Cascade phosphate free is getting TERRIBLE reviews by customers!

[mark_wpduet]

Check out the reviews so far on the Cascadeclean.com website (see link below).....I will say this, the ONLY problem I am having with the new Cascade powder is when it comes to Pots and Pans....I don't notice white film all over everything. But I washed a pan that had stuck on food and by the end of the cycle, there was like a white powder on it. I think I'm going to buy some STPP. Check out the reviews.

http://www.cascadeclean.com/en_US/completepowder.do

 

[frigilux]

I have mechanically-softened water, and all the Cascade phosphate-free products I use (regular pacs, Complete pacs, Complete gel) are working fantastically, pots/pans included.

There has been no loss of cleaning power at all in my experience. No trace of the white film on plastics, either.

I'm sure the negative reviews will get the wizards in the chem lab working on improving the formula.

Case in point: Amway discontinued its excellent aerosol stain pre-treater (great for greasy stains) and replaced it with what is, apparently, garbage. The universally negative user reviews at the site prompted Amway to promise the aerosol formula will return to their product line later in 2010.

 

[volsboy1]

I was reading those last night.What is so funny, but stupid is how much in denial Cascade is about it.They claim it's the best stuff and try to turn it around and blame you for it water temp, wrong cycle,etc.That is not working well for them cause over 90% of the reviews are terrible.. I agree with them Cascade is terrible now.I was wondering what is in the dishwashing detergents in the U.K.? They work from what I have heard but cascade can't at all unless I add STTP in my dishwasher.

 

[mark_wpduet]

I thought the powder already would have "water softener" in it since a lot of the US has hard water. I think the water here is moderately hard. I suspect you're right. Eventually they will do something because of the negative reviews.

 

[mrcleanjeans]

Cascades Sh*tting Action

They do have "water softener" in it-sodium carbonate aka washing soda. It combines with calcium and magnesium in hard water forming limestone(calcium carbonate) which is why you see a chalk like residue now. Pity!

 

[a440]

All that I can see when I pull up the link are the "good reviews". Where are the bad reviews? Would love to read them.
I don't like this new and "Improved" Cascade crap. I have been getting better cleaning with Walmart's "Great Value" dishwasher detergents.
Brent

 

[maytagbear]

Some store brand dishwasher detergents

depending on size, shelf turnover, and so on, still have phosphate, so it pays to read labels, and look at other brands beside the big two. (Cascade and Finish, alphabetical order.)

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[a440]

Hi Lawrence,
Obviously the word got out about the change. I can't find any dishwasher detergents in the Atlanta area with Phosphates.
Brent

 

[maytagbear]

That's unfortunate, Brent!

Even the cheap store brand ones?

L/Mb

 

[a440]

Si.
I look everywhere.
I can't even find the Finish additive here.
Anyone in the Atlanta area have any luck?
Brent

 

[mark_wpduet]

The bad reviews are there. You have to look under the first review to click "next" to go to the next review page. I think out of all of those reviews, there is only one good one and Cascade has that one good one on the front. You basically have to scroll through each review one page at a time. For some reason, when you click "read all reviews" it goes back to the main page.

 

[supersuds]

I've found that in some stores the (overpriced but excellent) Finish Quantum pacs with phosphate are still sitting around, probably because they don't sell very well. They're often at the back of the shelf with the new non-phosphate version lazily stuck in front.

 

[volsboy1]

Brent I found some at Walgreens..I had to pull out about the first 5 boxes then the rest was all the good stuff.My Aunt who lives in Buckhead found some there also.You won't find it at any food store but there was alot at every Walgreens I have been to.The only bad thing is the boxes are small and were 7 bucks.

 

[a440]

Hi Wes,
I am gonna check out Walgreens.
There was quite a bit left at BJ's here in Atlanta. I only had cash and did not have any plastic.
I decided to go back about 4 days later and all of the Cascade was gone. I was shocked and pissed of course.
I went to the "girls" that I know that work there and asked what the deal was? Big sale? They told me that "corporate" told them to pull it! Of course I said "What"? They told me that they were to ship it back to their supplier or someone. They could not have made up this type of story. I was just pissed and shocked.
I dunno.
Brent

 

[rp2813]

That Cascade site is very poorly designed, unless they are trying to trip people up and perhaps steer them away from the huge numbers of bad reviews.

I think someone posted recently about Big Lots having phosphated detergents there, which makes sense since a lot of what they sell is close-out merchandise.

I stocked up on Cascade-with-Dawn powder at Walgreens and ACE Hardware a while back so I'm in good shape and maybe by the time I run out, the problem will have been fixed.

It's not just Cascade. It's all brands. My "WTF is wrong with the dishwasher?" experience was provided courtesy of non-phosphate (in the smallest of print) Finish powder back in April.

I'm glad to see that de-phosphating has impacted people with later model machines too, so it's not like P & G et al can tell people their dishwasher is too old.

The silver lining is that maybe some people will in fact replace their older machines, and people like us will see some nice ones showing up on CL for cheap or free that have nothing whatsoever wrong with them.

 

[a440]

Hi Ralph,
That is an interesting thought about the "damaged" dishwashers showing up on Craigslist, and the "victims" running out and buying new and improved.
It does make you wonder if this was the scam in the first place.
I mean....look how the prices of new and improved dishwasher have jumped to the higher lately.
You might be on to something here.
Brent

 

[coldspot]

I have not seen any problems with any of the new dishwasher stuff on the market. My dishwasher has a built in water softener.

But my sisters dishwasher does not have a water softener does not clean worth a darn with the line of products.

I wonder if usa makers of dishwasher will add a built in water softener to there units? dishwasher salt is made by Reckitt Benckiser makers of finish dishwasher salt but not sold in the usa.

 

[rp2813]

I suppose one could get carried away with a conspiracy theory between the U.S. Congress, the big detergent outfits, and the appliance manufacturers but the reality is that there would only be a temporary spike in dishwasher sales. P&G cites "state and local" regulations regarding phosphates as the reason legislation was passed to eliminate them so it's hard to know who exactly to blame for this mess.

My concern would be for the consumer who thinks something is wrong with their machine, calls a dealer/servicer to come take a look, and gets sold a new machine instead of being told to go buy some STPP.

I saw a 70+ couple looking at dishwashers at OSH recently. The wife was checking them out as the husband sat and watched. I immediately wondered if lack of phosphates prompted the presumed need to replace their existing machine. Had the sales person not have been right there, I would have gone up and spoken with them if only to advise that the Mrs. would likely end up longing for her old machine if she replaced it with a lethargic new one.

 

[whirlcool]

I have found that even cheaper detergents work acceptably when STPP is added. Even as little as 1/2 teaspoon works.

Another thing, I had a neighbor who claimed that her KitchenAid dishwasher wasn't working well. She said 1/2 of the detergent tabs were still in the dispenser undissolved. I looked at it and immediately saw the problem. She had placed a large pan right in front of the detergent dispenser and was blocking the water spray from the dispenser. I told her not to put pans in front of the dispenser and now it is back to cleaning well.