Revisiting Dishwasher Detergents with Phosphorus

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dishwashercrazy

dishwashercrazy

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Jul 22, 2008
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West Peoria, IL
In a previous thread, there was discussion regarding stockpiling detergent now, before the U.S. government cutoff mid-year 2010. Cascade has always been my preferred detergent. I've found 155 ounce boxes of “Cascade with Shine Shield” (6.4% Phosphorus) at Wal-Mart, as a reasonable price ($8.28), so I've started buying a few boxes of it.

I believe it was Launderess who recommended storing detergent in a closed container kept in a cool dry location.

This is the method that I've chosen.

Am I being foolish? Or is this a sound decision?

Thanks for your input.

Mike

dishwashercrazy++2-16-2010-22-17-18.jpg
 
Hi Mike,

I would suggest something more like tupperware, or anything airtight.

That looks like the rubbermaid containers we have here and they're not air tight.

You need to keep the moisture and therefore the air out of there.
 
Scrapbooking Detergent

Space Bags! Store them sealed airtight in a vacuum bag. I bought a set at Costco and used them to reduce the linen closet to a manageable capacity. I was quite skeptical, but they really do work pretty well.

Revisiting the phosphate discussion, I've been rather disappointed with the Great Value phosphate-free detergent even after adding STPP. Back to Cascade again.

 
I was going to recommend that that you use a vacuum sealer and vacuum seal the boxes.I bought a bucket of phosphates from the chemestry store. How much do I add to the dishwasher and in a front loading washer.I am going to vacuum seal some Cascade too it is the best.I bought Electrasol and it was the worst.
 
Was Going To Suggest a

If one has it lying about.

Powdered automatic dishwasher detergent in particular suffers from breaking down due to moisture seeping into the box. Though they are foil lined,you should always keep them in a cool and dry area, not under the kitchen sink for instance.

Did not know the phosphate ban starts this year, will have to start stocking up as well.
 
Given the breakdown of the chemicals in DW detergent that happens over time, I think it would be smarter to buy what you can use in a reasonable amount of time, more if you wash daily, less if once a week. Invest money in some STPP and use it with the fresh, non-phosphated product when that is all you can buy.
 
What ban?

As far as I can tell, there is NO federal ban on phosphates in dishwasher detergents, nor is there any such ban to take effect in the foreseeable future.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

As far as I know, such bans are done on a state and local basis. I happen to live in a state and community with no such bans. I would object mightily if that were to change.
 
Rich

there were discussions regarding this a few weeks ago. It seems that June of 2010 is the date when the detergents must be no phosphate formulations.

Currently, various brands seem to be introducing their new no phosphate versions. Just check the labels and you'll note the 0% phosphate content on several tablet, gel and powder products.

 
Did you notice this little blurb:

"The rules don't apply to commercial dishwasher detergents."

Hey, anyone want to join me in becoming America's newest billionaires? Let's start an underground sales channel for commercial DW detergents, or even better, let's produce one and start selling it.

Any takers?
 
What ban?

Yes their is a ban on phospahtes in automatic dishwashing detergent and it is a federal ban that is happing this July 2010.Look at liquid Cascade with the power of Dawn I did not know this or thought that is was not going to happen in TN but I was horriable surprised. I bought a bottle of the liquid Cascade to wash my white Modular Mates containers because it contains chlorine bleach I used it and it runiened a skillet and a baking pan turned them black.I called P&G and they ask me to look on the back of the bottle to see if it was no phospate it was and they said that this was the first product in the line and all of their Cascade products were going to be compliant by the deadline.I think that commercial products will be excempt from the ban so there is Commercial Cascade.I think that we all need to protest.Because if you have to wash the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher you might as well rinse them and put them in the dishrack.
 
They're going away everywhere, sudsmaster

It isn't a federal ban, however; it is the industry colluding to stop marketing phosphate-based detergents as a matter of convenience to themselves.

Some localities decided to ban the phosphates. The soap manufacturers didn't want to manufacture and market phosphate and non-phosphate formulations -- too much trouble for them! So they're just taking the phosphate option away, knowing that there's nothing (within reason) the the average consumer can do about it.
 
That's just what they did with laundry detergents. Until the mid - late 90's the big three (P&G, Colgate and Lever Bros) distributed their powdered detergents with and without phosphates depending on the state laws. They ultimately all switched to no phosphate products all around due to the cost of making/distributing different formulas to different areas. In Connecticut, availability depended on the supermarket chain and who their supplier was - you could find phosphated products in Stop & Shop and A&P(when we still had one). However, Waldbaum's, Grand Union and Shaw's carried only no phosphate powders.
 
Commercial Cascade

is widely available in most any larger city. Many food service distributors have "cash & carry" locations that are open to anyone, with no membership fee. In this area, GFS (Gordon Food Service) is the largest one. They have a full line of P&G Professional as well as their own branded (Array) products. I believe Staples also carries it.
 
Let's just hope...

...the manufacturers get their acts together and come up with some phosphate-free formulas that are both safe on dishes and effective cleaners, and that they do it in less time it took them to produce decent laundry detergents without phosphates. From reading those articles it sounds like they've been sitting on their thumbs and are just now trying to get it together, which is not a good sign. Dishwashers have (arguably) an even tougher job to do than clothes washers, and poor cleaning formulas certainly won't help.

Remember, thought, that ultimately it comes down to stuff getting clean. If they can do that without phosphates, so much the better.
 
Well, I have heard-

That there are good cleaning dishwasher detergents already; among the "green" brands, like Seventh Generation, and Bi-O-Kleen. I've not tried these, yet, but just sayin'.

Lawrence/Maytagbear
 
Years back, I tried the "green" dishwasher detergents. They didn't have quite the power of Cascade, but I was satisfied enough. At one point or another, I tried Seventh Generation, Bio-Kleen, and Method. I never tossed a partially used box out.

Another thought: one thing that might make a huge difference is the quality of the dishwasher used. A modern dishwasher that gently sprinkles two drops of water on each dish and calls it good will need a higher power detergent than a vintage machine that uses water and has good power to get the same results.
 

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