How to get your dishwasher back (Make phosphate detergent) Vanity

Self | 2/13/2011 | self

[dickmc]

Pittsburgh isn’t even in the Chesapeake watershed. However, like everywhere else apparently phosphates have disappeared from dishwasher detergents. The result is dishes that aren’t particularly clean and feel ‘slimy’.

After some checking, I found that the disappeared phosphate content in dishwasher detergent was around six percent. On a recent visit to the plumbing supply store to get some parts, I found that they still had one pound boxes of the real TSP (trisodium phosphate Na3PO4); not the fake ersatz 'TSP' stuff that Home Depot is only selling. In fact, the real TSP is still available all over the net.

Not being able to find any phosphate containing dishwasher detergent at any grocery store, I decided to make my own. Here’s how:

1. Buy a large 7.5 pound bottle of gel type dishwasher detergent.

2. Dump in a bucket and add one-half of a one pound box of TSP. This will make a 6.25% mix of TSP in the detergent. (Actually the weight percent of Phosphate in TSP (Na3PO4) is 58% making the Phosphate in the mix 6.25 x 0.58 or 3.6% …but… that’s good enough for government work!)

3. Stir with a paint stick. If you want, add a half-cup of water to somewhat reduce the gel viscosity.

4. After about one minute of stirring, the TSP particles will be thoroughly distributed in the gel. (They don’t dissolve but that’s OK as long as they are evenly mixed.)

5. Put back in the bottle ...with the leftover in the empty bottle. (A funnel helps which I had from garage stuff.)

Tried it out yesterday.

.

VIOLA! The dishes are now 'squeaky' clean with no slime film. Also, the dishwasher insides now look clean again.

Enjoy the info.

[mad_as_he$$]

Yes.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=tsp+cleaner&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid=33741513&ref=pd_sl_8r5t7ayp2j_b

[Vor Lady]

An FYI ping.

[Daffynition]

;-D

[ReverendJames]

You’re welcome. Our water is glacial. It comes from the Olympic Mountains behind us. Our well is 260’ down and our static level is 90’. The stuff is as pure as you can get and very sweet tasting. We could bottle and sell the stuff. There’s no calcium buildup on faucets or anything. Just that little bit of iron which is not really a problem.

[Downsouth55]

About ten years ago I had an obnoxious neighbor that built a fountain in his front yard. The damn thing made enough noise to wake the dead. My friend owns a commercial chemical company that mixes soaps and solvents for commercial use. He mixed me a very high phosphate soap that made unbelivable amounts of foam. I put a baby food jar full of it in fountain about midnight and the nest morning his yard was full of foam and I mean the whole yard. It took him two days to get the fountain to stop foaming. One more treatment and he filled it in.

[the_devils_advocate_666]

ping for later reference

[meowmeow]

bfl

[meowmeow]

bfl

[urtax$@work]

lead in bullets, lead in shot, lead in fishin sinkers, lead in fishin lures, monofilament fishing line, copolymer fishin line.

-----------------------

got my saved lead (dukNgeese really are a little easier with lead), and linen line good to go !

[GoldwaterChick]

I have been having trouble with my cologne (Nina Ricci).

I’ve tossed many half full bottles out because of lack of scent.

What do we look for,or avoid?

I thought it was me.

And I thought it was me! L’Air du Temps? My favorite. Haven’t bought it in years. Even tried it in out-of-the country duty shop—didn’t even smell the same and didn’t last. Been wondering about his for a long time!

[kalee]

Don’t let a cellist hear you say that. ;)

[FourPeas]

I’ve been using Borax until I can restock on TSP. You’re right. It’s great stuff.

[Nickname]

If you have water with alot of minerals in it, the removal of phosphates causes a problem - a white layer of soap/mineral scum is welded to the dishes.

. . .

That’s exactly what we ran into. My flatware and glasses were covered in a haze.

Adding a bit of TSP with each load has fixed it.

[Nickname]

When TSP is outlawed, only outlaws will have TSP.

See you in the gulag.

[Palladin]

Bookmarking this thread.

Got a heads-up on the lack-of-phosphate problem from Mona Charen, in one of her recent columns.

Glad to find that FReepers know how to solve the problem!

[logician2u]

As background:

Another Triumph for the Greens

[Palladin]

Gee, I thought I was losing my sense of smell! None of my favorite fragrances are the same anymore.

What will these environazis think of next?

[urtax$@work]

environmentalist movement is all about - making life harder for ordinary people

Good bumper sticker

[urtax$@work]

no discoloration of flatware?? i found using strong mixture of TSP for paint jobs to discolor metal pails, etc.

I guess all in the strength.....?! i will experiment with low dose mixtures first.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

I add a pinch to dishwasher loads as well the sink when I wash some things by hand. The only thing I do not add it too is my front loader washing machine because it is new. Don't know if it will mess it up.

I first read of it here on FR and it was as if an INCANDESCENT light bulb came on. Ah-HA!!! So that's why nothing is getting clean...