UGH! Residue on dishes

Wingit · April 2011

I am on a new box of Cascade powder that just keeps leaving residue on the dishes. What I don't understand is that I've always used powder Cascade for the dishwasher. What's weird is that the previous box I bought was probably the absolute best ever....I bought it at Big Lots. It was huge box and lasted forever. I got this most recent box at Target I think and it's just causing me extra work on some dishes. I already cleaned the dishwasher but I'm still getting the residue mostly on plastics (like the utensils & to go containers) and on a metal colander.

Any suggestions?

Oh and after I washed the dishwasher (1 cycle bleach, 1 cycle vinegar) I also refilled the rinse aide.

Reysgirl · April 2011

I bet it has to do with the removal of the phosphates from the detergent? I was bemoaning the fact that our current broken dishwasher hadn't been cleaning all that well lately so we were debating repair vs replacement and they reminded me of this. I would guess that the detergent bought at Big Lots may have been older w/ the phosphates and the new box is without.

Wingit · April 2011

Was there some story about detergents no longer containing phosphates or something? That could be it! Thanks for the info.
I might have to switch detergents if anyone has a recommendation.

shammy79 · April 2011

Reysgirl:

I bet it has to do with the removal of the phosphates from the detergent? I was bemoaning the fact that our current broken dishwasher hadn't been cleaning all that well lately so we were debating repair vs replacement and they reminded me of this. I would guess that the detergent bought at Big Lots may have been older w/ the phosphates and the new box is without.

Yes, it's this. Phosphates have been removed from residential detergents. Our Big Lots still had some of the leftover stock as well, so I bet that's what you had.

I still use Cascade, but now with LemiShine added = no more residue.

-auntie- · April 2011

Yeah. It's the new no phosphate forumla. Sucks

I find the Finish Quantum tablets the best out there but still need to add Lemishine about once a week to really cut the crud and film.

MrsLele · April 2011

The phosphates acted as water softeners to improve the cleaning action, but they also proved to be powerful stimulants to algae growth when they were washed or flushed into lakes. The excessive growth, or"blooms", of algae promoted by these phosphates changed water quality in Lake Erie and many other lakes. The blooms led to oxygen depletion and resultant fish kills. Many native fish species disappeared, to be replaced by species more resistant to the new conditions. Beaches and shorelines were fouled by masses of rotting, stinking algae.

I don't know about you, but I don't want something like that near my dishes.

Phosphates=bad.

I use Seventh Generation powder and found that it does a great job in my dishwasher. I think it's just trial and error to find one that's compatible with your dishwasher.

pandasquishy · April 2011

Ditto Seventh Generation detergent. I switched to that last month from Cascade and it works so much better!

Wingit · April 2011

MrsLele:

The phosphates acted as water softeners to improve the cleaning action, but they also proved to be powerful stimulants to algae growth when they were washed or flushed into lakes. The excessive growth, or"blooms", of algae promoted by these phosphates changed water quality in Lake Erie and many other lakes. The blooms led to oxygen depletion and resultant fish kills. Many native fish species disappeared, to be replaced by species more resistant to the new conditions. Beaches and shorelines were fouled by masses of rotting, stinking algae.

I don't know about you, but I don't want something like that near my dishes.

Phosphates=bad.

I use Seventh Generation powder and found that it does a great job in my dishwasher. I think it's just trial and error to find one that's compatible with your dishwasher.

Thanks for the information, I hadn't heard or read about this. I have always used lemon shine but I'll just have to be very diligent about not letting that get low. Before that previous box I bought from Big Lots, I had bought a box of 7th Generation and that stuff left WAY more residue behind. I hated it and it took a while to get the dishes clean. Thanks for the info everyone.

If anyone has a different brand to suggest please let me know.

scpteam20 · April 2011

I was having this problem too! I'm glad to hear it isnt just me. We switched to the little packs from cascade and those are working so far.

So the dishwashing detergent USED to contain it and that is why it worked so good and now the detergent doesnt?

I will have to check out the 7th Generation stuff next time I buy detergent then.

Thanks!

daisyterp · April 2011

I have been using phosphate free D/W detergent since we moved into our house (first place w/ a D/W in oh, 7 or 8 years?) and I fill the rinse aid dispenser of my D/S w/ white vinegar and it helps a lot. It doesn't smell either and I do not use the heated dry option on my D/W (huge energy suck) - this way if there is any gunk left on a dish it is not baked on.

doeie04 · April 2011

I am so glad you asked this. I thought our detergent was just gross! I tried using less, I have resorted to washing all silicone and plastic containers by hand.

backinpgh · April 2011

I had this problem and someone suggested just putting in some vinegar before running the dishes right in the bottom of the washer and it actually helped a lot.

BuckIGirl · April 2011

So glad you posted this! I was about to call someone to look at our dishwasher. The residue has been really bad on silverware, some pots and some plastic items. I checked the box of Cascade I was using and it is phosphate free. I have some of those capsule things and that worked much better. I understand needing to change for environmental reasons, but whatever they are using now isn't working!

UGH! Residue on dishes

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