Cascade Complete packs

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strongenough78

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Is anyone else using these have a problem with high amounts of suds? I ran a load through my dishwasher today and during the main wash cycle there was so much foam inside you couldn't hear any water spray. I've noticed on previous loads that the water spray wasnt as strong with all the foam, however this time It got so bad that water started to leak out from the bottom. It did this once before and I thought I had an actual leak but the last few times I ran it, nothing dripped out until today. I got these to replace the Finish liquid I was using as it did a horrible job and the packs do clean much better and believe it or not, by the last rinse cycle the water was crystal clear. What if anything could I add during the main wash to cut down the suds? I appreciate any recommendations offered :)
 
I have a similar issue with the Platinum--no leaking, just foam induced water jets.  But everything is coming out as clean as usual. 
 
Seems to be a water quality issue.  Others here have reported excess foaming with the Platinum "action-pacs."  But my water is pretty hard and there isn't enough foaming to be a problem. 

 

They do clean the best of anything I've used since the phosphate ban.  Since I only run the dishwasher once or twice a week I do think they are worth the extra cost.
 
Yes! Especially with Cascade Platinum. It works excellent, but you would think I put Dawn liquid in the tub :) Makes me wonder if it gets completely rinsed or if there is residual detergent left on the dishes?
 
Jim- You would think so but the water here is pretty hard. It's been a while since I checked the level but water spotted windows and cars are a regular thing here. But I do like how they clean. Just as good as old phosphated stuff.

JJSunshine- You've got that right. There was a thick blanket of suds at the bottom. But nonresidue left on my dishes at all. By the last rinse the water is crystal clear.

Dadoes- I'm wondering if there are other water softening agents in it. I didn't think to check.
 
Haven't noticed any excessive suds with Complete, it just doesn't clean well here. Our water is very hard. So I used only the Platinum.
Recently tried Walgreens Nice packs and very impressed with the cleaning performance. Won't hestitate to use it again.
 
too much foam

Hi all

It's exactly the same in the UK - Fairy Platinum are way too sudsy. I feel a dishwasher needs almost no suds to be fully effective. Just wanted to make this comment to show you that it's not just local water conditions....they are just too sudsy!! However I agree it is a great detergent.

Nick
 
Fairy Platinum

In my experience is far too sudsy - and it caused a suds-lock in my Bosch. The wash action was very lethargic.

I get much better performance with Finish tablets of various kinds, and stores' own brands, Lidl's in particular.
 
Yes they are a lot more sudsy. I've had the worst of that from the Platinum pacs. If you are using it in an older machine in particular, you will get a ton of suds. They are really designed for newer machines that don't use as much water.
 
Have not noticed any increased suds

and no drop off in cleaning ability.  I use the 16X variety
 
 
<blockquote>JoeyPete:  Yes they are a lot more sudsy. ... If you are using it in an older machine in particular, you will get a ton of suds. They are really designed for newer machines that don't use as much water.</blockquote> Just to say, my 14yo DD takes 0.8 gal per fill.

Seems that a fixed-dose pack with less water would cause more sudsing.  No?

How much water does a typical new-off-the-lot unit take nowadays?
 
Yeah good point Glenn...I guess they are sudsy regardless...maybe it's more the wash action in older machines (more vigorous) that makes suds more a problem?

The Frigidaire Gallery model that I had used very little water...probably at least half of what my Hobart KA uses.
 
Hi Rolls. I had regularly used the cheaper Finish ones (not Quantum - think they are just called `all in 1') but took a pack to work just for coffee cups a few months back because they started leaving the dishwasher and contents with a white coating. Moved to Quantum (when on offer!) and all was good. However, recently these have also had a slating on the Ocado reviews for the same reason and I notice the old `New and improved' logo on the packaging. It looks as though Finish are tweaking something across the brands and it ain't working.

For this reason I bought Fairy Platinum on the last shop but had forgotten about the hideous suds. I was actually wondering what the alarming vibrating noise was - worktop was all a tremble - remembered dishwasher was on - ear to door - ah yes......

I can't stand to hear a dishwasher choking when it should be merrily squirting away ;-)

Where to go from here??!! I don't go in LIDL (thanks for the recommendation Rolls) so may just go back to the old fashioned `unwrappable' Essential Waitrose. These were perfectly good from memory. I always use salt and rinse aid anyway.

Anyhow - not wishing to thread hijack - yes OP - Fairy / Cascade Platinum do over foam in my opinion, though I respectfully acknowledge the experience of those who have not had the same experience.
 
One possibility I thought of.  On my lower-end Whirlpool from a few years ago the detergent compartment doesn't seal well at all.  Not sure if this happened with age or if it was always like that.

 

When I place a pod that has separate liquid sections in the main compartment before starting the cycle I find that the heat and water leakage melt the pod and the liquid parts partially drain out into the pre-wash.

 

Now I usually just listen for the main wash to start and toss the pod in to avoid the problem.  I only run the dishwasher once a week on average so this isn't a big deal for me.

 

If there are foam suppressors are in the liquid part that is being lost too soon maybe that could be part of the problem.

 

I do wonder if the three separate sections of liquid attached to the powder are just marketing.  Obviously the candy-colors are but I wonder about the rest of it.  Is there a real need to have a three separate liquid compartments (or a need to have separate liquid and powder sections at all...?)
 
Iowabear

Your theory is good, but I rarely (if ever) use a prewash / rinse and still get the problem. Just letting you know so you are not worried it's something you or your d/w is doing wrong - just the nature of the product.
 
"white coating..."

I've just read the Ocado reviews slating the Finish 'All-in-1'. Not good.

I got that powdery coating with Finish Powder. And then I read reviews about that being awful too.
 
Same Problems wish P&G Fairy Platinum Capsules

I'm pretty sure Fairy Capsules here are an identical P&G product. They certainly look the aame and they are extremely foamy.

In my Miele dishwasher you can't hear the spray there's so much foam and I tried them in a Bosch elsewhere and it was the same or worse as you could hear the pump suds locking!!

I also noticed that with some of their scented versions the dishes actually taste of chemicals after a wash. This isn't something I've had with any other tablet brand.

I mostly either use Miele Tablets or Finish now and both are very, very good.

The Fairy (Cascade) does clean well but it doesn't rinse well and I'm not convinced that so much foam is very good for the machine, particularly when you consider they have in-line heaters that should be dull of water, not insulating foam!
 
@iej

Spot on!

I agree about Fairy contaminating the crockery with scents - my parents complained about the smell of the detergent on cups. (Maybe P&G are using Febreze technology here too?)

Regarding the in-line heaters: too much foam could cause premature heater failure. This is important, as modern Bosch machines now have a combined pump and heater assembly, rather than separate components.

And as we know, too much foam can cause leaks and activate the flood defence mechanisms.

A detergent recipe for disaster.
 
I can't put my finger on it.  Water is fairly hard here.  Our Miele gets run once or twice per week.  Three times over the past couple of months I've noticed sudsing issues.  I blamed it on some dishes in the sink having been exposed to regular hand or dish soap.  Now I'm not so sure, but because it's not a regular occurrence, I've been hesitant to blame it on the Cascade pods.
 
So its not just me then with sudsing issues with Cascade Platinum pacs then. This evening I could hear my LG dishwasher cavatating during the wash cycle and I opened the door to find a good layer of suds over the bottom and the dishes covered in foam. I added more water, about a small pitcher full and the cavatating stopped but only for 5 mins. The load came out spotless as usual and dry. I do have a box of Cascade Complete powder that doesn't do that at all in this machine.
 
Picture

This is the foam level about half-way through a heated wash cycle (to 145) in my lower-end Whirlpool using one Platinum Pac.  Not much water, not much foam.  Dishes are always clean though.

iowabear-2018022521442600340_1.jpg
 
I think part of the problem with Procter & Gamble dishwasher detergents, is that they are formulated in the wrong direction. They appear to be geared towards a full size dishwasher, with heavily soiled pots and pans, and hard water.

In other words, there's too much product per liqui-tab/pod, so heaven help us if the dishes are only lightly soiled, or a partial load, or soft water - or all of these!

Unlike some compressed tablets, pods cannot be broken in half.

P&G would actually get more respect (from me at any rate) if they decreased the size of the pods, so that they could work properly in smaller machines (slimline and table-top models), and with lightly soiled loads.
 
It actually gets extremely bad on my relatively new Miele during the intensive cycle as pump turned up to max and the jets are really spraying very intensively. It just churns up a huge amount of foam in the bottom of the machine and everything's dripping with foam if you open the door.

It doesn't seem to matter how dirty the dishes are. I think it's just not a great formulation. It's way, way too soapy and by the looks of the posts above its hitting a wide range of machines both ultra efficient news ones and old classics too.
 
Those times I've encountered excess suds, I added just a few drops of de-foamer for the hot tub and suds disappear.  I hadn't thought of vinegar, but that might be a better option.
 
I wonder

if all the foam could damage your dishwasher? I use Finish Powerball and it doesn't foam at all. The Finish Quantum foamed terribly when I used a sample of it. It made the dishwasher sound like a totally different machine. I remember thinking WTH is wrong because of the sound it made.I opened the dishwasher and foam all over the place and that is with hard water and non-rinsed dishes. This is why I've been afraid to try Platinum because I've read reports of too much foam and I remembered the Quantum sample I used. It did a great job getting the dishes clean and they were rinsed well...but it made me wonder if that laboring sound during the long wash cycle would shorten the life of the dishwasher.
 
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