes are scummy.</p>

<p>On to Quantum Finish Power Ball!!!</p>

<p>I was ready to buy a new dishwasher because of the dirty dishes, but the timing fits with the detergent change. We also have a soft water system so that wasn’t the problem. I tried Finish Quantum and the dishes are noticeably better but not the same as they were before.</p>

<p>Initial first verdict after one wash:
My tea mugs that were grossly stained are clean. Before, they were coming out of the diswasher not only stained but actually dirty. I was having to scrub then with a coarse sponge when the stains got more than I could stand. One wash through with the commercial dishsoap and the tea stains are gone!! (I drink a lot of tea so this is a big deal for me - the mugs were the first thing I checked).
My flatware is shiny - shiny!!! - for the first time in ages. Before they were really dull and dirty looking with a sort of film on them. I was actually excited to see a shiny spoon. :rolleyes:
My black cooking utensils still have the white cloudy look to them. Hopefully an improvement after a couple more washes - or maybe it is permanent. I’ll let you know.
My plates and bowls are not gritty feeling but smooth and shiney and - CLEAN! </p>

<p>Huge difference. HUGE. More than expected. I was actually grinning from ear to ear like an absolute idiot when I checked the contents of my dishwasher. </p>

<p>Do I need a life or what? I always used to laugh at commercials where they showed women getting all giddy and happy over cleaning products. I am not exactly Suzy homemaker (as far from as a person can be) so believe me it had to be bad for it to bother me. After months of dirty dishes coming out of the dishwasher, I would have made a good advertisement today for dishwashing soap (commercial grade - not the rubbish they are selling us in the stores). </p>

<p>Never thought I’d be so happy to see clean dishes :D</p>

<p>which Cascade did you order? I went to the website and saw several different Cascade boxes for sale. Sigh. While I love options, sometimes, I wish we didn’t have to many choices. Just tell me which damn box to buy! LOL</p>

<p>it was the Cascade Automatic Dishwasher Detergent 85 oz. With Phosphates. You have to buy a case of 6. $51.99 but free shipping. I think I see a 5% coupon on there right now, which was not on there (or I did not notice it) when I ordered.</p>

<p>The delivery was very quick. I think I ordered it friday or saturday and got it tuesday. Ordered it through restockit but they had an option to check out through Amazon, which I used as I have an Amazon account.</p>

<p>Quantum Finish Powerball!! Highest rating, highest price.
At least we aren’t buying another dishwasher, only to continue to have scummy dishes.</p>

<p>Life is so much better with CC!</p>

<p>I just ordered mine. </p>

<p>This morning I had to wash all my coffee mugs by hand because the coffee stains weren’t coming off the cups. (Just like the tea for swimcatsmom).</p>

<p>I don’t feel guilty one bit. If restaurants that wash thousands of dishes every day can order this then why can’t I who do one load every other day? </p>

<p>By not washing my dishes twice I’m saving water and the gas that heats it.</p>

<p>Thanks Swimcatsmom.</p>

<p>Now that you mention…we’ve had more “rejects” from the dishwasher recently.</p>

<p>“He has explained to me that newer dishwashers aren’t meant to clean, they are meant to sanitize” - I’m glad my old dishwasher keeps running fairly well. We scrape our dishes, but we have never rinsed them… I probably won’t like a newer model.</p>