Has anyone tried boosting non-phospate DW detergent w/STTP

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supersuds

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As yet?

The phaseout of phosphates in dishwasher detergent scheduled for the middle of 2010 is already being phased in, with many brands showing up sans phosphates already.

Someone, I believe laundress, suggested that adding a dash of STTP to the non-phosphate formulations will be effective. (I apologize if it was someone else!) I wondered if anyone had experimented doing this as yet and what the results were?

Realistically, phosphates in dishwasher detergents are a dead duck -- I hope something works.
 
Well I have used 1/8 teaspoon of STPP in LOW-phosphate DW detergents. Works like a charm. So far no discernable etching of glassware or "rainbows" (corrosion of glass).
 
If one can no longer obtian phospahtes, one may have to press "Rinse Only" / "Rinse & Hold" after each loading to finally get decent reuslts when the wash cycle is run.

Tongue-in-cheek: Gee what a fabulous way to "go green".
 
Yes, the "Rinse & Mold" cycle may actually become a handy option.

I am already hoarding Finnish. Even if I have to use something else most of the time, if I have a really heavy load at least I will have some good stuff to use.
 
Seeing as how dishware is non-porous, plain trisodium phosphate might actually work fairly well as a DW boost aid. Any ppt would be rinsed away, most likely. Anyway, trisodium phosphate is probably still available in many hardware stores, since it's used to wash down walls prior to painting (it will etch the paint to give it better grip), and also to degrease surfaces like concrete.
 
Trisodium phosphate or TSP causes a precipitate (ppt) that can collect on fabrics. But it would not collect on dishware, it would simply be washed right off. In terms of ppt, TSP is no worse than the main ingredient in both laundry and DW powdered detergents, sodium carbonate (washing soda). But because it forms a ppt it's not recommended as a laundry booster.

So for this and other reasons TSP would not work as well as STPP in laundry - but theoretically this should not be so much of an issue in a dishwasher - because there's really nothing for the ppt to collect on or in. How much better STPP would be in a DW is anybody's guess. I wouldn't add too much TSP, though, to avoid etching glassware/china etc.

I believe older chlorinated laundry detergents used chlorinated TSP as the vehicle.
 
Garden dirt, used motor oil, metal shavings, yeah.

Rich, I like those kind of hands. They work and tinker.

I was at Sam's just now. An ordinary box of Cascade had 6.3% phosphates, a Gel form of Cascade had 0%. There were two types of finish/electrasol tabs, both with the red dot-one was 8.7% the Cascade Complete with Bleach forumla I've been using is 6.9%, I think that's lower than the original Cascade complete.
 
Tablets

I just don't like the one-size-fits-all arrangement here. Most of my loads would need the disage, but I do have some that just don't need all that much detergent and I like being able to vary the amount. But if the shelf life of these tablets is longer than powders, I may have to suck it up and buy some of these before the phosphate formulas disappear. Anyone have an idea as to if there is a shelf life difference between powders & tablets?
 
Can Only Speak From Experience With Electrasol Tablets

When local shops had them on discontinued sale, nabbed every packet one could lay hands on. At first things went well, but as the months, then years wore on darn things turned hard as hockey pucks.

Know what you are thinking, and no, stash was not located under the sink or another damp area. Rather on a shelf in a nice stable climate closet.

Towards the end had to use a mallet and bash the things into bits before use. Mind you one never used a whole tablet per load as Electrasol tabs were famous for over sudsing. Would break into halfs and use one half of each half (quarter) in each of the two wash cycles (normal cycle), of my dw.
 
Tablet hardening

I had the same problem with Palmolive DW tabs (now discontinued) getting hard. I got good at pulverizing them with a ball-peen hammer without putting a hole in the wrapper.

It was amazing they could go through all pre-wash, wash, and rinse cycles and still be intact.

I am thinking that the Finish gelpacs might last longer. They're liquid anyway. My main worry is that they'll all melt into one big lump eventually.
 
Consumer Reports says the new no-phosphate detergents do not clean well. I plan to stock up and hunker down until they (scientists/magicians) strike upon a formula which performs up to current standards. It was done with laundry detergent; it can be done with dishwasher detergent, right?

I don't see Cascade Complete Gel remaining shelf-stable over time. I'm guessing Cascade Action Pacs won't either. I use them up pretty quickly, and the last 25-or-so pacs in the 150 pac container I get at Sam's Club tend to stick together.

So it's down to the next best thing. The product I think has the best chance of getting me through this crisis? Cascade Complete Powder. I'm willing to refrigerate a case of the damn stuff if it will help.

Otherwise.....I'm going to join those of you ready to break the law by adding STTP. I'll even use the Extra Rinse option on my LG if I have to.

Friends of mine came over with about 60 pounds of tomatoes and other assorted vegetables and we canned tomato and vegetable juice (whch we call V-Ain't) all day. I didn't scrub any of the 5 large stainless steel stockpots we used, and they couldn't believe they'd come clean in the dw. I filled the main wash compartment with Cascade Complete Gel, and squirted an equal amount in the bottom of the tub. I used the Soak Cycle and the steam option. Everything came out gleaming, much to their surprise.

I would hate to see that sort of performance compromised.
 
My understanding is that it doesn't break the law (nationally at least) to use phosphates; it's just that some areas have banned their SALE in laundry detergent, and now DW detergent. You can legally buy the STPP from the Chemistry Store and how you use it is up to you.

The DW detergent manufacturers are discontinuing phosphates because it simplifies their manufacturing and distribution -- that's why phosphates will be disappearing from areas without bans! And its why you can buy Mexican laundry detergent with phosphates in many places -- it's not against the law in Florida, for instance.

I don't even feel bad about using it because studies have shown that the vast majority of phosphate "pollution" comes from fertilizer runoff.
 
I would hate to see that sort of performance compromised.

Me too Eugene. It's so rare I turn on water at all during the process of loading the dishwasher--unless it's to wash my hands. Otherwise, the water gets turned on when Ihave to run the garbage disposal. that's about it.
 

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