Another dishwasher detergent thread. Or, why do you use what you use?

[panthera]

Glad

you like them, Lawrence. If I ever stay in one place where I can phone longer than 5 minutes, I'd love to chat.

I have found that, with the exception of the 'green' detergents, all detergents work well if the dishes are pre-rinsed and the dishwasher set to the hottest, longest washes with auto-sensing turned on.

Otherwise - and I hate pre-rinsing - you have to use a premium product in the US or the cheapest normal product in Germany to get things clean. Once they take away our phosphate in Germany, we will have the same limitations we have in the US today.

 

[nashmaytagbear]

Finish gel tabs since they are so easy to use.

 

[aldspinboy]

I like Electrosol...Now Finish does a great job on dishes.
I put them in a special edition Jetson's canister that one of my buddy's gave me awhile ago I have the Quantum tabs in there now...Lawrence i like them for very dirty and greasy dishes only one for the main wash.
Smaller loads or lightly soiled loads i use the powders... Cascade complete with small dosings one tablespoon full.
Once a month i will add Glass magic to the wash it seems to help before build up starts.. and some glasses people have given me with scum on them really took it off. That was surprising.
Somat is really good rinse agent lasts a long time in my machine.
( Whirlpool power clean wash system )
This is the last box of electrosol that was on the market that i got not really the best cleaner.
Nice Thread.

Darren k.

 

[aldspinboy]

Pic of the box.

 

[aldspinboy]

Pic 2.

 

[foraloysius]

I just started a box of Somat-9, an all in one tab. I bought it in Germany a while ago and the first impression is that it is working well.

Louis

 

[launderess]

Cascade Complete "HydroClean" Gel, With Bleach

Love the stuff, though in general have found all the Cascade "Complete" or "Pure Rinse" versions give great results.

When Electrasol tabs first came out, gave them a try and results were ok, but when the rinse agent (little power ball) was added found it made too much suds. Indeed find most versions of Finish or Electrasol tabs made too much froth.

One could hear dishwasher pump and motor straining to move that froth around. Also found neither of the above tabs really did a good job on two or more day old (we don't run our machine daily, only when full), porridge bowls. We are big on flax seed meal, along with nuts and fruit in our pooridge, and am here to tell you the stuff dries on like Gorilla glue. With dishwasher detergents other than Cascade, found bits of flax seed meal all over dishes, and often bits of dried oats still on bowls. Not any more.

As for tabs, gelpacs and the like, really prefer gels or powders as one can control dosage to suit. Tabs can and will go hard if one stores them too long (know this because one nabbed tons of Electrasol tabs when they went on closeout a local shop, only to find later they turned into hockey pucks from being stored away for so long).

 

[mysteryclock]

I was using Cascade All-in-One gelpacs but I was having to add Lemishine to every load or my glasses would come out cloudy because of our hard water. I recently got some of the Finish Quantum Powerball pacs on the 50% off sale (bought about 7 boxes, actually!) and they are night-and-day better for me. No more occasional kibbles-n-bits on the dishes, and even glasses come out clear without any additives.

I am impressed. Hopefully it'll keep the buildup at bay in the dishwasher too!