Thread Number: 42036
Your Dishwasher Detergent Preference |
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Post# 619115 , Reply# 1   8/22/2012 at 05:12 (4,237 days old) by zanussi_lover (Nottingham, UK)   |   | |
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Post# 619120 , Reply# 2   8/22/2012 at 06:06 (4,237 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)   |   | |
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Food Service CASCADE with phosphates. It cleans well and keeps the DW clean, just like in the good old days. |
Post# 619124 , Reply# 4   8/22/2012 at 06:44 (4,237 days old) by polkanut (Wausau, WI )   |   | |
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I've been using Cascade powder that I've found at estate sales that still has over 7% phosphates. I have several boxes so I'm good for awhile yet. Also found a half full 1st generation container of Electrasol tabs (7.8% phosphate) which although as hard as bricks, dissolve and work very nicely in our Whirlpool Gold dw. Also have some lemon Aldi Reeva gel, and chlorinated Hytron powder from Mills Fleet Farm in the stash. |
Post# 619136 , Reply# 5   8/22/2012 at 08:20 (4,237 days old) by mattywashboy (Perth, Western Australia)   |   | |
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Hey
I use the green Morning Fresh Gel in my dishwasher since I picked up 3 bottles when it was last on sale. I must say it performs really really well with the addition of Finish Lemon Rinse Aid. It has a strong citrus smell that emanates from the dishwasher when its hot. Dishes are clean and shiny and glassware and cutlery spot free! I couldn't fault it at all, you can use even a small amount and it washes well. |
Post# 619137 , Reply# 6   8/22/2012 at 08:21 (4,237 days old) by franksdad (Greenville, South Carolina)   |   | |
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Post# 619144 , Reply# 7   8/22/2012 at 08:53 (4,236 days old) by jakeseacrest (Massachusetts)   |   | |
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Post# 619145 , Reply# 8   8/22/2012 at 09:00 (4,236 days old) by spookiness (Alexandria VA)   |   | |
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I use cheap Sun powder. It works just fine in my Ultrawash. I tried some detergents that cost far more, but many left my dishes filmy. |
Post# 619147 , Reply# 9   8/22/2012 at 09:12 (4,236 days old) by dustin92 (Jackson, MI)   |   | |
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Finish Powerball tabs or Gelpacs. I think the tabs perform somewhat better than the gelpacs though. |
Post# 619159 , Reply# 10   8/22/2012 at 10:36 (4,236 days old) by jakeseacrest (Massachusetts)   |   | |
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Post# 619169 , Reply# 11   8/22/2012 at 11:11 (4,236 days old) by labboy (SD, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 619179 , Reply# 12   8/22/2012 at 11:36 (4,236 days old) by akronman (Akron/Cleveland Ohio)   |   | |
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Post# 619200 , Reply# 15   8/22/2012 at 12:37 (4,236 days old) by nmassman44 (Brooksville Florida)   |   | |
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I have been using the Finish Powerballs with good results. I did buy two boxes of Somat 3 in 1 powerballs tabbys and they clean up a storm! Plus they are loaded with phosphates..up to 30% at that too. For a powder detergent I swear by Wegmans Fresh scented detergent. Our roomie brought me a bottle of Shaws Homelife gel that was loaded with chlorine bleach. I have been using it on discolored cutting boards and it works quite well. I like the fact that my Miele changes the parameters of a cycle based on what I am using for a detergent..of course I have to tell it what I am going to use by changing the detergent type..powder, liquid, 2 in 1 and 3 in 1 tabs.
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Post# 619203 , Reply# 16   8/22/2012 at 12:43 (4,236 days old) by DirectDriveDave ()   |   | |
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Cascade Complete powder. It has never let me down. |
Post# 619204 , Reply# 17   8/22/2012 at 12:48 (4,236 days old) by whirlcool (Just North Of Houston, Texas)   |   | |
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If we have a light load of dishes we use Cascade Complete with Dawn gel packs. If the load is really dirty we go into our stash and use Walmart's Great Value with 8% phosphates. A few months ago a local dollar store had a bunch of it for $1 per box, so we recharged our phosphated DW detergent supply. |
Post# 619209 , Reply# 18   8/22/2012 at 13:14 (4,236 days old) by JoeEkaitis (Rialto, California, USA)   |   | |
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Finish All-In-One tabs plus an added phosphate. Gets the dishes and pots and pans squeaky-clean without hazing up plastics like Lemi-Shine did. When they're gone, I'm going to look into Bubble Bandit. CLICK HERE TO GO TO JoeEkaitis's LINK |
Post# 619210 , Reply# 19   8/22/2012 at 13:22 (4,236 days old) by rpms (ontario canada)   |   | |
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Post# 619211 , Reply# 20   8/22/2012 at 13:28 (4,236 days old) by Kenmoreguy64 (Charlotte, NC)   |   | |
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Post# 619222 , Reply# 21   8/22/2012 at 14:08 (4,236 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
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My dishes come out clean everytime, I can't tell the difference between the expensive stuff and any of the cheaper brands, usually I buy Wal Mart stuff. |
Post# 619226 , Reply# 22   8/22/2012 at 14:17 (4,236 days old) by ozzie908 (Lincoln UK)   |   | |
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I started using it when I ran out of finish and I really cannot see any difference, I have to use powder because tablets won't go in the dispenser on my Dishdrawer.
Went into buy another bag and found it was reduced to £1.99 that was £2 off so bought 3 bags which will last me some time :) "Aldi spend a little Live a lot" Austin |
Post# 619258 , Reply# 24   8/22/2012 at 17:10 (4,236 days old) by hoovermatic (UK)   |   | |
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Aldi Magnum Tabs - the best EVER! |
Post# 619279 , Reply# 26   8/22/2012 at 19:13 (4,236 days old) by cehalstead (Charleston, WV)   |   | |
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Finish powder. Using the powder allows me to have detergent in both the prewash and main wash. Has never failed me yet. |
Post# 619324 , Reply# 28   8/22/2012 at 22:42 (4,236 days old) by qsd-dan (West)   |   | |
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Post# 619426 , Reply# 30   8/23/2012 at 07:44 (4,236 days old) by polkanut (Wausau, WI )   |   | |
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I had forgotten what a poor performer the Aldi Reeva gel was. I made a batch of brownies for Bev to take to work for her b-day on Tuesday, and so I put all the dirty dishes and utensils in the dw with some of the gel and 1/4 cup borax. When the cycle was complete there was still cocoa residue on the bowl and spatula, and other residues on various other items. So needles to say it will be awhile before the Reeva gets used again. The borax was used to help soften the water. |
Post# 619437 , Reply# 31   8/23/2012 at 08:19 (4,236 days old) by spookiness (Alexandria VA)   |   | |
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Yes I've used that, and it's pretty bad. Their hand-wash detergent is ok but nothing special. |
Post# 619588 , Reply# 33   8/23/2012 at 19:55 (4,235 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))   |   | |
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Post# 619709 , Reply# 37   8/24/2012 at 07:31 (4,235 days old) by DishwasherRules (Italy)   |   | |
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I used German Somat 1 for about a year, but I went back to Finish Quantum, Finish All-in-One, Finish Gel: they seem to have improved the formulas together with changing the style of the labels.
Another very good product, which is available here in Italy, is Nuncas Dishwasher Tablets (they also have a powder detergent, but you have to be VERY careful indeed when dosing: it is too sudsy); it's a bit more expensive than Finish, but it cleans better. @dj-gabriele: if you can find Nuncas tabs, I think it's worth trying. Ivan |
Post# 619862 , Reply# 39   8/24/2012 at 19:04 (4,234 days old) by kenmoreguy89 (Valenza Piemonte, Italy- Soon to be US immigrant.)   |   | |
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No Actually not.....always worked fine for mem to prewash without detergent, I use Finish powder and or for tabs I use the Lidl ones that actually lately are very similar to the finish ones even in the scent.....I prefer powders though...
It depends from person to person I guess, there's who feel the need to put it even in the prewash even if actually would get dishes clean anyway and no problems.. I think that what's matter is the washing cycle..... I never had any need for trying to to add it during prewash also as everything comes out clean, if you use a good detergent no need to add it even in the prewash..... If you want you can always break in half a tab and put it in the prewash..... |
Post# 619864 , Reply# 40   8/24/2012 at 19:12 (4,234 days old) by kenmoreguy89 (Valenza Piemonte, Italy- Soon to be US immigrant.)   |   | |
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Post# 619898 , Reply# 43   8/24/2012 at 21:52 (4,234 days old) by bingwsguy (Binghamton NY)   |   | |
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Grocery Shelf- Finish Powder in the box. On Line order- Dishwasher All |
Post# 619924 , Reply# 44   8/24/2012 at 23:22 (4,234 days old) by kenmoreguy89 (Valenza Piemonte, Italy- Soon to be US immigrant.)   |   | |
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I think powders are the best ones also so I cannot do else but be with you in your choiche, I just need to make some considerations..... DW tablets usually says on their packaging that 1 tabs is enough for all water hardness and for every dirt level....
As mentioned the amount of detergent should be related to the water hardness....even though as I said for me is necessary in the washing cycle only, BTW I never pre-rinse anything as well, but this is not the point, in USA I know most dishwasher are different from the europeans ones, I mean most of europeans ones have a built-in water softener using salt which you can select based on your water hardness to soft water less or more....in USA not. Said this, it is true that now in Europe many dishwasher tablets or detergent are called 2 in 1, which means they have integrated the salt function(water softener function) and you actually could get rid of salt and water softener (even though some package says:" on average water hardness only"), I guess this new formula with which they make 2 in 1 europeans detergents now is similar but not identical to the formula with "integrated water softeners" with which in US they always made dishwasher detergents, both powders and tabs.... All this to say that I just do not know the reliability of these tabs about water softening in very hard waters, and also can't speak "internationally" on detergents brands being best or worse, formulas changes from country or better say continent to continent, using european/italian finish or 2 in 1 stuff as for the quantum or powerball I need to keep the selector of the DW water softenr pointed on the selection 3 as our water is quite hard, my model arrives to 8 which is the maximum water softening level you can get, if not so not only I would not get stuff as clean but also a little deposit of minerals on glassware that I recently realized after considerations and reasonings on another thread I opened here, (Arm&Hammer detergent), being due to the sodium carbonate contained in the detergent bonding with minerals and especially calcium, while when I used American DW detergent (I used Sun powder and also some electrasol tabs) I had my salt tank empty and they obviously worked wonderfully and of course no minearals on glassware.... This just to say that in US since you have not the use of the DW built-in water softener, when one haves very hard water and does not have a water softener for the whole house, a greater dosification of detergent in these cases is the only thing you could do or also adding fosphates or water softening agents as well, a greater use of detergent or addciction of TSP and water softeners is a thing that with a pre-sized DW tab is not absolutely required to have, this second the manufacturers, when it is obvious that actually you would have need to do in some cases...so maytagbear said something correct about the fact that everything changes from country to country.... Just wanted to be a little more clear.... This post was last edited 08/25/2012 at 03:55 |
Post# 619938 , Reply# 46   8/25/2012 at 00:46 (4,234 days old) by qsd-dan (West)   |   | |
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You use two full quantum tabs, plus STPP for each load?
Yup
Heh, my main wash cycle is only 10 minutes :D Pre-wash is about 7 minutes.
so I am not sure the first tab would even have time to dissolve completely.
Water at the tap is 152F, plus the heater kicks in. Remember, these old dishwashers use gallons of water per fill instead of ounces ;>)
Do you have any problems with glasses etching?
Nope
Of course maybe you have hard water.
Crazy hard water! It can get as hard as 18 grains in the dead of summer. |
Post# 619963 , Reply# 47   8/25/2012 at 03:31 (4,234 days old) by beekeyknee (Columbia, MO)   |   | |
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Post# 619974 , Reply# 48   8/25/2012 at 04:26 (4,234 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
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Post# 619984 , Reply# 49   8/25/2012 at 06:23 (4,234 days old) by kenmoreguy89 (Valenza Piemonte, Italy- Soon to be US immigrant.)   |   | |
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Post# 619991 , Reply# 50   8/25/2012 at 07:41 (4,234 days old) by mrboilwash (Munich,Germany)   |   | |
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My regular tab is Somat 7, but lately I was in the mood to try a powder again.
The unusual thing about that one is it comes in a decent box instead of a cheap plastic bag and it is an "all in one", which is also not so common for powders in the EU. Have to admit that I always use a LITTLE of salt and rinseaid, despite those all in ones. Love it and will certainly buy again. Louis, how does the Dreft compare to Somat ? Unfortunately we did not get anything made from P&G for the dishwasher in Germany for ages. |
Post# 620043 , Reply# 51   8/25/2012 at 13:30 (4,233 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
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Post# 620076 , Reply# 53   8/25/2012 at 14:36 (4,233 days old) by rudin1969 (Italy)   |   | |
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Ivan and djgabriele, I know Nuncas Dishwasher tablets - they're fantastic! Indeed, all Nuncas products are excellent! CLICK HERE TO GO TO rudin1969's LINK |
Post# 620169 , Reply# 55   8/25/2012 at 20:14 (4,233 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 620202 , Reply# 57   8/25/2012 at 22:07 (4,233 days old) by cehalstead (Charleston, WV)   |   | |
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The Big Lot stores in my area have HUNDREDS of boxes of Cascade Complete (with phosphates) on the shelves. Nobody seems to be buying them...... |
Post# 620204 , Reply# 58   8/25/2012 at 22:13 (4,233 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 620388 , Reply# 59   8/26/2012 at 14:53 (4,232 days old) by cehalstead (Charleston, WV)   |   | |
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West Virginia (WV), not Wisconsin (WI)....a tad bit closer to La Pomme Grande, but not much.....LOL |
Post# 621181 , Reply# 60   8/29/2012 at 20:59 (4,229 days old) by qsd-dan (West)   |   | |
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Post# 621227 , Reply# 61   8/30/2012 at 00:28 (4,229 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))   |   | |
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Post# 622111 , Reply# 65   9/2/2012 at 18:46 (4,225 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Last time one checked while the stuff does contain phosphates it also has chlorine bleach but no enzymes. Cannot abide the wafting chlorine odor when using dishwasher detergents with it, and find enzyme products do a better job.
Being as that may if anyone can confrim I'm wrong and Cascade does contain enzymes may keep an eye out to add some to my stash. Though with at least five or ten (cannot remember ) boxes of phosphate containing Cascade "Complete" or "Pure Rinse" don't think will be needing more anytime soon. |
Post# 622131 , Reply# 67   9/2/2012 at 19:21 (4,225 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Chlorine also breaks down (or rather destroys, *LOL*) protein which helps deal with such soils on dishware. It also explains why you cannot use chlorine bleach on either wool or silk fibers, but we're not on that right now.
As for water levels in modern DWs, my older Kenmore (made buy Frigidare) purchased in the 1990's uses a good amount of water, and happily Cascade and Electrasol had introduced enzymes to their TOL detergents. A sample of Cascade "Complete" came with my unit. Next time skip the sink was the tag line from P&G touting their new enzyme powered "Complete" DW detergent. The other PR was a television commercial showing housewives pulling various faces at the smell of chlorine bleach coming from their dishwashers. Of course "new" Cascade put an end to all that because it contained enzymes and as we all know from laundry products the two do not mix. The other television commercial one remembers shows a housewife putting an entire cake (frosting and all) into the dishwasher and only the plate emerged after the cycle was complete with no traces of the cake to be found either there or inside the DW for that matter. |
Post# 622284 , Reply# 71   9/3/2012 at 10:49 (4,224 days old) by kenmoreguy89 (Valenza Piemonte, Italy- Soon to be US immigrant.)   |   | |
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In Italy they produce a yellow variety of finish which contains chlorine bleach...it is a very thick and heavy gel with a nice lemon aroma, that you'll find at the end of washing, no pure chlorine smell, just a lemony fresh scent combined with a light clean scent from chlorine.....and even if it was "pure chlorine" smell I would not be upset for me a light hint of chlorine is not disturbing, a hint of chlorine smell clean for me...
As always can send a bottle to who want to try it.....just email me. This post was last edited 09/03/2012 at 12:01 |
Post# 622285 , Reply# 72   9/3/2012 at 10:57 (4,224 days old) by kenmoreguy89 (Valenza Piemonte, Italy- Soon to be US immigrant.)   |   | |
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A crappy pic of some DW detergents I picked up for a friend in this website time ago....
There was also the Finish Gel....no complaints heard, rather he was happy.... I find it very good, I usually don't like gels but I find it paragonable to powders..... only flaw is that it is way more expensive than powders. |
Post# 622288 , Reply# 73   9/3/2012 at 11:02 (4,224 days old) by kenmoreguy89 (Valenza Piemonte, Italy- Soon to be US immigrant.)   |   | |
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Post# 622289 , Reply# 74   9/3/2012 at 11:04 (4,224 days old) by kenmoreguy89 (Valenza Piemonte, Italy- Soon to be US immigrant.)   |   | |
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Post# 622290 , Reply# 75   9/3/2012 at 11:05 (4,224 days old) by kenmoreguy89 (Valenza Piemonte, Italy- Soon to be US immigrant.)   |   | |
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Post# 622291 , Reply# 76   9/3/2012 at 11:14 (4,224 days old) by kenmoreguy89 (Valenza Piemonte, Italy- Soon to be US immigrant.)   |   | |
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Post# 622356 , Reply# 77   9/3/2012 at 15:42 (4,224 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)   |   | |
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Chuck, be careful with the cleanser on porcelain sinks and tubs. You can remove the glaze with long time use. I saw a tub ruined this way. |
Post# 622360 , Reply# 78   9/3/2012 at 16:11 (4,224 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)   |   | |
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When I worked at a plumbing supply place, we recommended Bon Ami for general cleaning , with Bar Keeper's Friend for stubborn stains. My mom used Comet on our tub, and it dulled it some over the years. |
Post# 1002384 , Reply# 81   8/3/2018 at 06:40 (2,065 days old) by polkanut (Wausau, WI )   |   | |
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Lately we've been using Hytron dw detergent pods with great results.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO polkanut's LINK |
Post# 1002430 , Reply# 82   8/3/2018 at 14:51 (2,064 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)   |   | |
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Post# 1002448 , Reply# 83   8/3/2018 at 17:51 (2,064 days old) by Mrsalvo (New Braunfels Texas)   |   | |
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Very pleasantly suprised with Walgreen's Nice dishwasher packs. They clean well, and a lot cheaper than Cascade. I'll use that or Cascade if I run out. Barry |
Post# 1002453 , Reply# 84   8/3/2018 at 19:24 (2,064 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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Post# 1002458 , Reply# 86   8/3/2018 at 20:13 (2,064 days old) by IowaBear (Cedar Rapids, IA)   |   | |
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I looked this up when you mentioned it before. To get it at reasonable price ($12 a box) I'd have to buy 6 boxes. I only run my machine once-a-week. Six 85 ounce boxes would take me a long time to use up.
So for now I'm sticking with the Cascade Platinum pacs. No complaints, for me they work as well as the old powdered detergents before the phosphate ban. No doubt they are expensive at around .35 per pac in the smaller bags of them I usually buy.
If I ran the dishwasher every day I might investigate cheaper options.
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Post# 1002461 , Reply# 87   8/3/2018 at 20:55 (2,064 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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Post# 1002463 , Reply# 88   8/3/2018 at 21:28 (2,064 days old) by IowaBear (Cedar Rapids, IA)   |   | |
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Post# 1002471 , Reply# 90   8/3/2018 at 23:41 (2,064 days old) by abcomatic (Bradford, Illinois)   |   | |
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Bubble Bandit. |
Post# 1004482 , Reply# 92   8/22/2018 at 13:51 (2,045 days old) by johnb300m (Chicago)   |   | |
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I started using Cascade Complete pacs when I got the new KDTE304G.
They worked fantastic. I had a few light loads though, and on the very light soil loads, I DID have some excessive sudsing issues with the Complete pacs. So I got a box of Complete powder, and I custom dose that with my soft water on light soil loads, and that seems to work great. So I now use the pacs only for full, heavy soil loads and they work like a charm. |
Post# 1004484 , Reply# 93   8/22/2018 at 14:11 (2,045 days old) by nickuk (chelmsford UK)   |   | |
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....and I am pleased that you now have a solution which works for you with alternating the detergents. May I ask if you also use a separate rinse aid? |
Post# 1004505 , Reply# 94   8/22/2018 at 16:28 (2,045 days old) by johnb300m (Chicago)   |   | |
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I DO use a separate rinse aid.
I've swtiched to Cascade Platinum over the Finish Jet Dry that seems to be the standard. And I have it dosed on the medium-high side to acidify the water a bit. I had some bad etching issues with my soft water and my past GE dishwasher. The new KA has been great with it thus far. It does a few things which I think help prohibit etching on my glassware. - it does far less pre-rinsing, so the detergent gets to work in much dirtier water, leaving less to attack the glass. - it washes using much cooler, 105F main wash water on Normal. And only does the final rinse at 140F. - it has two Heat Dry settings. One short, and one long. So I use the shorter Heat Dry setting to not overheat the dishware, which also aggravates etching in soft water. |