Today's detergents in vintage machines

[Chetlaham]

How do today's detergents perform in vintage machines? Are they formulated to work differently with newer machines rather then old ones? I ask because modern machines have a very long main-wash (sometimes 2 hours) gradually heating the water while vintage machines are short and start with already hot water (140*F). If so, what modern detergent to you recommend in vintage machines?

 

[joeypete]

I think they all do a good job, regardless of the machine type. It's just a matter of adjusting the dosing for the machine you are using. I've used a lot of different detergents in my GE FF...plus the Kenmore 28102 (Cabrio) and the Hydrowave. They all did a good job, but dosing varied greatly.

Unlike dishwashers, where the machine dispenses the detergent at certain intervals, even new clothes washers you can control when the detergent goes in. I've found more potential obstacles with older dishwashers and new detergent...like I talked about in my post because newer dishwashers tend to have more fills and purges along with longer wash times.

 

[Chetlaham]

Older dishwashers newer detergents

My apologies, I was referring to dishwashers. The wash time on new machines is so long that I am beginning to wonder if detergents are formulated to work on long cycles with gradual heating rather then short washes with 140*F water already in the tub.

 

[joeypete]

Ah ok...yeah that's what we were discussing in my post. Seems like the newer tablets/pacs are designed to work quickly but they make more froth...maybe so they can be spread out more if there is a fill/drain here and there more than on an older machine. I bought a package of the Cascade Platinum's last night and used it in my 1985 Hobart KA. I did the Light wash and only put 1 pac in the main dispenser. Everything came out great. Normally with Cascade Complete powder, I fill both cups...or the third open one for the Pots/Pans cycle

 

[Chetlaham]

How long is the main wash on your Hobart Kitchen-aid?

 

[joeypete]

Wash segments are 10 minutes. Rinses are 5 minutes.

Light wash is Wash/Wash/Rinse/Dry
Normal is Wash/Rinse/Wash/Rinse/Dry
Soak & Scrub/Pots-Pans starts with Soak & Scrub period that starts washing immediately, then heats the water, sprays, heats, sprays again...then Wash/Rinse/Wash/Dry

 

[Chetlaham]

Fills are around 2.5 gallons and there is a purge before the final rinse?

10 minutes is fast, but so far no complaints? Have you tried Cascade complete? I know Robert prefers it in vintage machines.

 

[joeypete]

I'm not sure how much it uses honestly. But yes it purges before final rinse. It purges and then fills a little again for the filter clean out part too (from what I can tell) then purges that.

Yes I use the Cascade Complete powder. Love it. I get the 125oz box at Sam's for 8.98 but I went to Ocean State Job Lots last night and they had a few of them for 5.99!! What a deal

 

[Chetlaham]

sounds like Cascade complete will work in any machine. I like.

 

[joeypete]

Yeah it does for sure. Doesn't produce hardly any froth. The Platinum packs clean very well but with what few I have left, I am going to put them in the Pre-Wash cup instead of the Main. At the end of the wash segment I opened the door and there was still alot of froth in there. I'd feel more comfortable releasing the pac earlier so the machine can rinse it away better. I'll probably just stick with powder either Cascade or Finish.[this post was last edited: 3/30/2016-06:44]

 

[turquoisedude]

I've been using regular Cascade powder (there's not much else available here in Canada) and it does well, even in the short-wash machines like my '56 GE or the '65 Kenmore.   I've tried the gel-pacs in a couple of the wash-rinse-dry machines (the '58 Frigidaire and the '60 KitchenAid portable) - they didn't get to fully dissolve due to the short wash times so they didn't seem to perform well.  And I'm paranoid about putting them into the dispensers of the older machines, so I stick to powders...

 

[artcurus]

just as an FYI, cascade fryer boil out is the same as the old cascade professional/commercial.

 

[Chetlaham]

Perhaps new powdered detergents are not much different then old ones?

 

[joeypete]

I think they def geared towards older machines. They certainly work well in newer ones too though. They must have reformulated (I'm sure they did). Because the version of Cascade right after they took out phosphates did not work at all for me. It left a white film on all my dishes. I was in Tucson at the time with very hard water. I had no idea what was going on...thought there was something wrong with my machine but then I switched to the Electrasol tabs and it was fine.