Posted on 08/18/2011 5:45:07 PM PDT by TSgt
Have you noticed a white film on your dishes in recent months? As we first reported earlier this year, the reason is a new environmental law.
Most manufacturers have reformulated their dishwasher detergents after laws limiting phosphates went into effect last year.
Julie Schimpf of Ft Thomas, Kentucky showed me how bad her dishes looked. Julie said "there's this frosty, filmy look on the top and bottom and it won't go away. I'm finding the same film here on the edges of my plates."
Complaints Nationwide
Our partners at Consumer Reports Magazine have heard many of the same complaints, from homeowners everywhere who are finding glasses and plates coated in white film.
Jim Nanni of Consumer Reports said "some readers wrote to us, complaining about film and buildup on their dishware."
So Consumer Reports started investigating. They ran the same set of dishes 20 times with the same detergent to simulate more than a month of dishwashing.
Film built up more with some detergents. With Method Smarty Dish, which the magazine said otherwise is a very good cleaner, the glassware turned milky white after 20 washes. The dishes washed in Whole Foods' "365" also developed a milky coating.
Top Performing Detergent
After hundreds of washes, the magazine found one detergent that it says can prevent the problem.
It's Cascade Complete All-in-1 ActionPacs, from Cincinnati's Procter and Gamble. The packets -- not the powder version--- topped Consumer Reports' cleaning tests. Even with very hard water, the Cascade Pacs did not leave a white residue behind.
Alternate Cure
Some other cures, reported by homeowners nationwide: Add a tiny amount of white vinegar to the wash, or buy a product called Lemi Shine, sold at Walmart and Target, that you add to the load to reduce hard water stains.
Either of those, however, take a bit more effort. As always, don't waste your money.
Where then?
I use vinegar, too. A couple of bucks for a big gallon, keeps the dishwasher gunk-free and the dishes sparkle.
Bookmarking
Probably, but I'd talk to someone more knowledgeable about chemicals before I used it that way. It's pretty potent stuff. Used for cleaning siding and decks before painting.
I have been pretty satisfied with one of the soap scum bathroom sprays like Tilex. Clorox makes a pretty good one called Green Works which actually does a very good job on soap scum and is pretty benign, doesn't fry your lungs. You just need to use it on a reasonably regular basis. I have fiberglass showers and tubs, it works well on them.
I got mine at Home Depot, paint department (you have to know to go t the paint department!). It is hygroscopic, meaning it will suck water out of the air and ruin it, so I have mine sealed in big ziplock bags with Silica Gel.
I just got it online from Lowes.
Generic detergent plus vinegar and our dishes are fine, and at a fraction of the cost of the expensive stuff with or without phosphates. We also use vinegar in the washing machine instead of fabric softener. It doesn’t gunk anything up (actually keeps things running more smoothly), it’s cheaper than softener, and it helps with static cling.
Yep..TSP will do the trick.I have about 8 lbs of it. That will last me a lifetime. It replaces the phosphate that Uncle Sam is making manufacturers remove from cleaning products.
Yep. I just discovered that a month or two back - what a difference! Be careful, though - there’s a “green” TSP that is worthless.
“...laundry detergents as well as dishwasher detergents. Much of it is now worthless”
I dunno. Selling detergent that doesn’t wash is about as good as it gets...right up there with being paid not to farm by the Dept of Agriculture...being forced to buy health “insurance” that provides scrap for benefits...The Feds and the corporatists about have us all over a barrel.
Would you mind posting the URL of the exact item you got? Others want to get it too...
http://ths.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/laundry/2003052601018823.html
That being the case, I wonder how one could purchase the chemical STPP.
Use your regular brand and add a shot glass of white vinegar to the wash cycle, works well, and move regular glasses to bottom shelf too if they are glass. Hand wash you fine crystal.
You can still order the old Cascade with phosphates from Restockit.com
You can still buy commercial dish detergent with phosphates over the internet. I haven’t bought any because I stocked up before they took it off the market. Now, I’m going to look for TSP.
What is driving me crazy is the liquid dish detergent, that won’t wash grease off the dishes or pans. The detergent companies don’t care because they sell about three times as much detergent. You can pour the stuff directly on a pan or greasy dish and it still won’t get it clean.
Hurrah and three cheers for phosphate.
As gray water is allowed for yard irrigation here in AZ, all washer water goes into a 55 gallon plastic drum, then distributed via hoses for vegetation.
Wife seeks out the cheaper phosphate based detergents made in Mexico as the phosphate works great for fertilizing.
Also as we have used only two super efficient roof mounted evaporative coolers for the last 20 years, (no AC) the resulting evaporation of water made calcium carbonate mineral deposits onto cooler wetted metal surfaces and the paper cooling medium a big problem.
Although have timed pumps that empties the cooler reservoirs every 8 hours of operation, the mineral deposits remained a problem. Until got some water supply inline scale eliminator phosphate filled cartridges which have virtually eliminated the problem as the phosphate insures the mineral deposits remain in suspension until reservoir water is periodically pumped out.
I was told to put 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a cup in the back, lower corner of my d/w. The glasses are beautiful. Cuts the soap film. I was about to tear my hair.
TSP is both a chemical, tri-sodium phosphate, and a Brand.
The TSP brand does NOT have the chemical in it.
Try the paint dept. at Lowe’s for the real thing. It’s used as a cleaner/degreaser.
Individual pacs were excluded from the law, claiming that the individual pacs limited the amount of detergent that could be used, so it was ok.
The problem is that I have the new drawer dishwashers and the individual pacs are too big to fit in the dispenser.
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