Best available detergent for Hobart Kitchenaid Dishwasher?
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cycla-fabric
Well-known member
I use Cascade powder in ours and it works ok with very little issues.
Doug
Doug
tazz
Well-known member
Cascade is the only powder available at my local store so that's what I use. Does a wonderful job if you ask me.
Best Detergent For A Classic KA DW
Hi Nick, I order to make a recommendation it is helpful to know several factors at your home.
What model DW do you have, and what cycle do you use ?
How hot is your water and how hard is it ?
How dirty are your dishes going into the DW ?
In general the tablets are better for the DW, they are not as aggressive so they don't damage the racks, pump seals, the porclean interior as the old phosaped powders can. However some tablets can foam too much and cause loss of washing pressure and possible leaking out under the door.
John
Hi Nick, I order to make a recommendation it is helpful to know several factors at your home.
What model DW do you have, and what cycle do you use ?
How hot is your water and how hard is it ?
How dirty are your dishes going into the DW ?
In general the tablets are better for the DW, they are not as aggressive so they don't damage the racks, pump seals, the porclean interior as the old phosaped powders can. However some tablets can foam too much and cause loss of washing pressure and possible leaking out under the door.
John
This unit is a KDS-19 superb from 1980. Very well built and still works great. I don't have a hardness number but it is Missouri city water. It seems middle of the road in terms of buildup. I like to have dishes soaked or sprayed, but not clean before they go to the dishwasher. I actually bought some STPP to add but maybe that's not a good idea.
pierreandreply4
Well-known member
i use cascade platinum even if i have a moden ge dishwasher its also recommanded for kitchenaid dishwashers as well as whirlpool maytag and other brands
I use the old fashioned chlorine based powder in my Kitchenaid. Everything always comes out sparkling.
thespiritof76
Well-known member
I 3rd that for Cascade powder!
I use it, and have also found it to be the best. However...I also use to use the Finish powder, and liked that very much, but it seems to have disappeared.....????? Has the Finish Powder been discontinued? If so, that just puts Cascade back to #1 choice.
I use it, and have also found it to be the best. However...I also use to use the Finish powder, and liked that very much, but it seems to have disappeared.....????? Has the Finish Powder been discontinued? If so, that just puts Cascade back to #1 choice.
Finish powder just came back on our local grocers shelves recently. Had not seen it for a while. Still have the Cascade powder which is what I use. Plus there is a house brand in powder also. There is more powder detergent for dishwashers than there is powder for clothes washers. How time has changed.
Jon
Jon
I read the ingredients list for a commercial dishwashing powder (Block form) and it reads approx this order:
Lye
Phosphates (STPP)
Polyacrylate (super strong desiccant that turns water into a gel)
Salt
Washing Soda
I am considering adding a small amount of all of these to my standard Cascade Complete and seeing what the results are like and going from there.
Some commercial dishwashing detergents claim 30% Phosphates.
Lye
Phosphates (STPP)
Polyacrylate (super strong desiccant that turns water into a gel)
Salt
Washing Soda
I am considering adding a small amount of all of these to my standard Cascade Complete and seeing what the results are like and going from there.
Some commercial dishwashing detergents claim 30% Phosphates.
Have any of you used straight TSP in the dishwasher?
The earliest dishwasher detergents were variations on TSP, water softeners because non-sudsing surfactants had not yet been invented. Having surfactants greatly improves the performance of dishwasher dishwashing. Having chlorine in the formula greatly improves the performance because of the way that chlorine attacks organic matter.
I did an experiment and tried a mix of 30% lye (as 100% lye drain cleaner), 20% Arm and Hammer washing soda, 5% salt, and 45% Cascade Complete detergent and the results were no better than usual. I also put vinegar in the rinse.
There was a coffee mug with stains I could remove by hand after the cycle and a pan with crud on the bottom as well. I didn't have the STPP to add to the mix. Maybe that would have helped.
There was a coffee mug with stains I could remove by hand after the cycle and a pan with crud on the bottom as well. I didn't have the STPP to add to the mix. Maybe that would have helped.
Please don't be doing this. The strong alkali is pulling the oils out of the vinyl and synthetic rubber seals and rack coatings in your already old machine. You might need a new wash arm support and wash arm to get better water pressure through the wash arm, but please respect the old machine. Find someone who knows their ass from a shotgun to look at it but don't kill it with chemicals.
I did one load as an experiment based on the commercial detergent pictured above. I don't think it hurt anything.
As far as pressure, I can hear that it has good pressure. I also taped some 3 mil plastic over the front and ran it for a visual when I first picked it up. It's fine. Both spray arms spray hard.
As far as pressure, I can hear that it has good pressure. I also taped some 3 mil plastic over the front and ran it for a visual when I first picked it up. It's fine. Both spray arms spray hard.
