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.
Yes! If you're a pool player, these are an essential tool to have in your cue case. Not the ones with soap or cleaner in them - the plain ones. Dry. Use it to clean the chalk dust and skin oils off of your stick when you're on the road. It will work wonders. Use it dry, though. Just rub the surface of the cue with it and you'll notice immediately that the stick no longer drags on the bridge of your hand when you move the cue back and forth.
Ah, that is a good tip. I’ll pass it on to the pool players I know.
Oooh, thank you! I can get my essential oils and sea salt at the same time. :^)
Here’s an article that looks helpful, though I haven’t tried any of these products. And I wish they’d specifically mentioned how well these products work on glass items:
Consumer Reports finds low-phosphate dishwasher detergents that work
August 9, 2010
Tests find 4 Recommended products consumers can use under new laws
“...Finish Quantum (30 cents per load) topped the Ratings, followed by CR Best Buy, Finish Powerball Tabs (22 cents per load), which scored Excellent for dishes and pots, and bested some detergents that cost more.
“Cascade Complete All In 1 (28 cents per load) and Cascade with Dawn ActionPacs (23 cents per load) earned a score of Very Good in CR’s tests, but all Cascades, like all Finish products, aren’t equal. Other Cascade and Finish products were scattered throughout the Ratings...”
See full article here:
THANKS for this topic. I have been using Electrosol for years. Never had a problem. Recently (january 2014) supermarket stopped selling Electrosol and only offered Cascade. Within two uses of the Cascade, the inside of my dishwasher had a terrible white film all over the stainless steel, on my pans, cutlery and a powdery film on everything else. I am SO UPSET. I felt like crying. You would not believe the mess of my dishes and cookware. I cannot get this film off my stainless and my dishwasher always sparkled is now ruined from the Cascade. I used both the powder cascade and another time the tablets which left black streaks on my animal stainless dishes. SO UPSET. I wrote to Cascade and complained at the supermarket. I found one place that sells Electrosol so i ordered more and plan on keeping a lot in hand. I will also try the TSP that you have suggested. When i found this thread, i never realized this problem has been going on since 2011.
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