I need recommendations.

[strongenough78]

I just used the last of my phosphated Cascade the other day and I know finding more won't be easy. Can anyone suggest a good replacement out of all the new stuff out there? I do prefer powder and the water here is pretty hard. I'm thinking of getting another bucket of STPP but I'm on a tight budget at the moment. I'm open to all suggestions. Thank you for your help

 

[tennblondie78]

I have good luck with

Bubble Bandit. It has phosphate and leaves everything sparkling. I haven't had it fail to remove anything yet.

 

[dustin92]

Cascade Platinum pacs are pretty good.

 

[maytagbear]

For me---

Cascade Platinum is the best of the no-phosphate detergents, though Finish tablets are also good in my combination of water, machine, and soil.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[passatdoc]

Another key point regardless of detergent: be sure to prime your hot water line (by using adjacent faucet and sink) before starting your DW. As explained to me by the owner of our local appliance store, US machines use ambient incoming hot water line temperature for the first rinse; the heater does NOT engage until later rinses. As a result, if you start the DW without priming the water line, your first rinse will be with lukewarm water. The store's customers are finding much better results with new, low-water-use machines and non-phosphated detergent if the hot water line is primed before use.

In my own case, I am still using phosphated DW detergent because I bought/hoarded five Costco-size canisters of it before it went off the market. Then, some friend who'd bought a KA gifted me several more Costco canisters because the detergent container was too shallow to accommodate a Finish Powerball: the door couldn't quite clear the top of the red ball. One of these canisters was so old that it still said "Electrasol" but the tabs are individually wrapped and still work fine. It will probably take me several more years to exhaust my supply. My DW is a 2001 MOL Bosch, which uses more water than today's machines, and really gets everything clean.

 

[strongenough78]

I was thinking of Cascade Platinum. I may check it out. I haven't seen Bubble Bandit here but I'll look for it. I too always purge the hot water line before starting the dishwasher. Thanks for your suggestions. Keep them coming

 

[andic29]

The oxiclean pacs have worked for me but I do add about 1/4 tsp of STPP to each load so I can't really say how well they would do without a boost. I live in El Paso and the water is so hard that only a few minutes after draining or wetting the sink, there is a dusty white film left behind :-/ Anywho, they are decently priced ( I got mine at the commissary, a 25 load bag for 3.50 )

 

[andic29]

Id like to try the Bubble Bandit but 20 bucks for a single bag is a bit steep

 

[mattl]

I like cascade platinum too, but had a bad experience with it. I had some acrylic tumblers I've had for decades and had been through the dw hundreds of times . Platinum caused damage to them p&g denied it was their fault. Use with caution...

 

[whirlykenmore78]

I started researching this:

When I found out I could no longer get Phosphate Cascade. (After I ordered 3 cases to last a while.) I have been alternating between Cascade and Bubble Bandit and find no appreciable difference. It is a good replacement for Inst. Cascade.
WK78

 

[whirlcool]

For us any of the major brand DW detergents work just fine for us. No spotting at all on glasses or anything. A few years ago someone on this site suggested it will take a couple of years for the detergent manufacturers to reformulate correctly. They were almost dead on with that estimate.

We are down to our last container of phosphated Cascade Action Packs. But we only use those for "difficult" loads. For most everything the current stuff works fine.

 

[washer111]

I've used the Australian version of the Cascade-Platinum Action-Pacs (Albeit, with Phosphates), and if that's any guide on the performance of the Phosphate-Free version, its damn good!

 

Otherwise, you might consider Bubble-Bandit, although I still haven't found out if its Chlorine Based, or Enzymes + Oxygen Bleach.

Check up the MSDS before you splurge.

 

Other suggestions include the "new" Institutional Cascade, that is Cascade Professional - Fryer Boil-Out. Its the same formula, if you compare the MSDS information between the old and new.

You might also try the Chlorinated Hytron detergent, another institutional product that comes in Pails (Up to 50lb, from 25, 10 and 5) I think as well as sachets.

 

I have some American friends who have gotten Cascade powder... Their plastic cups have a weird haze to them and feel really odd. Their dishwasher is full of streaking and water deposits now. Other plates and stuff aren't getting clean.

Detergent dosage is adequate, and the heavy cycle being used. Not a good indicator - and this is with softened water at their house.

 

[tennblondie78]

A bag of Bubble Bandit lasts me forever becasue it doesn't take much. The bad thing is that you have to order it; it's not available in stores.

 

[strongenough78]

Oh ok.