Cascade Problems
From what we understand, Cascade has had to change their formula so that there are no phosphates. This is not by their choice as we see it but by laws being passed by individual states. The laws aim to keep phosphates out of anything that ends up in the waste water or any water that could end up in lakes. The phosphate makes the algae grow, which takes oxygen out of the water and supposedly suffocates aquatic life.
In turn, not having any phosphates in soaps like dishwashing detergent makes them not as effective – to the point where dishes don’t even get clean. This makes people angry for good reason. It seems that companies like Cascade and other “green” cleaning companies are struggling to find a suitable replacement for phosphate.
Some people are buying Cascade with phosphorus online and having it shipped to them from other states, it seems.
So that’s the situation. Feel free to continue the discussion here. There are several solutions being listed and Finish detergent seems to be working well for people. That’s what I use. It gets dishes in the dishwasher clean in states that have banned phosphorus in the detergent. Alternatively, you can add the phosphate back in.
Possible Solutions Being Offered
What Dishwasher Detergent Still Has Phosphates?
During the discussion here, we want to keep every up to date on possible solutions so that your dishes come out cleaner and do not get ruined. Here they are:
- Some people want to get a class action suit against Cascade. It’s not Cascade’s fault – check your local government and find out whey they are banning phosphorus.
- Add 1 cup of vinegar to the wash cycle once the initial fill up begins. Do this along with using your dishwasher detergent. This seems to do the trick.
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Has anyone had a problem with the Cascade Complete All in 1 Phosphate Free(UPC 0 37000 33836 9) leaving white, splotchy deposits on glasses and stainless steel flatware? Deposits may be on our white dinnerware also – we just can’t see it. This spotting/splotching appears as if someone took a spray bottle and sprayed over the items in the dishwasher. The spotting is not washing off with regular hand washing. We have used Cascade products for many years and have never had a problem. At this point we stopped using the detergent. Does anyone have a solution on how to remove the spotting?
The new cascade formula has destroyed my stainless inside of the dishwasher. It has ruined all my metal collanders. The white film on glasses. we need the old formula. Is another company making phosphate dish detergent?
this dishdwashing formula is terrible and should be taken off the market
my red dishwasher safe bowls dishes are ruined and all my black kitchenaid utensils large spoons spatulas are ruined, I couldn’t figure it out, I suspected it was this new cascade, kept thinking I need a new dishwasher until I read all the posts. No more cascade for me after all these years, after to find something else I guess with Phosphates.
I have been struggling with the same thing-white film or splotching all over the dishes. I have been using 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar with each load just so I can use up the Cascade I have left. It seems to be helping significantly.
This is so frustrating—-I am experiencing the same things. My expensive stainless steele cookware is ruined (appearance) it still cooks, glassware ruined, stainless steel flatware—pyrex etc ruined. I am going to try the vinegar. I will find some other dishwasher detergent.
No matter what dishwasher soap you use thar doesn’t have phosphate in it not only ruins your dishes but ruins your dishwasher. It plugs the holes with its deposits. We will eventually all go back to washing dishes by hand to keep our dishes clean & sparkling. That is unless they find something to replace phosphate that works.
@Judy
I saw your post about 1/2 – 1 cup vinegar how do you add to wash cycle
@barbara winnicki
Barbara, If you or anyone else is willing to speak with me about challenges with phosphate free detergents for an NPR story, I’d appreciate it very much. Please email:eshogren@npr.org. Thanks, Elizabeth
Corrected email address:
I am in Colorado and need to find a dishwasher detergent which HAS phosphates – I just had a lengthy repair session on my dishwasher removing a thick, white, pasty film from the main water filter…really bad. Ideas? please email me at: jrpc5@yahoo.com
It was suggested to mix cascadevwith one half baking soda to soften the water. Detergent would be less but the soft water would make it more effective. I am going to try this and will report on results.
The main issue with performance of phosphate-free detergent is worsened when there are hard water conditions, and this might be a big issue for some people…
A possible solution is getting a machine with a water softening unit, which can improve results considerably, or a water softening filter, that can work for the whole house.
Finally trying a different brand is also an option. Since phosphate free formulas don’t have the same performance, there might be others that can work better than your current one. (Finish has worked for me better than most.)
I am so surprised to read countless posts describing the same issue we had and are still having despite having our 3 year old dishwasher replaced at Sear’s expense to their upgraded model!
So excited……. first wash. STILL finding dishes with “white stuff” which we now now is hard water. Bought Glass Magic and still have our fingers crossed this will be the magic bullet.
I have also searched for detergent which still contains phosphate, however I hate to say it, but they are unbelievably raping their customers.
for a SMALL 20 oz box, the price is ridiculous. Goodness, I believe in profit but come on………….. that’s greed.
I hope someone finds a company who is fair and offers the product we need and that would be Dish detergent WITH phosphates!
Cascade Complete Gel seems to work fairly well. To get glassware and utensils sparking again, go to any Pharmacy and ask for Citric Acid. Use it like dishwashing detergent occasionally. It works great.
I’ve had the same problem as everyone else (white film on everything) but assumed it was my dishwasher. I live in Texas and have very hard water, and can see about 1cm of buildup on the heating element, so I assumed I’d have to call a repair man. Needless to say, I’m relieved that it may just be the detergent.
I had been adding vinegar as well, because I know it also cleans the machine; just pour it right into the bottom of the dishwasher prior to running a load. I also soaked a bunch of glasses in a vinegar/water mixture for 30 min, and the spots/streaks came right out. Buy the strongest vinegar that’s available in the biggest size; you’d be surprised at all the things it cleans really well.
Best of luck to you all!
Soak all your glassware in distilled white vinegar for 30 minutes, completely submerged, and they will look brand new. Try it! It works! Will do my coffee mugs, plates, and serving bowls next. I assume it will work on black handled utensils, too.
I thought I needed to buy new glasses because they were so bad. My husband thought I bought new glasses (after the vinegar treatment).
@Amy I usually just pour it on the door or in the bottom of the dw. It mixes with the water as it fills and seems to do the trick. Hope that helps you. Vinegar is sure an inexpensive fix to the problem. It’s the same idea as cleaning the coffee maker.
so what i am reading is now we have to do double the work in order to get dishes clean. so what dishwashing powders are people trying that seem to be working. Brand new dishes and glasses have been reuined.
Ok first of all I live in Florida and dont live in any state that has a ban of such detergent. But it seems since the ban has taken effect I’m having the same problem as everyone else it seems. Does anyone know if these companies have completly stopped making there products with the original phosphate levels that worked??? I’m discouraged because all of our good silverware and dishes have gotten damaged over that last several months now since this ban has taken effect and I was totally not aware of this till I researched the internet to find this site. Does anyone know if manufacturers stopped altogether shipping the original formulas because of the bans in other states. It would make sense for them to do this because of the cost involved to produce products with high phospahtes and products with low phosphates and send to the states the have bans and ones that do not. I just checked what we are using here and it states low phosphates which is cascade. So I assume this is the case. My suggestion to resolve this problem is to do the vineger cleaning one time on the dishes and store them for special occasions and wash after each use and invest in chinnet or dixie plates and cups and utensils. I figure for the price of dishwashing detergent for monthly use and cost that does not seem to work this would be a complete alternative for about the same price. Further more your saving money by not running your dishwasher and saving on your electric and water bill. plus all the headaches it seems everyone here has. THIS IS JUST A THOUGHT.
I started having this problem in April in Texas and almost bought a new dishwasher. The only thing I have found to work fairly well is Finish gelpacs. There is no white residue to speak of, I do have to prerinse the dishes (somthing I have not done in years). I live in Texas with very hard water and have never used a water softner and refuse to do so now. The heavy salt concentration in softners is probably as bad if not worse for the fish as phosphates.
Here is my question. What makes Procter & Gamble think that it is alright to put a product like Cascade on the market that destroys the dishes and utensiles it is supposed to clean? The fact that many states now ban phosphates is no excuse. If you can’t make a product that works, then don’t make anything. P&G needs to get their butt kicked through a class action law suite. My guess is it won’t be long until that happens.
AVOID CASCADE DISHWASHING POWDER AT ALL COSTS, DO NOT BUY OR USE CASCADE POWDER! (Yes I am YELLING because their CASCADE powder is WORTHLESS!)
“We have used Cascade dishwashing powders for over 25 years in fact it is basically the only detergent we have ever used. Proctor and Gamble changed their tried and true formula to “phosphate free” and it is now USELESS and destructive to use!
The last two boxes we purchased are WORTHLESS and now CASCADE POWDER is the WORST PRODUCT WE HAVE EVER USED. It has RUINED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE IN OUR DISHWASHER and coated ALL of our dishes, glasses, cups, silverware, aluminum cookware and non stick pans with a dingy, grimy white film! OUR DISHES NOW COME OUT DIRTIER THAN IF WE HAD NOT USED CASCADE AT ALL! In all of the years we have been using CASCADE we have NEVER had problems until now. My rinse aid is full. At first we thought our dishwasher was broken. I cannot continue to buy this product as it has ruined my dishes.
Proctor and Gamble’s excuse for changing the formula was that they are required to be phosphate free by “state and local” laws. Be that as it may they should have created a product that WORKS before releasing it to the public!
They better hope those laws extend to New Hampshire, because I will be using a different brand going forward if I can find one that has phosphates in it here in New Hampshire. I may switch to another brand altogether because P&G has so alienated me on this.
I called to complain and P&G admitted that NOW their CASCADE powder DOES NOT WORK if you do not have perfect soft water! In order to clean my dishes I was told that I need to use their Cascade gell or their Cascade Complete! Consumers should not have to pay TWICE AS MUCH JUST TO GET CLEAN DISHES!
CASCADE DISHWASHING powder is supposed to CLEAN dishes, not make them dirty!
If Proctor and Gamble is no longer capable of creating a CASCADE POWDER product/formula that CLEANS dishes instead of making them dirty and destroys them then P&G should stop selling CASCADE dishWASHING products all together and get out of the market!
Come on P&G stop blaming the consumer and reformulate the product. FIX the PROBLEM OR STOP SELLING CASCADE dishDIRTYING powder to unsuspecting consumers.”
At least I now know it’s just not me having the problem with Cascade. This stuff leaves a terrible film on my dishes. Needless to say, I won’t be buying this brand anymore. I might as well not have a dishwasher since I have to scrub off the film-& that takes quite awhile.
The best dishwasher soap you can use is melaleuca dishwasher soap.
No phosphates and it works great. I have used all melaleuca products for over 10 years and you will not find anything better on the market.
I’m very upset with Proctor and Gamble Company and the cascade dishwashing powder as it has my glasses, black handled utensils, stainless steel flatware, pots and pans with the white film that I can’t get off. Now I will need to replace all of my kitchen items because of the problem. To replace them is going to cost me a lot of money. Furthermore, Proctor and Gamble did not put a warning on the cascade box to let the consumer know what will happen to their dishes and other items if we continue to use it. I am pissed off!!!
Use melaleuca. go to melaleuca.com and order diamond brite – no phospates and it works. i’ve used it for over 10 years.@carlene
I have been using Cascade for years and it always done a great job! Lately all my expensive stainless steel bake sheets, pots and pans have turned a dark color. My glasses and other dishes have spots after they are washed and never look clean—-I thought it was my dishwasher until I researched it tonight on this websight. After reading this, I am really pissed off because there was not a warning about what could happen to your stainless steel and other dishes if you used it.— I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER PACK OF CASCADE AND WILL INFORM ALL MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES NOT TO BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve used Cascade gel for years and only since they changed their formula to Phosphate-free have I had a problem. Very discouraged and upset by the change in product. It’s a big waste of money now!!
If you are up for making your own detergent, for pennies.. here is a recipe. In my opinion, slamming Cascade is pointless – they are following state laws banning phosphates, to protect our environment. p.s. My late mother-in-law used to run TANG beverage mix through her wash cycle to clean her dishwasher… maybe it was the citrus thing…
From a blog….. Missy says:
October 3, 2010 at 7:38 pm
I have used the following recipe in my dishwasher since January 2010.
It works fabulously and costs me only pennies a week.
1/3 cup Borax
1/3 cup Washing Soda (not baking soda)
1/3 cup salt
4 envelopes lemon kool-aid, unsweetened ( or citric acid)–each envelope only costs 8 cents
Using a funnel, add the above ingredients to a 32 oz plastic bottle with a lid (I use an old white vinegar bottle). Add just enough warm water to cover ingredients, cap and shake well. Mixture will foam–release lid to let Co2 escape. Add more water, shake. Continue until bottle is full. Mixture will smell like a lemon drop. Fill dispenser with the mix; shake before each use. I use white vinegar in my rinse aid dispenser.
Sparkling clean dishes for pennies a week!
My dishes were becoming a mess and I had no idea why. I could not tell it on the plates but our glasses were chalky looking and spotty and even the silverware was beginning to look funny. I happened to read about the no phosphates in the detergents and started washing my dishes by hand using Plamolive dish soap. They are beautiful again. There are only two of us so it is not a big deal for me but for a family it would be a pain. I sure hope the manufacturers come up with a suitable replacement for the phosphates.
@Jerry
@Jerry
Thank you everyone for posting. I thought it was my dishwasher again and now understand why all of my stainless and rubber utensils are destroyed. Like the borax recipe and Melaluca idea. So appreciate the info everyone! No it’s not Cascades fault!
I think there should be a black market for phosphate dish detergent, perhaps the Chinese could make it since they are exempt from any and all envionmentally ridiculous regulations. If illegal drugs and illegal aliens can get in here with ease then so can this. Great money making opportunity for someone. Ready to buy some!
I think a class action lawsuit is in order. There should be warning labels on the product that it will ruin your dishes and your dishwasher.
I have read several solutions that I will try in the meantime. You can buy phosphates at the hardware store and add to whatever detergent you already have. I have tried vinegar and it helped, but nothing seems to completely remove the white film that cascade complete put on my dishes.
It’s not just a problem with Cascade. It’s all phosphate-free products. I have been using Sunlight phosphate-free and all my black plastic utensils, stainless steel and glasses are a horrible mess. The straight vinegar works very well to remove all the white crap and hopeful a smaller dose in the dishwasher will maintain that. The detergent companies should have come up with this answer in their big expensive labs instead of guinea-pigging us and driving us crazy. Nevertheless, I hope this will be a successful and inexpensive solution while saving the environment from all the harmful phosphates.
@Paul
Paul, you said everything I’ve been thinking. If P&G can’t make a product that works, then discontinue that product. In the meantime I believe that they are responsible for my cookware, stainless utensils, plastics, and glasses.
In our area we have a janitorial supply store, they carry a phosphate based dishwasher detergent. I have not tried it, but bought a bucket today.
I do not feel phosphate from household uses is the most logical cause of algae growth in waterways. Lawns are fertilized with a phosphate based product, any runoff from rain and snow-dmelt goes into street drains. Most street drains in cities are not diverted to a sewage treatment plant to remove phosphate, these drains are directly discharged into a waterway.
Taking the phosphate based ddiswaher products away is a “feel good activity” and will not make a significant difference in the growth of algae.
Is there really an environmental benefit of removing phosphates from dishwasher detergent if it drives millions of consumers to buy paper & plastic products (I did today) and replace their dishwashers unnecessarily? Too busy trying to get my dishes clean to write to my congressman!
Oh, by the way, I’m a baker and I heard recently that sugar is bad for us. So I’ve decided to remove it from my chocolate chip cookie formula. I’m not going to replace it, just remove it and charge consumers the same price for the cookies. If you have any problems, I would recommend trying chocolate chip cookie completes, which cost twice as much and also have no sugar; they do, however, have cinnamon and nutmeg. Enjoy!
So glad to find these posts! I contacted Cascade after getting a white film on dishes, especially on hard plastic utensils. Not a word was said by Cascade about a formula change. They did recommend the vinegar, but never said why. Here is part of their message: “Here’s what we suggest to remove filming from your dishes:
- Remove everything from dishwasher especially metal items.
- Place a bowl on bottom rack of dishwasher and fill with 2 cups white vinegar.
- Put glasses with filming on top rack of dishwasher.
- Double check that all metal items are removed as vinegar can adversely affect them.
- Run through a complete cycle without detergent.
If the filming remains, you are experiencing etching which, unfortunately, is permanent. Although the etching process isn’t completely understood by the glass or dishwashing industry, it appears to be a result of a combination of factors including soft water, high temperatures and the way the glass was originally manufactured. Some things you can do to reduce or slow the etching process on any of your new glassware in the future are listed below:
- Try one of our detergents with ShineShield technology: Cascade Pure Rinse gel and powder, Cascade Complete gel and powder, and Cascade 2in1 ActionPacs. With regular use and proper dosing, they help prevent etching before it can start.
- Use Cascade Crystal Clear plus ShineShield rinse aid. The ShineShield formula sheets off water and strengthens weak spots on the dish surface that lead to etching, leaving you with a virtually pure shine.
- Adjust water softener so that the water has at least 4 grains of hardness.
- Adjust water heater so that water temperature is below 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Reduce detergent used in soft water. Try filling each dispenser cup half full.
The Soap and Detergent Association discusses both of these problems on their website. Please go to: http://www.cleaning101.com and select the Dishwashing category. You’ll find the Fact Sheet Notebook has more information about these problems and how to prevent them.
Yes I received the exact same letter. I’m headed to the store to see exactly what brands of dishwasher detergent still have phosphates and buy several boxes. I am sending my box of Cascade back to P&G. My very expensive stainless still pot was totally white. I had to scrub with Bar Keepers Friend to get the white off. What a pain.
I am so thankful I found these posts. Like everyone else, my glasses and black plastic wear is ruined. I spent hours scrubbing with SOS pads to try to get the film off glasses and my silverware. Except for the black plastic items, I was able to get the residue off. We figured our dishwasher had finally died since it is 18 years old so off we went and bought a new one. Imagine when the first load came out the SAME way – which means more hours of scrubbing silverware and glasses..and now another black utensil is ruined!!! I think P&G owns us all new dishes, glasses, plastic utensils and reimbursement for new dishwashers for those of us that figured that was the problem!! I feel for you that have ruined stainless diswashers that are now ruined! Anyon know what we can do to make them pay????
Unfortunately, all auto dish detergents have been ban from sale if the contain phosphates. The performance for Cascade, Finish and all others does not meet what the old stuff did. My machine is starting to turn yellow as it is Stainless Steel on the inside. I haven’t had the residue on glasses but I don’t like the look of my machine inside.
We used cascade for twenty years with no problems…….it has stopped cleaning ……..switched to another brand…….reults were 150% better…somebody in the company better pick up the ball. Very discouraging …thougt it was my dishwasher at first, checked with my parents, similiar issues, did they change the formula?????
@Jodi
Someone mentioned a class action lawsuit earlier–I AGREE!! The new cascade has taken the finish off of our Pfaltzgraf cups & plates. It has ruined our stainless dinnerware. This stuff sucks!! We have switched to Finish Gel and it works great!!
Does anyone know if there is a dishwashing detergent with phosphates available in Canada?
Kroger Value Brand still has phosphate…thought only 2%. This is about 1/3 of the amount in the original detergent formulas prior to the ban, but more than 5X the amount in the current formulas. I have tried it, and it does not leave a white film….however, it does not get the dishes as clean as I would like on the normal cycle, so I run everything on the “pots & pans” cycle (that is until I get to Lowes and buy a few boxes of TSP to bump up the amount of phosphates to 8% or so…)
@barbara winnicki
Hi there.
I understand that you are frustrated with the change in ingredients of cascade. I am a customer of an exclusive on-line shopping company, that patented cleaning technology that works better than cascade. and they take a totally natural approach to their cleaning science.
I’d like to help you out of this frustrated situation. You can contact me however you like.
I had the smae problems as discussed here- even replaced my water softener (at great expense) before finding out the source of the problem. Some of my glasses were totally opaque and the black synthetic handles on utensils and pots were white and gritty. This worked for me: run an empty dishwasher with Lemi-shine, twice. After that, load with dishes as usual and put Lemi-shine in the main detergent receptacle and a “Finish Powerball” tablet in the secondary dispenser. You will see improvement after the first load with virtually all residue gone after 5-6 washings. Unfortunately,it seems our ability as consumers to buy and use the products we want is becoming more limited every day so we are forced to find a way around it. Makes you wonder what lawmakers are thinking.
It was with great disappointment that I started having this problem several months ago with Cascade, a product that I have used for about 30 years. Removing the phosphate from the detergent has really destroyed the product, and my flatware, dishes, plastic/nylon spatula, colandar — everything. I contacted Sears twice, and today one rep told me to try Electrosol + Jet Drive. In the meantime, I will check out the suggestions for soaking items in vinegar for about 30 minutes. This has been a good forum.
Okay, I tried the use of white vinegar on flatware, and it worked quite nicely. My problem with issues of this nature is that we (the consumer) are left with additional costs to properly clean our dished. Now I must by a dishwashter detergent product, possibly a Jet Dry product, and then several bottles of (inespensive) white vinegar, then spend several hours to “clean” my dishes, flatware and special items that have been contaminated by the Cascade detergent. All of this occurred without warning from Proctor and Gamble. Our government regulations are costing the average consumer (and we retirees in our 70s) more and more money to perform routine items.
@Joe
Regarding the increased costs due to the banning of phosphates, just wait until all the hidden costs of upcoming greenhouse gas regulations hit your pocketbook. Lifecycle costs and actual benefits vs. liabilities are questionable for both at best. As alluded to in earlier posts, the use of extra deteregents, more hot water, paper plates, shorter appliance life, additional manufacturing and trucking of detergents & appliances, potential illness from less than clean dishes, etc., all reduce any potential overall benefit from reducing phosphates. The question remains – is the cure worse than the illness?
So I’m not going crazy. We blamed the dishwasher. Did the Cascade company not do some testing before making the big switch? If homemade remedies are doing the trick, how come they couldn’t figure it out. Too bad–they have lost another formally faithful customer. Luckily two neighbors went through the same thing–leading me to this website. I’ve called Cascade a couple of times and they haven’t answered the phone yet…
@Carol
Good luck finding something with phosphates. We’ve checked several places around New Orleans and can’t find anything. Even at the dollar stores!
Please do not mix vinegar with bleach. Gases are created that can be fatal.
Cascade is well aware of this problem. My question is “why is proctor and gamble still selling this product without informing the public?”
I called them and they explained to me that i needed to add vinegar or switch to the more costly liquid. When i pay for a product i see no reason why i should have to add something to make it perform as stated. They did not offer a refund until i brought the matter up. A coupon does not fix my revereware, kitchen aid utensils, silverware and all the dishes and glassware i used to prepare and serve my thanksgiving dinner.
I was able to go out and find a box of the old formula but it has bleach and as stated above it mixing vinegar and bleach can be fatal.
Please contact proctor & gamble. If we do nothing they will continue rake in the profits while we pay to replace the items that their product destroyed.
Stop worrying. Each wash I put a small china ramekin in the bottom rack and fill it with plain old white vinegar – about a half cup – and carry on the wash as usual. Only thing to remember, wedge the ramekin so it doesn’t move, and push the rack in slowly so it doesn’t slop out. This works better than just dumping the vinegar into the bottom of the dishwasher because the force of the water spraying out of the washer arms pours the vinegar gradually out as the ramekin constantly spills over the top. Make sure the ramekin isn’t under something sheltering it from the water spray. No problems. Magic.
I too had the issue with Cascade after using it for years. After finding an article on the internet, I tried Finish Quantum packs. They are working terrific. I would suggest you give them a try. I was to the point I was going to start washing all my dishes by hand.
We also blamed our Kitchen Aid dishwasher. The glasses were so gross we were going to replace them. I used a small amount of Lime Away and it got all of the residue off. Also put Lime Away in the dishwasher and it got all the white stuff off the inside of the dishwasher and off all the dishes that were included in the cycle. So glad to read that vinegar works – much less expensive and environmentally better. THANKS!
Kaboom is the only thing I have found that will get rid of the film from the “new” Cascade. This works very well, even on plastic. Good luck!
@Jerry
YES! I have used Cascade for 30 years. Just recently I have had a problem with white splotches on glasses. You’re right, it does not come off with handwashing. My coffee pot looks horrible on my countertop. It looks so dirty!
Well, at least I have finally discovered the sourse of my problem. I complained to my maintanance man, in my apt complex and he clued me into this problem. My glasses were just looking worse and worse. I will try the vineger first, what a pain.
The Cascade tablets have ruined many of my dishes and flatwear. It is horrible, should be taken off the market completely until they can fix the problem. Do not buy this product!!
Cascade was a household name for many yrs..until now…I was using Cascade complete and also switch to Cascade with Dawn..Now I have a mess with my plastics…stainless steel silverware..pots and pans(satinless) glasses..just about everything. My intire silerware dishes glasees pots and pans will have to be replaced. They are terrible. Also, what has it done to our health with all the milky cloudy on all.
Does anyone have a solution if there is any cleaning these things.??
HELPPPPPPPPPP
It has taken me mts. to figure why I suddenly started having this problem. I’m going to try the vineger, I will check the next time I go to the market, but I’m sure I’m not going to find a detergent with phosphates. Hope the vineger works. I hate pulling my dishes out of the washer, looking worse than when I put them in.
Great news for me, I thought I was going crazy over my dishwasher. Looking forward to hearing about creative solutions to solving the problem.
P.S IF there is a class action law suite, count me in.
@Jerry
I have experienced the same cloudy film on glasses and silverware. As another person said,it’s probably on the dishes too but i just can’t see it! I had a repairman come and “fix” my washer because i said it wasn’t washing well…$135 later, still the same cloudy, disgusting film. I have been reading about the change in Cascade, which I use. Must be the cause. I added some vinegar to the washer while rinsing…I don’t know. The vinegar definitely took the film off during a handwash of all the glasses. Totally frustrating. I read somewhere else that the water temp should be really hot. So I will now run the kitchen sink with hot water before i start the washer and I am going to try a rinse cycle additive. They recommended jet dry in solid form that is in a basket that you hang on the upper rack, left corner. Will report after i try those remedies. Very frustrating as my washer is only 1-2 years old!
How can a company, knowing that their product will destroy your dishwasher, utensils etc, still keep it on the market and not have the desency to at LEAST put a warning on it. Wonder what the dirty dishes etc, is doing to your health. My dishwasher is stainless steel. I just want to cry when I see the terriable mess it is now. Everything I put in the dishwasher is ruined along side the dishwasher. I think the attorney general should hear about this and see what he can do about getting us reimburst for all our damaged goods.
So glad I found all these posts. I called a repairman because I thought something was wrong with my 3 year old dishwasher. I was having all of the same problems listed above. He gave me so tips over the phone (no service charge), such as using Diswasher Magic to help get rid of the build up of soap and lyme. It worked well and I ran the rise cylce several times. The heating element on the bottom finally looked normal again, and not covered in a white gritty paste. Then I did a load of dishes with Cascade (which I had been using for 25 years) and guess what – still a mess!! I will be using the vinegar now and seeing if that works. He also suggested using Tang for detergent. I did find that hand scrubbing my silverware and plastic ware with Soft Scrub took the disgusting film off, but it has been a tedious process, and very frustrating. Every piece of silverware, all my black spatulas, and platic cups have to be cleaned by hand before I start using the dishwaher again.
It’s not just Cascade it’s all the major brands. I’ve tried several since my glassware started coming out clowdy. They took out the Phosphorus they might as well take my dishwasher too. I have to rewash everything by hand now……sucks. Well on the bright side I’ll have more shelf space.
I PUT 2 QUARTS OF VINEGAR IN FINAL RINSE…..PAIN IN THE REAR,,,,,BUT IT HELPS…..COUNT ME IN ON CLASS ACTION SUITE
Greetings…you can call P&G customer relations and they will eventually cut you a check for any costs that are associated with getting the dishwasher fixed.
GE should supply the parts for no charge, but will charge you for labor. P&G will reimburse you.
Forgot to mention, the Cascade Complete All in One pacs work great.
Also, P&G customer relations were exceptional at handling the situation for me. I will still use their products because of how they handled the situation.
The vinegar works great! I just added about 3/4 cup to the water after it got through the pre-rinse cycle, and now my cups, silverware and black spatulas all look clear and feel smooth again. I soaked some of my other stuff in hot water with a little vinegar and it took the film right off.
Don’t panic folks, I have a solution that will return your expensive stainless steel dishwasher to the mirror finish it once had without a single scratch. Steps to take: Pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar into bottom of dishwasher on EACH cycle. I did a pot and pan wash cycle and had to pour vinegar into the wash 3 separate times. After the wash and the rinse cycle completes, stop the dishwasher before it goes into the dry cycle. Remove the racks and use a plastic bristle / plastic handle scrub brush and scrub any heavy deposits using very little water on the brush. Immediately wipe off the area you brushed and repeat until the stainless dishwasher starts to look like it is only stained (like hard water stains in a coffee pot). On the rubber side seals, use the sharp edge of a small knife held at a right angle to the rubber surface and gently run up and down the seals until the white powder begins to erode away, wipe with a sponge as you go until it is nice and clean. Hold the blade at a fixed distance from your finger tip so that when you scrape the rubber seals, you don’t accidentally scrape your metal surface with the knife. Whatever you do, DO NOT use a metal object to scrape the crust from your dishwasher, only use it on rubber door seals. Once all the heavy deposits have been removed, start another wash load WITHOUT soap. At the start of each cycle, add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the bottom and allow it to finish all cycles except the dry cycle. Do this repeatedly until you are satisfied you have gotten all the crust off, that you can, using a brush. By now you should have a “clean” dishwasher that looks absolutely ruined from staining. Don’t worry, here is where your fears will disappear…go to your medicine cabinet and grab a tube of toothpaste. Yes, that is the stuff that will make your day! Using an old (clean) toothbrush and toothpaste, begin to clean every square inch of that machine (interior only). I had considered applying the toothpaste to the sponge and just wiping it down, but I was afraid that the sponge might pick up a crystal (rock) of the cascade and put a scape into my stainless surface. I was taking no chances at this point and I’m now glad I didn’t. Use a little water with the toothpaste and apply it as though you were brushing your teeth and the stuff will come right off. Wipe with a sponge as you go and you’ll be done in no time. Avoid using a heavy grit toothpaste. I used crest for sensitive teeth formula (for those who are curious). BTW, I experimented with CLR, TSP, Dishwasher Magic, WD40, tarnish remover, and even gasoline, only to find that the best solution was vinegar during the wash, brushing between wash treatments and the final step with the toothpaste. I haven’t figured out how to deal with the racks yet. Mine are battle ship gray that now look like they’re sun bleached (faded). After brushing the knife rack using the plastic brush, I found that the residue will come off however, it is impossible to brush every part of the rack that has so many bends in it. I’m beginning to think I might have to power wash them with a high PSI power sprayer. On the bright side of things, I noticed the residue coming off areas of the racks after continued vinegar treatments in the wash cycles. I’m still looking for a soap that doesn’t create this problem with no success thus far. If you plan to continue to use your stainless dishwasher, I recommend staying away from powder detergents. They seem to crystallize and cake to the dishwasher surface faster than gels. For now I’m using Finish Gel with jet dry rinsing agent. By the way, try to remember your congressperson while you’re scrubbing away.
How easy are our lives that we can afford to get so worked up over dish-washing detergent? Honestly, what would our grandmothers say if they heard all this complaining about perfectly functional dishes and utensils? I highly doubt my Depression-era grandmother would have been whipped up into a frenzy over white blotches on the glassware.
Let’s all just take a breath, count our blessings, and pour some vinegar in with the wash.
Count me in in the Class Action Lawsuit. They owe me for a New Dishwasher, Flatware and Dishes ALL ruined because of the “New” Cascade Product and the FACT that they did not make a Press release to address the change in formula and possible effects of it.
Water down. C l. R. Spray it in the dishwasher then run it it will clean out the hard water spots in it
On plastic dip it in it it will clean it to
I used the Lemi shine product and it worked very well! It removed all the foggy off of everything.
Many of you are directing your anger at P&G when the real villains are the environmentalist liberals banning things like phosphates in our detergents with little to no evidence indicating any real need to do so. Vote the liberals out.
I agree about the class action suit. I realize that Cascade had to change its formula based on the new regulations, BUT they should have done press releases or printed warnings on their bottles or something. My problem is that about a year and a half ago I bought a new dishwasher with a large reservoir/pump that dispenses the gel/liquid automatically when going through a cycle (the reservoir holds almost an entire bottle of liquid). What Cascade did not inform consumers about, but what they knew (according to my GE repair person) is that if you mix the new phosphate-free formula with the old phosphate formula (which is inevitable in a set-up like mine), the two liquids interact and form a thick, gelatinous mess at the bottom of the reservoir and it completely blocks the detergent from being dispensed. The only way to fix it is to entirely replace the component to ensure that none of the old formula mixes with the new formula. It cost me over $250 for the repair and it was entirely due to the Cascade detergent. I just want to warn anyone that if they have a GE Cafe series dishwasher or another brand dishwasher that has the automatic dispensing reservoir, expect to have a big repair in the near future. My repair person said that this repair has become so common that he carries the part on his truck now. It’s really unconscionable that they could sell this product without warning the consumers. It’s a known problem and they are silent about it.
Of course, after reading all the other posts, now that my dishwasher is working again, I realize that I have to worry about filmy messes and ruined dishes and flatware. Ugh, I can’t win.
People – switch to Finish. Neither Finish nor Cascade have phosphates but Finish has their act together. Finish works great just like Cascade used to work great. I’ve heard Cascade got a binder component wrong or something in their formulation. Whatever they did wrong – it’s pure crap. I’ve used Cascade for 30 years and was always very happy with it until I ran into this problem 3 months ago. I will never use it again. Trust me – switch to Finish. Clean everything up with Vinegar/water solution by putting a cup of vinegar in the lower rack. Place any spotted dishes or teflon utensils (which have turned black to white) and stainless cookware in the dishwasher and run it through with the Vinegar. It will overflow from the water splashing around and clean up everything. WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO LOOSE – SWITCH TO FINISH – YOU CAN ALWAYS RETURN IT IF IT DOES NOT WORK. FIFTY IS THE SECOND WORST F WORD. FIFTY CASCADE.
I disagree. P & G screwed this up. I have a box of the bad stuff to prove it. As stated above Finish works fine with their formulation. Something went wrong with certain batches of Cascade – I’ve heard they got the binder wrong. It was so frustrating for me going through the problem – it’s almost debilitating LOL. Please, someone get Bill O’Rielly or Shan Hanity or some national news to put together a story on this kind of unthinkable crap – WHY didn’t P&G do a recall and play it straight with the American People. It’s always the little guy taking the beating who has to figure out what the hell is going on whilst they play stupid. Thank God they were not in charge of Tylenol when there was a serious problem a few years ago requiring a full blown recall.
So Phosphates in dishwasher detergent is only banned in 16 States: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.
So why can’t we get the good old Phosphate based formula in the other 34 States?
I, too, have had this problem for months. I was blaming my kids for loading dishes into the dishwasher with food still on them, but then the same thing happened when I did the dishes (I rinse them all off before loading them). Then I heard a story on NPR which explained the formula switch. I checked into it, and sure enough the “new” Cascade not only has no phosphates (the magic ingredient that allowed water to “sheet” off the dishes) it also had at least one chemical component that formed an adhesive insoluble sludge if used in hard water. So yes, Cascade is entirely responsible for ruining your dishes! The vinegar system should work fine, but I recommend using some other detergent, as the problem with the chemistry of Cascade obviously has not been fixed. I personally hope they have to completely withdraw the product because of consumer backlash.
@Judy
Judy:
Some dishwashers pump the cabinet dry before the cycle. In such a case you should put the vinegar in a bowl at the bottom. The vinegar will be displaced from the bowl once washing has begun
All phospate containing dishwasher product production was halted in the United States as of July 1, 2010. Now we are stuck with the horrors. On ebay, or stores that buy New/Old Stock, phosphate containing detergents can be purchased at a premium price until the supply runs out.
Household Borax and/or Vinegar helps in the interim.
I am staying at my sister’s and they recently noticed their cookware’s bottom was all pitted. We have traced it to Cascade’s new detergent, in their new green box, and that it is eating the aluminum. The ridges (concentric circles) have almost completely eaten away, and the finish on their espresso makwr’s handle is now black.
So word of warning to their new formula in the green box: it eats aluminum!
Why did Cascade not put out any type of notice about the change,my dishes and silverware are ruined along with my pots and pans,this just makes my sick. Some one should be held accountable !! We called out Maytag dealer and they said they were getting app. 30 calls a day on what to do,they recommend Finish in the tablets or gel. Tried it today,ok but it’s to little to late!
I am so glad I discovered this blog, I also thought it was my dishwasher causing the problems, I did everything to clean it, including vinegar with not much luck ,I was able to get my glassware to look new again with a product that removes lime deposits, works like magic, you have to be careful, use gloves and it doesn’t work on metal.
I am more than pissed at PG, what’s the point of using a product that makes dishes dirtier than when they went in. I want to hear more about this, they need to be held responsible for this.
I would like to share some information with everyone on my current dishwashing detergent. It is called Diamond Brite. No spots on my glasses, or anything else and while my dishes are drying there are no harmful vapors that my family breathes in like the Cascade and other phosphate containing detergents.
Let’s set aside politics and corporate America for one second. It comes down to what the consumer wants to accept or not. Personally I’m tired of hearing about children with asthma, the next cancer victim (on a daily basis), and so on … We have to take small steps towards safer solutions.
Now to business … In the same way these infinite complaints are being delivered into this blog, you can contact P&G (Cascade),General Electric,and yes,your local politician.
You, as lay people, are offering awesome alternative and viable solutions to a cleaner dishwashing cycle. This is what Protor and Gamble should have done in their research and development department regarding their alternative (new, beter, phosphate free, safer, dishwashing detergeant). They have the technology and the resources. They prefer to pass it down to you. They have no interest in your or your family’s wellbeing. Instead, they’d rather give you garbage, then allow you to whine to your local politician to rescind the laws, then be allowed to disseminate the same pollutants they’ve been selling you for years. It’s easy, and they’ve got you figured out. (They’ve used their research and development money to study how to manipulate you, rather than on the delivery a better product. Use your politicians to get you there.
General Electric says in their owners manual to ‘only’use Cascade. Isn’t that interesting? Whose hand is washing the other? Both companies should have been more responsible in informing the consumer regarding these changes. Instead they are covering each other’s tracks. Think beyond your limitations. Push them towards, delivering a better healthier product, and push for transparency regarding these changes.
Think beyond the box … Had laws similar to the phosphate law not been passed you’d still be living with aerosol spray, led paints, and asbestos ceilings and walls … They are still killing consumers in less developed countries … Those of you that remain stuck in the broken record of liberal or conservative jargon, I challenge you that man did fly to the moon, and that the world is round, and that corporate America, and the petty nay sayers of politics will continue to screw you and suck you dry. You are not as dumb or backward as they’ve lead you to believe. Use your whit and ingenuity to move forward.
P&G took the cowards way out to blame the states for removing phosphates from dishwasher detergent products but did not bother to use “American ingenuity and exceptionalism” to produce a product that would make happy consumers have clean dishes and pots.
@RJ
NO! The company KNEW this was coming and decided to NOT develop a product that would be as effective. Come on. Where is innovation?
First thing you need to do is clean the dishwasher using one cup each of white vinegar and CLR placing each in their own plastic butter type cup on the top rack with no dishes etc. in the dishwaher on a normal cycle.
This is clean your dishwasher of most if not all the buildup in the dishwasher.
Regaring Phosphate…Lowes…Home Depot… carry powered phosphate in their paint departments. Buy a box and add 1/2 teaspoon with each full load of dishes.
NO more white buildup and the dishes are CLEAN!
@Aski
Thank you. I will try this. By “plastic butter type cup”, do you mean the plastic tubs that spreadable butter comes in?
What a relief to find this information. We thought it was our dishwasher. My husband took ours completely apart and cleaned everything, but we still had the white film on all the dishes and silverware. It is very discouraging that P&G would put such a product on the market knowing the problems and letting the consumer suffer from an inferior product. P&G is only thinking of their bottom line (profit), hoping the public will continue to buy Cascade while they work on a new formula to replace the phosphate formula. Their greed has been costly and aggraviting for the consumer. I won’t be buying any P&G products since they have so little regard for their consumers.
hey – i live in florida – there’s some mighty big piles of phosphates here and there….do ya think i could sneak in and cop a couple cups of phospate and mix it with my DW detergent???
it not sugar it HFCS which the corn industy is trying to call corn sugar which is so bad for us
@Bob I’ve used the gel for years. It’s now crap and ruining my dishes. Done with Cascade. They’re screwing the public, selling something as a cleaner that will not clean. Using Cascade is a health hazard. I’m with Pat Rahija. No more P & G products for me. They’re banned from our household.
@elizabeth shogren
I have used Cascade for about 40 years, and used dishwashers for 46 yrs. I’m in Florida and I’m not seeing any anti-phosphate laws here (yet). BUT Cascade is selling only their no phosphate formula here.
Last night I’d had enough. I opened the dishwasher to find that not only are the dishes blotchy with a residue, they’re also still filthy. Dishes that went in relatively clean are now filthy. I had to re-wash the entire load by hand.
I phoned the number on the bottle and was treated horribly. The woman who is fielding these calls was either rude, or the company has designed their response to refuse responsibility. First she blamed my water temp, then the water hardness, then the manner in which I load the dishwasher. I mean clearly they want to deflect all blame…and nothing has changed in 18 yrs here in this town and this house, except that now I have dirty dishes.
I’d started the conversation letting her know I’d been a loyal consumer for many years, and that I’d been using dishwashers for 46 years. Obviously it didn’t sink in or maybe it didn’t ‘gel’ with their required spiel. At any rate, she treated me like an imbecile and talked down to me, never resolving anything. She finally said it’s the government’s fault. Huh? Ok, so the government passed a law but it’s not a law here in Florida.
She also said that they just can’t help it. I told her “You were very quick to take my money, when you knew your product was not working to begin with.” She said there was nothing they could do (but send me a coupon). I told her “You can stop selling a product that you know will not do as you advertise. It will not clean. Period. ”
The entire conversation was infuriating because clearly they are determined to continue screwing the consumers, selling something they KNOW does not work, and then blaming it on everything and everyone else. There was no discussion as to what they are doing research-wise to counteract this issue.
Don’t buy ANY product by P & G. Time to send a message.
@RJ
No, RJ. You don’t get it do you? P & G CHOSE to continue selling a product that they clearly know does not work. THEY CHOSE to screw the public. If smoking is illegal, you don’t smoke. If there are health hazards to the planet and to individuals, then it’s time to become innovative. It is NOT the time to screw the consumer. P&G knew this was coming for a long time. It’s not like one day they were told “today you can’t have phosphates.” No. Instead of being innovative and instead of doing proper research, they chose to look out for their bottom line, while screwing those who had bought their products for years. Don’t go blaming government when thisi s about doing the right thing. P&G clearly has NOT done the right thing. AND based on my phone conversation with them last night, it appears they intend to continue taking money for a product they KNOW does not work. I think a class action law suit is clearly in order on this one.
Made front page of Joplin Globe twice in October…local water co. could care less about dirty dishes. What are we drinking? Several have lost ice cube makers due to buildup in the slots. The June timeframe seems to fit (no Cascade phosphate) too in the “filming” problems of many Joplin residents…citywide. Vinegar has been a big help, but it too is an added cost…..but also hose-by-sink and shower heads have blinded off w/calcium. Be glad to send you a slimy white Puck saucepan picture…no way to eat out of these utensils. Frustrating. I was told the phosphate adder in previous Cascade is like one blade of grass in a football field!!!
We couldn’t figure out “what the heck was going on” with our dishes, WHY they were foggy, scale on backs of bowls, silverware was horrible!! We have hard water, but like it that way, and on well. First we replaced our dishwasher, thinking that was the problem… nope. Then we replaced our hot water heater”,..nope… called a “well” company to ask questions, although we had it inspected, everything is fine with the water coming in. So now around $1000 spent trying to figure out the problem, ONLY to see my dishes STILL looking like crap, I tried vinegar, was a little better, but still not perfect. I was actually using “Lime Away” and scrubbing everything by hand with it, (can’t be healthy) From speaking with the “well” people, they said to contact any neighbor that might be in the same “shelf/line”, so I did. She informed me about the “phosphate” thing and it being taken out of our dish detergent. BINGO!! I have used Cascade my whole adult life with no problems until now. So walking through the detergent isle at the grocery store I found “Lemi-Shine”. The words “removes tough hard water spots and film” caught my eye. It’s a small canister for around $5.00, so it’s pretty expensive, but it’s concentrated. I figured, what the heck, “I’m going to try it”. It is “phosphate free” BUT they’ve put something else in it’s place that is “eco-friendly” and will not hurt your septic, BUT, IT WORKS!!!!!! I will keep reading this blog however until someone comes up with another dishwashing detergent that is NOT so expensive that is the same as this “Lemi-shine”. I REALLY wish “Cascade” would have warned everyone, BEFORE they go out and spend around $1000 and leave housewives scratching their heads in frustration!!!!
Love your response Amanda, I have had the same problem and just wrote to P & G yesterday about paying for my silverware. I understand that they did it because of a state law but they shouldn’t have been so money hungry by letting us all ruin our dishes. I will never again buy Cascade even if they come up with a formula that works.
Also, I’ve switched to Finish Quantum Powerball which is also phosphate free and it works great. Thank you Reckitt Benckiser Inc. for doing the testing before losing consumers. I use vinegar in the rinse aid compartment which also seems to help. All of my dishes have recovered from the cascade except my silverware, which I want cascade to pay for.
I’ve read today all of the comments. Wow. Please see my 2 updates above – last update on 12/16 and first update on 12/17. Switch to Finish. It too does not have phosphates any longer but it works great. I will never use Cascade again. Fifty P&G. (See def. of fifty above).
I too use Cascade and started seeing the white nasty film on my dishes. Later to find out that the detergent is now phosphate free. I live in TN and and the shelves are stocked with only Phosphate free detergents. TN is not in on this ban. Dishes look nasty and quite frankly I’m embarrassed. I was at Big Lots the other day and they had the old Cascade in the dark green bottle. No wording of “phosphate free” but how much was there. So I bought it. Only used the dishwasher once with this and it’s not cleaning the residue off but they did look some better. Last night I decided to soak my black utensils in vinegar. I will be danged!!! They look brand new. I know I’ve read that you can put vinegar in your dishwasher, but I’m afraid I’ll use to much or it will mess it up. Is there anyone out there that can tell me how much to use and would it be better to run a few cycles with vinegar without the dishes to actually clean the dishwasher? I just can’t believe how the vinegar made my black utensils look. Thanks in advance for any advice.
FINISH (formerly Electrasol) has done similar things to our kitchen items. It began just within the past year, turning aluminum dark, then I noticed my stainless steel turning dark, and my knives beginning to be pitted. We complained to the company that after using their product for many years , it had begun to do this, and we were told they had NOT changed the formula, it could be our water (!), blah blah, then they sent us coupons! We live in Alabama where there is no phosphate ban yet, and we have well water. I didn’t know what to believe, but finally decided they were NOT being honest. Now I find this site and I KNOW it is them not us!! Glad to know we’re not the only ones, but angry that we all have to have our kitchen items ruined and have these dishonest companies just blatantly deceive us and act as if they had nothing to do with it!
You can still get Cascade “old foumula” at resturant supply stores. It was not banned for resturant use. I have been using it for about 3 weeks and everything is back to normal!!!
Is the problem only in hard water or is the non phosphate detergent making the dishes do the same water in soft water?
Where do you put the vinegar?
Now have 3 different boxes of Cascade in my home….all products worthless. Checked our hot water and our water softener. I have been using vinegar instead of a rinse agent in my DW since I got a new one 2 years ago. My dishes had been crystal clear until a few weeks ago when I opened box Cascade Complete. Used my backup box Cascade Advanced. Worthless. Bought a box of Cascade (with nothing) yesterday to see if that would help. NO. Soo glad to have found this site.
SHAME ON PROCTOR AND GAMBLE FOR PUTTING OUT THESE WORTHLESS PRODUCTS.
@Jerry
I have the same problem, paid $80.00 for a tech to come repair my dishwasher, there was nothing wrong with it. He told me that it was the detergent and no phosphates which is the active ingredient, he did suggest using Lemon Shine with the detergent. This is a citrus type cleanser that will help the soap breakdown.
@Sari
Just had repair man here….same issues as everyone above. White film on all the dishes and assumed it was the dishwasher. Nope. It’s the soap which is now caked onto the heating element rendering it pretty much useless. I have to run numerous quick rinse cycles followed by a hot sanitizing cycle with a cap of vegetable oil in it to bind to all the soap foam left in my machine. One tip the repair man recommended was running a coffee mug filled with lemon juice and hot water through a hot cycle once a month to help eliminate some of the build up. (Put the filled mug right side up on the top rack)
Ok…found a solution.
A week after the phone call with the worthless scammer at Cascade and still no ‘coupon’ for the ‘free’ alternative, I’d already ordered something from Vitacost and received it, using it last night. This is proof that the ‘phosphate’ excuse is bogus. This product doesn’t have phosphate and it cleaned the first load perfectly. Here’s what I used:
Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder with Natural Oxygen Bleach — 32 oz
Item No. BKN 6000509 $7.17
Also replaced my rinse agent with:
Seventh Generation Rinse Aid Free and Clear — 8 fl oz
Item No. SEV 3227891 $4.89
Beautiful sparkling dishes, and….it removed the previous dingy crap that Cascade had deposited.
People, DO NOT USE CASCADE, and tell everyone you know. They’re scamming and they know it. They are touting a product to ‘clean dishes’ but it can’t even begin to clean. It’s dangerous, IMHO. I even took a 3/4 empty bottle of Cascade Complete to my grocery store and got the $$ back, because I want them to insist on reimbursement from Cascade and wanted to make a point. We aren’t going to buy their line of crap anymore.
Re phosphate removal from soap, government regulations or not, the soap manufacturers should have warned us about the change. Thousands are blaming their diswashers and buying new, or calling service technicians.
Why ?
Another morning off-loading my dishwasher; another morning hand-washing dirty dishes. I am one who months ago also awoke to find glassware, plastics, and dishes covered with a white film. Some so bad I threw them away. I am one who also called a repairman and paid for him to tell me nothing was wrong with the dishwasher, that it was the new detergent. If a class action suit is filed I will gladly join it. I also wish we could file a class action lawsuit against environmentalist nannies who want us to live the way they think we should. Remember the change to low flow toilets to save ‘water’ that actually uses more water because we have to flush more? Remember the Green push decades ago to quit using paper bags and use plastic to save trees…. we now know the plastic bags are worse for the environment. I could go on and on how their efforts to save the environment has backfired, and made life more difficult for people. It is time to not only stand up to big corporations like P&G but also big advocacy groups pushing their political behavior control agendas.
Can you just tell me what Cascade puts in the dishwasher detergent that makes my lipstick stay on the glasses through a complete wash cycle because I can’t get it to stay on my lips that long.
It is another government mandate! No phosphates! That is the problem. I was told to use Finish and that works like Cascade did for the last 30 years. Who owns Finish? Why does that clean without phosphates? How did Cascade loose the market? If I were a Journalist I would ask these questions.
This new product sucks. It is watery & does not clean as well. We have used Cascade for years but now??? Your “stock answer” is “I’m sorry…” and then you blame it on hard water (no chg in our water since this started) or “high temperatures” (hard to believe that the product was purchased from different stores). Whatever you did to the formula, did not work. Whoever did it has cost you customers.
I think that the company should have told us that this was what was going on so we did not think it was our water system, or our dishwasher. I was going to throw out my good glasses and some other items and I am so glad that I read this info, because last night I took all my glasses and other things and put in the sink and soaked in vinegar and the crap came off of it, but why does Cascade continue to sell something that does not clean, maybe they should add vinegar to their product! Also I think that this is going way overboard with the “green thing”
@Patsy Libby
that is a good comment! love it
The sheer volume of negativity emanating from these posts makes me realize that we are pretty much screwed at this point. Has anyone considered that maybe phosphates are being taken out of dishwashing detergents for good reason? Generally, restrictions are not placed on chemical compositions unless they pose a risk to the environment. Just because you are unaware of those risks does not mean they don’t exist. We all need to realize at some point that although we can certainly continue to find ways to include luxuries such as automatic dishwashers in our lives in the future, everything from the cars we drive to the products we buy to the food we eat has some impact, direct or indirect, on the world our kids will inherit. At some point, we should all look in the mirror and ask ourselves what is more important, having a sparkling dishes and big fancy car to show off to our neighbors, or leaving a world in as good a shape as we were given. By the way, there are phosphate-free dish detergents that work well.
Andrew, What good are we doing for the environment if we all have to trash our dishwashers because they cannot operate with phosphate free soap? What good is it if we are all throwing away our dishes, utensils, glasses etc because we see a disgusting white residue that now has us concerned with what we are putting near our food? What exactly is this white residue? Is it harmful to us and our children???? There is a much better way of handling this. It’s called phasing out. Keeping consumers in the dark is NOT the way!
I’ll throw this suggestion out there since I’ve been using cascade since before it switched to phosphate free: try the powdered version. I haven’t really seen much of a difference between the phosphate and phosphate free variants in powdered form. I may have softer water in my area, but the powdered detergent is better able to deal with hard water. For whatever reason, consumers have been demanding liquid cleaners more and more over the years, however they are much harder and more expensive to formulate. The powdered detergents are nearly 100% active ingredients, whereas the liquids can be anywhere from 20-60% active, the rest being water. Detergents contain principally 2 main ingredients – builders and surfactants. Builders are usually minerals that increase the alkalinity and cleaning power of the formula. They can also suspend soils in the wash water more easily. Powdered detergents are able to have more builders because they don’t have to rely on an aqueous formula to work. The same holds true for powdered laundry detergent. It works better and is essentially better for the environment in that it is lighter weight and ships much more efficiently. Consumers drive the market, but consumers aren’t always right. None of us should trash our dishwashers, we should just be aware of how best to use them.
SOS got the black film of my aluminum utensils. I’m just going to have to wash those items by hand now. I care about the environment.
Also to address the idea of phasing out harmful ingredients, that is actually what is being done with many other things. For example, most cleaning products contain volatile organic compounds, or VOC’s – petrochemical based ingredients that are flammable or emit flammable vapors. These ingredients evaporate and collect in the atmosphere, both everywhere and in your home. Some are known carcinogens or are known to cause birth defects at established exposures. The chronic exposure effects are often unknown. When they collect in the atmosphere, they contribute to smog formation. The EPA follows the California Air Resources Board in establishing limits on VOC’s in consumer products and industry. They are slowly being phased out to protect YOU and YOUR CHILDREN at the expense of the product’s efficacy. The difference with phosphates is they cause rapid environmental damage and they never really go away. The best you can hope for as they wash down the drain is that they will someday be washed into the ocean and be diluted.
This is total BS. Why? Because there are other brands, like Finish, that have also gone phosphate-free with no problem whatsoever. In fact, Finish Powerballs reversed the effects of Cascade.
@Judy
I’ve been having this problem with powdery residue on my dishes for a few weeks. It seems to be concentrated on the bottom rack. It’s a brand new dishwasher that was doing well. I’ll try the vinegar and check for phosphate the next time I buy dishwasher detergent. (I have been using Cascade for decades.)
Idiots. Environmentalism to this degree is a blight on our freedom and way of life. It doesn’t kill aquatic life to the degree that we have to make these changes. We need to wake up America, vote out the extreme “Green” politicians!
I have had problems with Cascade lately. All my aluminum and stainless have a white crusty film on them–and feel awful. I will not come off.
Hey Andrew.
You’re absolutely wrong.
It’s political correctness run amok and that’s all it is.
And fools like you fall for it, hook, line and sinker.
What’s California’s unemployment rate today?
12 point something, isn’t it?
Yeah California’s regulations are really helping people, aren’t they.
Well, I’m glad I’m not crazy! I’m so angry because my Club Aluminum pots and pans (which I’ve had for many, many years!) are coming out of the DW really dark. If I then hand wash them, and scrub them with a Scotch Brite pad, they return to their original look, but the dish water is almost black when I pour it out after I’m done. And my cookie sheets do the same. Like almost everyone else in this list of complaining people, my black plastic utensils have a white/gray looking film all over them. No more Cascade for me either after I’ve read most of these posts. I’m going to try to vinegar suggestion. And perhaps, check out the janitorial supply house here for DW powder with phosphates. When I contacted my local water company (about 6 months ago), I was contacted back by someone there that her research indicated that Club Aluminum should be hand washed. I’ve had my CA for at least 25 years and have also washed them in the DW – no problems at all until the past year.
@Jimmy Stewart
I couldn’t agree more! Environmental extremist are the problem. These enviro-Nazi’s use their day-after-day, month-after-month, year-over-year indoctrination tactics to eventually wear the public down and have you believe anything they want. The “greening” of America is really just the “greening” of their pocketbooks. They have you feeling guilty if you haven’t yet purchased your “sustainable” Hemp bags to carry our groceries home, effectively trying to destroy the paper and plastic industry (and the related jobs).
As in all things “green”, do yourself a favor and “follow the money”. These progressive – elitist – nut cases intend to tell you what you can eat and when you can eat it. What you can drive and when you can drive it. These environmental groups have so permeated Washington with their lobbying efforts that it is sickening. As other posts have mentioned – you have no idea the increased costs you will experience if they get their cap-and-trade agenda in place.
It’s time to wake up, wise up, identify these agenda-driven people and throw them out of office on their rear-ends.
No one has mentioned the entire industry waiting in the wings to solve the problems created by the removal of phosphates from our dish soap. Lemi-shine and other like products are waiting in the wings for the rest of the world to figure out that we now need them and their products to fix the problems created by removing the phosphates. There are thousand upon thousands of “Green” products and industries being incubated to “solve” they problems that they lobby to “create” in the first place.
@John
Found your post about no more phosogates ub dishwasher soap. You said you planned on going to Lowe’s to get some “TSP”. Could you tell me what that is so that I can get some too for my dishwasher? Thank you,
Melody
I was so frustrated with my dirty dishes and tacky glassware that I went out to buy a new dishwasher. Thanks to a dishwasher salesman who actually had some integrity, he told me I did NOT need a new dishwasher. Instead, he sold me a box of FINISH GLASS MAGIC. I ran one cycle empty with 1/2 cup Glass Magic and now I use it with every load. I also changed to Finish Dishwashing Detergent. Cascade won’t enter my house again!!! Thanks for all the suggestions about white vinegar, CLR, etc. I’ve read every single post and taken notes. Hopefully I’ll get my dishes cleaner and cleaner.
That’s a compelling argument. Where did you go to finishing school?
I am having the same problem with cascade as everyone, it has ruined my cultery & china. I am hand washing now and most of the things have not come back.
My husband wants to throw everything out!! They have been putting false Ads: and I think they should recall all.
I’m going to try a different tack: replacing the missing phosphates with some TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) for a wash or two and see if it works. The inside of the dishwasher is beginning to get a white film and the filters are already slagging up. I will report back if it works.
Adding vinegar works to eliminate the detergent residue on glasses, plates and utensils. We are on well water and have a septic system so phosphates should not be a problem for the environment. We do have a lot of lime in our water(hard water) so vinegar helps neutralize the wash water. The trick is getting the vinegar into the wash conveniently. Our dishwasher has a prewash and wash cycle so it fills and empties multiple times and it is difficult to add vinegar at just the right times.
I made a vinegar dispenser from an empty margarine container. I drilled 5 quarter inch holes in the lid and drilled 6 quarter inch holes around the circumference of the container about one inch from the top. You fill the dispenser with vinegar and put it in the dishwasher. The spray goes into the container from the top and dispenses the vinegar through the holes in the side. By the end of the wash cycle all the vinegar has been dispensed and the remaining contents is the rinse water.
The dishes come out sparkling clean just like they used to and we can all feel good about going green. You can use the same vinegar that you use for your salad dressing but you can also buy it by the gallon in your supermarket very reasonably.
I hope this helps everyone adjust to the phosphate ban so we can both be clean and green at the same time.
Adding TSP to the soap dispenser does not seem to do the trick. Adding vinegar helps a little, but not much. The next test is to use a completely different detergent instead of Cascade, which I believe is the problem. A neighbor suggested using straight Dawn in a small amount.
I *did* discover how to rid the inside of the lime buildup: a hot-wash with an empty machine with a cup of bleach. I plan to do this once a month anyway to get rid of staining and lime/calcium deposits left underneath the door on the inside. I also plan to put porcelain coffee cups in with this to remove stains as well.
Good luck with the vinegar. It helped a tiny bit from what I’ve seen, but not enough to warrant the expense. Cascade is now off my list forever.
As of July 2011, the government made companies remove the Phosphates from the detergent. The solution is to add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to your wash cycle of your dishwasher. Dishes and glasses and metals will come out spotless and without the film.
I have bought the huge Cascade box from Sam’s Warehouse for years. No problem until this last box, the no phospate crap. Let me share with you the false advertisement on the Cascade box: “Rinses awy food residue, leaves dishes sparkling” “Our Shine Shield formula provides excellent shine for your glasses. And of course, they want you to use “Cascade Rinse All” for “outstanding spot protection” I will be taking back the remainder of this huge box to Sam’s and they can deal with getting the money from Cascade. We all should take our products back and make Cascade pay out the money they have scammed. I have purchased Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder with Natural Oxygen Bleach as one of the readers suggested. Until that comes in the mail, I will use the vinegar route. I will re-post after using Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder with Natural Oxygen Bleach. Cascade and all their products will never enter my household again.
@Andrew
That’s it Andrew, just like a typical Eco Nut…attack the person and ignore the argument. Clearly you have swallowed the Kool-aid and no amount of reason is going to sway you.
I find it fascinating that the punishment of the consumer continues while big business and factory farming gets a pass; do you honestly believe that dishwashers are polluting more than the tons of phosphate that gets dumped into the soil and water by farming alone? Of course, there are no “regulations” to stop this practice–it’s bad for business.
And this underhanded, silent “switch” to phosphate free non-soaps has been very good for business…just look at all the money people have spent calling in repairmen, buying new, even MORE expensive “eco” washers or calling in water doctors to find out what the hell is wrong with their water supply. And never mind all the dishwashers being run over and over again as we desperately try to get our dishes clean, using more and more hydro. Unintended consequences? This is exactly what happens when the government does a “PR” move like this in the name of being “green”…they hand down a commandment and don’t even wait for or provide an alternative solution (the exact same thing has happened with the ham-fisted banning of 2,4D weed killer…I sure am loving the out of control weeds choking out everything now! And is it a coincidence that highly toxic giant hogweed is ‘suddenly’ making a comeback? Hogweed and kudzu vine…and Joe Citizen doesn’t have the tools to stop EITHER now.)
And for the record, gel, liquid or powder, it makes NO difference. I’ve used Cascade AND Finish, the result is the same: my dishes aren’t cleaned and are coated with a thick film. We wash and we wash and we re-wash and what is the point? What about all the other soap chemicals that are getting dumped into the water thanks to all the re-washing we have to do? Oh that’s right…the EcoNut way is to just throw out our technology and go back to a pre-1800′s way of living.
I’m glad to have found these comments and know that I’m not alone. I have used Cascade for years with great results until the last month or two. My dishes don’t even look like they’ve been washed. I will definitely switch to another brand.
@Carol Scott
Why should we have to add anything to a dishwasher detergent to get it to work?
if your looking for a good replacement detergent try ordering Somat 3 tabs.It is from Germany and is very good especialy in hard water conditions becose they claim to have 30% phosphates and add salt.if your dishwasher is built up with bad soap or hard water try using a dishwasher cleaner like dishwasher magic or jet dry dishwasher cleaner.
I noticed during my holiday baking how dark my cookie sheets and cake pans were becoming. They have a strange feel/coating. I contacted Cascade and was told they had changed their formula due to the new regulations. She told me to boil my pans in a solution of Cream of Tartar! Cookie sheets………..I don’t think so! I did make a paste using 3 bottles (very expensive) of Cream of Tartar and then scrubbed with a Brillo pad. Nasty stuff came off and I had to repeat several times. I’ll never put them in the dishwasher again. There was agreat article in the Houston Chronicle this morning. After reading it and the posts above I’ll go by the restaurant supply or Lowe’s.
Finish Glass Magic is the answer. It contains phosphates. I order it from Amazon and am hourding my stash until it, too, is banned. Or sensible people are elected.
@Paul
No, the damn government and irrational environmentalist need to be put in check. This is abosolutely ridiculous. And people wonder why jobs go overseas
The subject of filmy dishes/glassware and ruined stainless flatware has been discussed in our family for months.
What are we to do? Is there any dishwashing detergent available with phosphates? Our state, Arizona, has not passed a “no-phosphate” bill that I know of. I’ve tried the vinegar suggestions many times and it does nothing other than clean up the inside of the washer a bit. HELP!!
@JIM
This is a national ban on so called high phosphate detergents. This was sort of sneaked under the radar and just showed up on grocery shelves in the summer of 2010. The so called lo phosphate cleaners just don’t work well and consumer complaints have gone up 600% since the ban was instituted. This all started due to 2 politician in WA state- no kidding.There is a very comprehensive story, detailing the whole ugly story on The Weekly Standard.Jan 31 ,2011 by Johnathan V. Last. I am sure you could find it online. It is very revealing.
I am not sure why my comment has to wait for moderation, I didn’t write anything outrageous about detergent. My last comment about the phosphate issue is this. the reason to lowere phosphate emissions into the water around Spokane. Although phospates from dishwashers where only a tiny percent of the problem, the local government went crazy demanding an unreasonable and undoable restriction on their water. The phosphates were reportedly causing algae to grow then fish to die off the following season due to low oxygen. Come to find out, in the end, this ban on phosphates did not help the original river in spokane, very little.Last month the U of Wa. released a study saying some of the PO4 being released into the river never worked as a fertizer for algae ever.Not all PO4 is alike, some complexes into a molecular form which is not available. As the author of the article says-all science is settled until it’s not!
So try Smart and Final and pick up some phosphorus there- add to dishwasher detergent. 1-3 ratio. That should do it.
There are a few facts that need to clarified.
1) Cascade and other producers of dishwasher detergent DO have a choice. There are only 16 states that require the removal of phosphates (hotels and restaurants are exempt). The other 34 states DO NOT restrict their use. There is no federal law forcing the detergent producers from using phosphates!
2) Phosphates from detergents only make up about 3% of the aforementioned problem. The real problem is from fertilizers. (These state governments have caused a huge problem while ignoring the real culprit.)
3) They are now just selling “snake oil” – expensive and worthless. WE ARE BEING SCAMMED!
4) Reasonable people need to boot these politicians from office for creating a new problem while doing absolutely nothing about the problem they purportedly tried to “fix”. It’s all politics at its worst.
I had the same problem and almost bought a new dishwasher. Like the posts below, there was nothing wrong with the dishwasher it was the Cascade soap. I did the vinegar trick which helped a little but there was still the ugly white film and many dishes were ruined.
I am now using Finish Power ball tabs. I also keep jet dry in the dispenser when it washes. My dishes are crystal clear and look as good as when the Cascade had the phosphorus in it. The glasses are clear and everything is beautiful. The Finish powerball tab package says it is phosphorus free so hopefully they won’t change the product. Give it a try.
Jackie
Any water.
@Joy
I’m glad I found this site. My wife and I were going crazy trying to figure out the problem with our dishwasher. It took us a while to come around to the fact that it was a problem with the detergent, because we had used Cascade for years with no problems.
Our issue is not so much with how the dishes and silverware look (although filmy dishes are not appealing), but with the fact that whatever this film is, it comes off with the food we consume in the dishes. I’m happy the fish aren’t being poisoned with phosphates, but it doesn’t help that in return we’re being poisoned with whatever residue is covering the dishes. I’m hoping the residue is merely mineral deposits, but who knows.
I ran into this BS problem last August. It drove me crazy. I posted some stuff on 12/16/10, 12/17/10 and on 1/2/11 which you may review if you like. I found a homemade dishwasher recipe last summer that I sent around to a few friends. I have not tried it yet but I think I will. Here it is. I’m all ears to hear from someone who tries it:
HOMEMADE DISHWASHER DETERGENT:
Homemade Dishwashing Detergent
Making your own green dishwasher detergent substitute at home is deceptively easy. Here is a recipe for dishwasher detergent; one tablespoon of Washing Soda (baking soda processed for washing purposes) and one tablespoon of Borax, and you are done. A bit of white vinegar for the rinse cycle, and you’ve just replaced your dishwasher detergent. No phosphates, no chlorine, and zero petroleum; and of course no packaging or shipping costs, beyond what you spent for the Soda, Borax, and vinegar. You can’t get much more environmentally friendly than that.
I mixed up a batch of the dishwasher recipe in comment #29, it worked well on glass and plastic, but not on stainless steel, left food stuck on all side of the knives and pots. I will try the dry powders in comment #156 since I have lots left over. So far, what has worked best for me is the gel packs of Cascade with a cup of white vinegar left right side up in the top rack.
You green b******* owe me $220.00 for parts installed in my dishwasher unnecessarily. Now I have to go buy my own TriSodium Phosphate to add to your limp-wristed dishwasher detergent so the dishes come out clean.
The tactics to force this change on the public without announcement smack of the climate crowds’ lie. See article on how they did it:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/another-triumph-greens_536862.html?nopager=1
Good Grief, this is awful. I use “Cascade Complete” gel commercial grade which I buy by the gallon and thankfully have not had any of these problems. I did use one box of the new powder Cascade and immediately noticed the difference in spotting and we also have hard water. That being said, I would try the Homemade Detergent as I know that formula works and have made it myself.
That being said, I do have some of the “Original Formula” of the Cascade Crystal Clear plus Shine Shield Pure Rinse Formula original scent listed for sale on Amazon. This is the “OLD – ORIGINAL” rinse agent that may help some of you who were asking about the “old” formulas. I have not tested it myself, but a friend tested it with her NEW powder formula & she reported no spotting or clouding.
Personally, I would use the homemade version of the detergent or try the brands recommended above & simply NOT use the Cascade detergent and I would definitely ask P & G to reimburse me for damaged silverware and dishes.
I am so mad! I just used the phosphate free Cascade Complete … did not know that you needed to do SEVERAL steps before you could add this to the dispenser .. now I need a service call and I know from experience it will NEVER BE the same .. NO WARNING ON THE LABEL FOR G.E. USERS … just VERY VERY small print on bottle that it is phosphate free .. had to put my STRONG glasses on to find it! On the Cascade website they have instructions .. HOW DOES THAT HELP IF YOU DO NOT KNOW TO GO THERE BEFORE you use it! This really reeks of class action lawsuit .. I wish I were an attorney .. I can’t be the only person this happened too .. I knew not to mix bleach and non bleach but NO ONE warned me about the phosphate …
I have the G.E. “smart dispense” system that you put in the bottle and it dispenses until you need to add more .. now it is ruined … Thanks to both G.E. and Cascade for NOT INFORMING ME .. before it was ruined!
@Tim Scott I agree .. this is a scam and I have had my dishwasher ruined (at least my favorite feature) .. I am SO MAD!
@Frobozz Yes .. I think I will just go back to hand washing and use the dishwasher as “storage” .. to heck with this … at least I am not heating the water on the stove .. YET!
@Andrew
Andrew, I’ve used Cascade powder ever since I got a dishwasher (in the 60′s!!). This new phosphate-free stuff does NOT work like the old version. Dishes do not come clean with it.
I have been plagued with this same problem since late last summer. You might try spraying spotted dishes and flatware with Lime Away or CLR. Don’t leave it on too long before rinsing; it removed the majority of the white deposits on my dishes.
I have a new “get even” solution that should drive P&G (Cascade) crazy just like they’ve driven us crazy.
1.Buy a couple of boxes of Cascade.
2.Try 1 load (or just open the box and dump out a cup). Open the other box and try it (or just dump some out since you know it ain’t gonna work).
3.Take both boxes back to the retailer and ask for replacements. Do this a couple of times and then ask for your money back. You’ve now opened 4, 6, or maybe 8 boxes that the retailer will return to P&G.
4.The retailer will obviously get their money back from P&G but will be very frustrated and prone to not deal with the product any longer. It will be a bigger problem for P&G and they will fix the problem.
5.Don’t mess with us old folks. We know how to fix things when we are really PO’d.
I have been trying to figure out what’s wrong with my dishwasher for months. Your product was so good. Now I have to wash my dishes before the dishwasher washes them. Please. We’re not all environmental wachos.
Put the phosphates back in your dish soap.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Lumbra
P.S. You can bet there are millions of users out there who are just as unhappy as I am. When they find out it your product and not their dishwashers they’re going to be very unhappy.
I was trying to find an online a solution to get the liquid dish washing detergent buildup off the exterior of the stainless steel dishwasher. This site was one of the hits. It really adheres and I’m not about to scrape it off with a razor. Is it the phosphorus that does this? Anyone know how to remove it without damaging the stainless steel surface?
Funny I live on an estuary (where fresh water meets the Gulf of Mexico) and this is “supposed” to be because of water concerns .. guess what they also MINE PHOSPHATE HERE! So I have to ask .. how do you rationalize that!? Enviromental wackos are ruining the country and our way of life!
kim … Lemi Shine .. it is expensive bottles are small and I suspect they are making a killing since this “new formulation” .. btw I have been working for days to clean out my G.E. smart dispense dishwasher and problem is not solved .. Cascade “claims” they are surprised by my problem and “unaware” .. yet they have a supposed way to change over on their website .. too bad they didn’t tell people BEFORE they ruined their dishwasher smart dispenser!
I was wondering why some of my stainless flatware was turning blue like it was in a fire. I tried polishing it but it didn’t take the blue away. I can’t serve guest with flatware looking like this. my plates also have a streaky film on them, I will see if vinager will take it off. I switched to Finish detergent and they seem to clean OK. Maybe I should take a tax deduction from my state income tax when I replace these dishes. You know our know it all polititions that create most of the problems in the comsumer markets when the stick their noses in everything.
Cascade has been hijacked by the perhaps well-meaning but scientifically ignorant among us. It has ruined much of my cutlery; glasses have to be re-washed, by hand, to remove the film that forms because of this flawed product.
Boycott Cascade & other phosphate-free products. They produce environmentally tenuous behavior: we must pre-wash by hand, then use the automatic dishwasher; then post-wash, by hand, to remove deposits created by Cascade.
@Cathie Barrett
Precisely so. Tell your friends: boycott all Cascade products.
If you are stupid enough to elect politicians who vote the wishes of the lefty environmental wackos, then you deserve what you get. P&G has no choice but to follow the law.
One box of Cascade cost me a dishwasher repair call, film on my drinking glasses and interior of dishwasher, and ruined my favorite cookie sheet, jellyroll pan. toaster oven pan, and treasured Magnalite 2 qt. saucepan.
Until I found this website I didn’t know why. Now I am angry that I wasn’t informed by P&G. beforehand.
What?
I believe that the Cascade I used last December caused me to have film on my drinking glasses and the inside of my dishwasher resulting in an unnecessary service call, blackening of my favorite cookie sheet, jellyroll pan, toaster oven pan and my favorite 2 qt. Magnalite saucepan.
I think there should have been a BIG warning on the front of the box when the formula was changed. I feel betrayed since I’m a very long-time consumer.
I contacted the maker of my dishwashing because of all the above comments. My element is so corruded with the white stuff that I can’t even use my dishwasher. Everything has film all over it. My dishwasher is only three year old and only used 6 months out of the year! It is runined. I only used Cascade. Who is going to buy me a new dishwasher?
I feel like a kid in a candy shop! Wait, I don’t want to get ahead of myself…
I’m a long time Cascade Complete user. It worked so well that I recommend it to friends and relatives, and they had the same great results and started using it too – even though there is a big premium for it. Late last year I noticed something funny going on in the dishwasher – white crap on the inside, food stuck on the plates, filmy, etc. What’s going on? I look at the box and see in very fine print that the Phosphates are gone!
I looked on-line and sure enough, not just a “green” version, they dropped Phosphates in all of their products. It appears that, P&G is too lazy to sell the no-phosphate to the 16 states that have laws against it and sell the good formula to everyone else. So, I throw the opened and barely used box of the new junk in the trash and quickly went out to the local stores and found 4 more of the good old stuff. Well, I’m running low on the powdered stuff (still have 2 of the liquid stuff), so I’ve started my research into making something equivalent to the old Cascade Complete.
I’m going to use a base detergent that has Enzymes and no bleach. I’ve found 3 candidates and after talking with some chemists and process engineers, I’ve procured what I believe to be the missing ingredient. Next, a little more research on the 3 candidates, buy a box, mix in my other stuff and try it out. I’ll be sure to post here if it works, HOWEVER I will NOT post the formula because I DO NOT WANT ANYONE from IL, IN, MD, MA, MI, MN, NH, OH, OR, PA, UT, VT VA, (especially) WA or WI to get it. They have their elected officials to thank for their law that ruined it for all of the other states so they can suffer the consequences.
If I get something to work, any good ideas how I could inform others that don’t live in the above states of my formula?
Well, off to experiment!
You solved my problem (dirty dishes, smoky glass)! Once I switched to the Action Pac, and later to CascadeComplete, my dishes came out clean and gleaming, whether or not I pre-washed them. It was as if I had a new dishwasher! Thanks so much for your help!
I am an factory warranty appliance repair tech. I’ve been one for 30+ years. Starting last spring here in Texas I started getting all these (no clean) calls on brand new dishwashers. I’m a paid, trained, service tech. I would go to peoples home and do a complete check on their dishwashers; I.E. run unit through diagnostics, and check the drain as well as stand a glass up right in top rack and run unit. ALWAYS no problems found, finally after several months our tech support found out about phosphate free soap not cleaning well. I even discovered it at my own home. (You can guess how well that goes over with my wife,) Ha-Ha.
Anyway I try to explain it to customers, I advise them to GOOGLE it and I explain the D/W manufactures recommends to (run water in sink until it is hot before you run your dishwasher, also make sure you use some type of rinse aid, then if those fail try the vinegar trick)
I myself have found this to HELP but still not as clean as well as the old detergent would clean them.
I can understand people’s disappointment when they buy a new dishwasher because their old one wasn’t cleaning well and they didn’t want to spend money on repairing an old D/W only to find out the new one doesn’t do any better. (Because it’s not the D/W it’s the detergent)
I can only hope for myself and everyone else that the manufactures find a better solution!!
One frustrated repair person!!!
Donny
Cascade should recall their product. I returned 3 new bottles. I had to throw some of my glasses away, they wouldn’t come clean even after soaking them in vinegar. Who knows what this stuff is doing to our bodies. I’ve always been extremely particular about clean dishes, silverware, and glasses. So much so, that I wash them all before putting them in the dishwasher for another round of washing. We do not have hard water, and even if we did, our dishwasher adjusts for that. So, no, this spotting and damage is not being caused by hard water, or even food left on the dishes. I went to the store to pick some TSP, only to discover that the product labeled TSP does not contain phosphates where I’m at. I asked the man at the store about finding some phosphate and he told me I would probably have to buy it in a 50 gallon drum. No thanks. lol – I tried the vinegar in the dishwasher and it helped. Just bought some Finish tabs and will see how they work.
@Dee Dee
Dee Dee:
go to link and read posting #22 for your answer about TSP.
Other postings will tell their stories as well.
Good luck
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2673141/posts
I have used Cascade in my dishwasher for 18 years but as of today I will never buy another box of cascade. Law or no law this is rediculous. You all know the problem and I expect Cascade to drop out of the market place very soon. There are other products that still function and satisfy the needs of the consumer.
That is too great – perfect!
I found a solution to the problem of no phosphate in the soap—ADD IT!!
Yes, you can easily add PHOSPHATE!!!! I bought some at Home Depot. It is found in the paint department and is “TSP” which stands for trisodium phosphate. It is a heavy duty cleaner. My mam always called it crystals and used it to scrub down walls because it leaves no residue.
It is found in the piant department because people use it to clean walls before painting. You need to ad 1 teaspoon per load. Should get good results. I paid $4.00 for a one poundbox. Good luck!!
I also heard that some store brands still have phosphate in it if it is in a state that has not banned it. I’m looking for that!!
I am throwing out the new Cascade phosphate free!!! It leaves white streaks on pots and pans and on the glassware too. Impossible to get off, even for a Chemist like myself. Avoid at all costs!!!
Just like everybody else on here, I am totally disgusted with phosphate free Cascade. I ruined a lot of dishes and glasses….in a dishwasher that’s only 2 weeks old !!!! Tried the TSP and vinegar thing and bought Finish Quantum packs….and that worked out pretty good. But we shouldn’t have to do all the extra crap !!!! Anyway, yesterday I went to a Janitorial Supply Store and they still had the “old” formula…with phosphate. Needless to say I’ll go back next week and buy a case. After that, all these detergent companies had better figure out how to fix this mess. I’m all for going green, but this is NOT working out !
@Sauerkraut
“I’m all for going green, but this is NOT working out !”
HA,HA,HA,HA,HA….I absolutely LOVE this kind of post. That also includes about half of the previous posts for the last couple months.
If most of you would get your head out of your (someplace dark), and wake up to the fact that actions have consequences. It’s okay for some other jerk to have to be inconvenienced by these tree-hugging thugs but not us who have to wash our dishes. It’s the greedy soap company’s fault? I think not. It’s the fault of all of you who continue to put up with this kind of eco-terrorism. Get a clue.
Why is this site trying to load an Eploit on my computer?
@Andrew
So, Andrew, which non-phosphate dishwasher soaps do work? Not being facetious here, have used Ecover laundry and cleaning products for years, but their dishwasher soap is not good. Cascade really stinks and has ruined lots of my dishes. My dishwasher is filling with buildup and will undoubtedly break down soon. Washing dishes by hand (with the very wonderful Ecover hand dish washing soap is not a very good option for a family of seven.
I have to use powder in my dishwasher (fisher & paykel dishdrawer) and have always used cascade. Over the past month I thought my expensive dishwasher was broken or something because of all the horrible stains on my dishes. Sometimes the dishes weren’t even getting clean. I’ve always used Cascade and never had a problem before. Little did I know about the phosphate issue! Luckily I just found out about it kind of by mistake because I was just about to have a water softener installed! Anyway, a product called Lemi-Shine was recommended. I used it and voile….problem solved. My dishes came out perfect. My husband picked up the Lemi-Shine at Walmart for me, so I’m not sure how much it cost though, but it totally worked. I just added a little in the cup with the detergent.
Hi everyone – I have a suggestion to try. It has worked perfectly for me. I tried vinegar (as suggested above) and it works OK but not great. We have hard water here in Florida and there is a new company that has invented a dishwasher additive that REMOVES ALL hard water deposits from my dishes. It’s made of all natural ingredients, is safe for septic tanks, and has no phosphates. It’s called CitriClean. Right now it’s only available locally but the website will be done soon. http://www.citriclean.net is the address.
I think that Proctor and gamble should be sued for false advertising–their “New” cascade powder without phosphates does NOT get dishes “sparkling clean.” In fact, it makes them worse than when they were placed in the dishwasher. Glad to get the tips about vinegar, Finish etc. P & G–get back to the drawing board!
This is so typical of the way business and government work today. Everything is pushed back onto the consumer/taxpayer these days…so get used to it…everything is our responsibility and nothing is theirs…because they will always find somebody or some thing to blame and will never accept any responsibility (they have the labs, and the facts and the responsibility to properly inform and warn customers in a timely way). They exist because of us, not the other way around. Vote with your voices (complain to P&G and tell your state’s consumer protection agency) and with your wallet when you buy in the future. P&G has lead the market for decades with a very good Cascade product, yet they were arrogant enough to risk and lose that market while scamming us with false advertising and w/o informing us. This is disrespectful and down right wrong…but they did it anyway and after seeing complaints on this blog going back to October 2010 it is clear they are unmoved about informing their customers (either by a warning on the product box or a press release). They count on time taking care of this and in the meantime we unwittingly, and as brand loyalists, continue to purchase P&G products while thinking the problem is with our water softeners and/or dishwashers. This does not warrant my loyalty. Aside from the fact this should have been handled differently by P&G (perhaps America’s best consumer product marketing company) just based on doing “what is right” it has cost many people hundreds of dollars in unnecessary service calls and replacement cost for new flatware and cooking utensils. They owe their loyal customers a heads-up, not their silence and a coupon (but only if you call and then happen to actually ask for some relief). Disrespectful for sure…especially for a company that certainly knows the value of good marketing, the cost of building a brand and the importance of being straight with their customers. SHAME on P&G (even if this is a total industry change) because their senior management has willfully chosen to this “duck and hide” approach, regardless of the far-reaching consequences on us. Come on P&G, stand tall and take a stand…inform your customers and pull the products that are not up to the level of excellence your Brand has reporesented in the past…
HELLLLOOOOOOO what is wrong with you people???? We HAVE to do what is right for the planet!!!!! If it means no phosphates, then no phosphates. Let’s use the creative solutions listed here from conscience people and come up with creative ways to help our dishes while we are responsible to the planet. Anyone looking around that fact is a self-centered, selfish, moron!
With 30 plus years of using dishwashers and loyal to Cascade products, I started having problems of dishes coming out of the dishwasher still dirty. I have always kept my dishwashers clean and regularly cleaned them with bleach and vinegar. I also increased the water temp and still no resolution. I was starting to have to wash them before and after they came out of the dishwasher. Frustrated I started to just wash by hand. I was alerted to the phosphate removal in dishwasher soaps. I checked out the ingredients on the newer box and verified it had no phosphates. I found an older box of cascade in the back of my closet with phosphates, and sure enough, dishes came out wonderful!!!!!
My brother bought me a new set of very nice cookware for christmas. Now, like everyone else has already stated, my pans are COVERED in this black film. I’m a college student and don’t really have a lot of money to spend on an expensive cleaner. That being said, does anyone know of an inexpensive solution to cleaning this black buildup off my pans without ruining them?
My family used Cascade all while I was growing up and now I use it as an adult. The last several months has been a nightmare of 1/4 to 1/2 of my dishes coming out of the dishwasher DIRTY (or more at times)! Plus, I recently bought new and expensive dishes and it looks like they are peeling or getting some kind of horrible film on them that I cannot get off. I HATE what Cascade has done. I want the old formula that actually worked. It is so discouraging to have to rewash dishes over and over and over and over and over and over and over . . . It is waiting time and money and I keep having piles or dishes sitting all over my counter tops that were supposed to have been cleaned already that I have to then rewash by hand. UGGGG! Is there an alternative?
It is possible to purchase trisodium phosphate (TSP) in the paint section of home improvement stores. I’m going to try some in my dishwasher along with the now “ineffective” detergents. Can anyone tell me what the phosphate percentage was in the old dishwasher detergent fomula? In know that phosphate is a strong cleaner and don’t want to damage my dishes or dishwasher.
I will no longer purchase Cascade products. I have used their product for many years, but their new product is ruining the inside of my stainless stell dishwasher. The new set of flatware that I just purchased looks like it is 20 years old. The glassware is fast becoming pitted and has an awful film on it.
These new phosphate free products are garbage… I can’t believe any company would make such an awful product.
There’s a new product on the market that was specifically designed to remove hard water deposits from dishes. It’s called CitriClean. You can only buy it online. http://www.CitriClean.net
We are the customers using Cascade….why should the customer make the fix to the product in order to get film free dishes. If vinegar works…then why doesn’t Cascade incorporate the vinegar into it’s product….
I was really frustrated with Cascades new formula too! Have used it for years and finally quit buying it. Tried a bunch of different things and have come up with something that really works for me… Finish Quantum tablets and Lemi-Shine (from Walmart & local supermarkets). I use 1 Finish Quantum tablet and approx. 1 heaping Tablespoon Lemi-shine, and dishes come out perfectly clean and sparkling every time!
I’ve been off Cascade products for a few months now, and have been adjusting a formula that isn’t as good as the old Cascade Complete but it doesn’t have any of the problems of the new Cascade Complete (and phosphate free detergents in general). It’s a little slow going as I can only test one sample a day.
As a side note: be careful when using Lemi Shine as they say it’s not recommend for aluminum and non stick cookware.
Well we were uninformed about the problems with the “all-in-one” liquid cascade without phosphates… What happened to us was a leaking dishwasher….. When the serviceman tried to replace the door gaskets, a white chalk like film was all around liner the gasket inserts in. The replacement gasket would not stay in the slot… The short story… we were forced to buy a new dishwasher ( $1,300 ) later of course… The white film covered the heating element, and left a despicable stain on the door under the dispenser which did not even open many times…. After 40+ plus years as a cascade customer, we use “finish” now….. I Guess I hold cascade more at fault because of the serverity the “new” product cost us…
I’ve just started adding 2 parts Cascade (or whatever) with 1 part TSP (trisodium phosphate). Just did one wash and the dishes came out clean. Those F&%$ing tree-huggers can go kiss my ass if they think I’ll succumb to their beliefs. I’ll add as much as I can and do as many dishes as I can to counteract their religion.
Figures.
I will try TSP, Borax, washing soda and salt mix. If it grows algie maybe it’ll help my grass over the drain field.
Can I ‘fix’ the discolored ice cream scooper that got washed in dishwasher with Cascade?
It was shiny and silvery–now it’s an ugly dull gray.
First off.. screw P&G for ruining my dishes and my new dishwasher. Secondly… screw the idiots at the EPA and their irrational thinking. They have created more and larger problems than the ones they’re trying to solve.
Trisodium Phosphate!!!! Buy as much as you can before they take that off the market too!
Sign me up for hte class action suit against P&G….. and lets find a way to bring action against the EPA!!!
I have a great way to get our dishes clean again. Throw out all of these moron democrats that are in office. They are behind the EPA taking products off our shelves. The EPA is a product of bad government. They are unelected beaurocrats making laws. These people aren’t real democrats anyway they are wacky leftist that can’t work real jobs.
I had the same problems everyone else has. Dirty dishs, white residue on silverwear, and white residue on pans and pots. Thought it was the dishwasher. Read these comments. Threw away cascade. Bought Finish tablets. Also bought Vinegar and TSP. Soaked silverware in vinegar, and dishs also. Now Put in Finish tablets, add some TSP to the tablets, and vinegar, and everyhthing comes out fine.
Well, glad I checked the web for this. We just ordered a new dishwasher as our started exhibiting all of the problems listed here. We recently started using Cascade because we started having some problems with our silverware turning black. Then we started getting white deposits. I pulled the filter out of the bottom of the dishwasher and was astounded by a 1/2″ to 3/4″ layer of white sludge in the bottom of the machine. All the filter screens are plugged – it is a complete mess. Tried to run the empty machine with vinegar – it began leaking on our wood floors. Sign us up for the lawsuit.
I have been using Shaklee Dishwash Automatic since 1991. It has
never had any phosphates. My dishwasher is 13 years old with a
white interior and it is still white. The dishes come clean, too.
No chlorine either.
If you want more info, go to PatandPatFarrell.com
I’m joining in to add what others are saying. I have been a loyal Cascade user for many years and can no longer use it. I was using Cascade and Cascade Complete both and they have ruined all my black handled rubber utensils by taking the finish off; they’re white and rough and the dishes are rough. I’m concerned my lead crystal glassware is going to ruin, too. This is so discouraging. Maybe P&G had to comply with no phosphates but when I contacted them awhile back they didn’t let me know what was going on. It does no good to buy this product when it ruins my dishes. I had bought a new set of utensils and they’re ruined, too. I’ve tried Gel paks and they don’t dissolve completely. I’m trying Finish and I guess vinegar, too.
Go on line and buy “commercial” dish washer soap. $53.00 bucks for 6 large boxes of Cascade.
A lot better than the 320 I paid for a new dishwasher and put in myself.
The cascade with bleach destroyed the wire racks in my dishwasher…all of the damage was near where soap comes out…wire totally cracked and then rusted and broke off . It was from the batch that froze and changed to a watery form. They refused to pay for damage and I do believe that class action law suit should be started..because they know the product causes problems.
I was a Sun Light user until my local stores stopped carrying it, I just got new plastic and silicone Kitchen Aid spatulas for Christmas used Cascade once and they are ruined. I think I am going to wash dished the old fashioned way…. by hand. Dawn is cheaper and uses less water and no electric. Guess I can always put more cabinets in that space where my DW is
I am trying to figure out how to rid the film and spots from my dishes and silverware. Many of the fixes on this page include adding vinegar to rinse. My Dishwasher manual says only to do this once or twice a year because it will ruin the dishwasher…
Are we just going to have to live with this until the industry comes up with a fix?
Don’t like the phosphate free dishwasher soap? Do what I did. I purchased some TSP at a local hardware store and mixed it in the phosphate free soap in the ratio of 10% TSP and 90% soap. Works just fine. I want clean dishes.
I just remodeled my kitchen and got a new dishwasher. I’ve now washed everything that was in storage and have ruined all of my aluminum bake ware…all of it….using Cascade. They went into the dishwasher shiny and came out dark. These have all been washed in the dishwasher previously using ‘old Cascade’ with no ill effects. Please sign me up for a class action suit against Procter and Gamble…I would like to recoup my losses.
We accidentally found the solution to all the problems that result from using the new no-phosphate dishwasher soap. We have very hard water and a five year old, pricey dishwasher made by a company that insists that we use a powder soap, no matter the brand. Suddenly and consistently the inside of our dishwasher, and all of our dishes, glasses, silverware and plastics started being etched and coated with a white, gritty substance. We started using vinegar rinses and baths, but the frequency with which we were doing this was absurd.
At the height of our frustration, we took a trip to visit relatives in a different community that also has very hard water. Much to our surprise nothing was or had been wrong with our relatives’ use of their dishwasher. We asked what product they used. It was the same brand as the one we use, but instead of a powder, they had always used a gel.
We decided to defy the directions of our dishwasher manufacturer and try the gel. Since returning home early in May, we have used two gel forms of the same product and everything that we thought was ruined looks like new. We probably need to run one last vinegar bath in the dishwasher drawer to get rid of the etching on the silverware basket. But, beyond that, we don’t think we’ll ever use anything except a gel again. The change has been like magic.
The product in question is Cascade. We have used Cascade Complete All-in-1 and Cascade ExtraAction with the Grease Fighting Power of Dawn. Both work equally well. No more powder or vinegar baths in this house.
SOLVED. From a previous post, I went to Home Depot and bought a small box of TSP in the paint area. This is the same phosphate used – and now banned/not used – by the major detergent producers. We put just under 1 tsp of it in with Finish….and it not only cleaned the dishes, but took care of the ongoing problems we had with flatware/silverware.
I am quasi-ECO…we regularly recycle, and living in Fla are careful of the ecology. BUT. I don’t believe for a minute that this 1 tsp of TSP – twice a week – is going to upset the balance of nature. Like everyone else I got so frustrated and infuriated that a brand-new dishwasher (Bosch) couldn’t get dishes clean in 2011. After only 2 cycles of using this tiny amount, the results were amazing.
The other option (as posted) is to use commercial detergent used by restaurants, hotels, hospitals, etc. They’ve known about this problem from the git-go, and are more concerned about clean dishes to customers than the scare tactics by the ecologists.
@Bruce: Thanks for the tip about the phosphate and for coming back here to report it.
And thanks to everyone who is participating in the discussion here. I think this is helping a lot of people find out how they can get their dishes clean. Having dishwasher detergent in the dishwasher destroy dishes is actually a big problem that is costly.
We’ll take any more tips, ideas or complaints from people.
Lemon Juice helps. I buy the cheapest I can find, usually store brand and either add it to the dispenser with the detergent or just pour it in the bottom.
People PLEASE READ
This is GOVERNMENT’s FAULT
This is NOT CASCADE’s FAULT
cowbot – it’s the Governments fault in a handful of states, BUT it’s Cascade’s (P&G) fault in MOST states. Most states don’t have a ban on phosphates; it’s P&G that decided to eliminate phosphates from their formula in all states.
Bruce – I agree you just need to add the missing ingredient back into the formula. I’ve experimented with a few different brands of base cleaner, and I’ve also found that Finish Advanced Deep Cleaning Powder is inexpensive and has a good blend of ingredients. I empty the box into a big bowl using scoops and then add the appropriate number of scoops of TSP to obtain a 4:1 ration of detergent to TSP, then re-fill and seal the box. In other words, if the box has 12 scoops of detergent I add 3 scoops of TSP. I use something a little different than TSP from HD, but the same idea. I don’t think the final product is better than the old Cascade Complete with Phosphates, but it’s definitely a lot better than the current no-phosphate formula, and it’s a lot cheaper!
Fear not little people…..I am from the government and will save you from yourselves! Cha Ching!
All of the complaints about Cascade are true. To stop this kind of C.E.O. greed, people need to boycott all Procter $ Gamble products. A lose of profits will make it clear that we the people will not let this go unanswered.
*** Solution from a friend: Finish detergent and sprinkle in some Lemi Shine. http://www.lemishine.com/ That’s what a repairman recommended to her and it worked instead of buying a new dishwasher, which she thought was the problem.
I tried TSP, which did not work, and have researched around for other solutions and this is about the best best so far!
my soap will not dissolve in the main holder WHY?
From other sites I see that P&G are basically ignoring the Cascade streaking problem by claiming that it’s not their fault that they had to remove the phosphate and that we silly consumers should make sure that we are using hot water and that we should not be watering the lawn at the same time as we are doing the dishes.The facts are all over the web. This product stinks and should be withdrawn in my opinion. I feel rooked by having to throw out a full box and a bit of this expensive junk after numerous attempts to get it to work in a new Bosch dishwasher. Any product but P&G… here I come.
I have a 120 oz. box I will be happy to sell to the highest bidder.
My stainless interior of the one year old dishwasher looks ruined. Keep trying vinegar… hope it eventually works. I am going to Sams and buying the commercial cascade.
We have hard water, which only adds to the problem.
Has anyone tried the mixture of Half baking soda and half cascade?
Was told not to use borax..at all costs. (toxic) just passing that along.
O.K. I see how using vinegar will help with the taking away the film on glasses, etc…. But, I’ve read in other places that it harms flatware and anything metal. So when you say to add vinegar to the dw before running the cycle, do you also include removing all metal and flatware? Should we be washing those by hand now?
It’s frustrating, but at least now I know why my dishwasher wasn’t cleaning my glasses anymore.
Like many of you, I have been discouraged with Cascade also. At first, I thought it was my dishwasher. Not only did it leave a film on my glasses and spots on my stainless steel pots…..it didn’t get my dishes clean. I called the company and they suggested using the vinegar. Who wants to have to run their dishwasher once to “get them clean” and then run it again “to get them cleaner”. I have half a container left (that cost me $17) and refuse to use the rest of them. I also have 2 free coupons that they felt the need to send me. Needless to say, I won’t be using them either.
I recently changed to the Quantum Finish tabs. I absolutely LOVE how they work. My glasses are shiny again, my pots are spotless and my dishes are CLEAN!! From what I have read, their product is phosphate free also but they have done something right because they really work well. It’s well worth the try!! Good Luck!
I purchased a 3.3 litre of liquid Cascade & before I had a chance to use it, the liquid in the container crystalized. What is going on with Cascade. This product is getting worse. Did anyone else have a problem like this & if so how did you remedy it?
I’m a “soaper” by profession, so I thought I might provide some insights with respect to cleaning chemistry. Sodium Tripolyphoshate (but not Trisodium phosphate) was the breakthrough that launched powdered Tide back in the mid-fifties. Except for the “Eutrification” problem is causes as a plant nutrient, it is non-toxic and actually environmentally friendlier than other chelating agents (compounds that forms soluble salts with certain troublesome ions). The phosphate ban was of the first environmental issues to enter American politics as part of what we might call the “Green” movement today. However, for people with septic systems, the use of phosphates in cleaning products isn’t really a problem at all since phosphates are immobilized almost immediately when entering the soil. But because many municipalities treat household waste water and return this to lakes and rivers, phosphates provide the missing nutrient (the other two are nitrogen and potassium), and this causes algae to bloom to the point of depleting the water of oxygen, which then kills off the aquatic life. Had legislation decide to implement “grey water” systems for homes by tying the dishwasher and washing machines to discharge to a leach field, we might still be using this wonder child of a cleaning chemical today. I find it strange that a compound used in foods and toothpastes has such a tarnished reputation that is really caused by a lack of understanding about its benefits under the proper set of circumstances. STPP makes water a better cleaning media like no other compound ever discovered before or since. We would reduce other waste products used to compensate if the right forethought would have been used at the right time…around 1970 or so.
First, please everyone – never throw your bad product out. ALWAYS take it back for a refund. That’s how the system works to flush out bad products (I hope).
I posted a couple of times about a year or more ago. Complete frustration with this problem. I tried various things with limited success over the past year. I recently bought 6 large commercial boxes of Cascade on the internet which have the phosphate for about $54. It works wonderfully. I have a septic system and so it’s no problem to the environment per the previous entry. IT WORKS WONDERFULLY LIKE IN THE OLD DAYS. SHOULD LAST ME A LIFETIME. YAHOO.
Cascade with lemon turned my cookie sheets dark. Do you realize how much work it is going to be to get them cleaned up. Now, why would there be lemon in the detergent to begin with, it isn’t cleaning anything better I have a residue on all of my dishes.
I am also finding that Dawn does not clean very well either and I am changing to a different company.
Some more environmental nonsense again I suppose.
My problem has been an enormous amount of suds left in the dishwasher after the cycle has completed. I called the manufacturer and the customer service rep told me about Cascade changing their formula and this could be causing the excess suds. I used Finish when we first got this dw and it oxidized the bottoms of my pans and the handles on my knives. So I went back to Cascade and it was fine until now. After talking to the csr, I checked my bottle of Cascade and it is phosphate free. I suppose I will be adding vinegar to the wash for awhile because my Cascade bottle is nearly full.
I’d like people who have the problem with the “phosphate less” detergent to note on this bitch site whether they have a water softener. I do not and had the problem big time (until I got the detergent with phosphate again per the above entry – 2 or 3 above). I think the problem is at least much worse without soft water but not absolutely sure. Thanks.
We have a whole-house water purification system.
We have a water softener. Just bought new box of Cascade. All my plastic ware is covered in white powdery film. Glasses look foggy. Soaked everything in vinegar to get that crap off. My dishwasher is useless if I can’t find a way around this.
In the above comment, do you know how hard is the water in your area. Also, are you sure the water softener is working correctly AND is it soft water to the dishwasher? Sometimes in the old days I think soft water was not piped to the kitchen sink = they left it hard from the street.
Please when you post – note whether your water is soft to the dishwasher. If the water is hard at the kitchen sink, then most likely it’s hard at the dishwasher. I’m still trying to figure out why some people including me have a big problem and others with soft water at the sink do not. The other difference is that it seems the gels and packets work better than the powder.
I have the same problem as all of you have. Today I used CLR to get rid of the stains and then put all of the items in HOT water and they look brand new. I am going to try using vinegar in the cycle to see if that works. Thanks to all for the input from you.
Had the same problem. This started in Spokane Washington and the law took effect in 2008 to ban phosphates in detergents for Spokane County. Soon after people complained, they crossed over to Idaho to bootleg detergents containing more than .5 percent phosphates in dishwasher detergents. Should have been a red flag for the people involved in the study. This was the first county in the country to do so. The rest of the state followed in July 2010. This wreaks havoc on plastic dishes, especially black utensils. We started throwing them away, but don’t. There is a way to remove this white buildup. There is a product called Lemi Shine. This is a detergent additive. I fill both cups about half full with Lemi Shine and half with Cascade. Throw your dishes back in the dishwasher and they will come out clean. Wish I had known this before throwing items away. There may be other products as good or better but I have found none. They still do not come out consistently clean as before so you may need to rinse them more before putting them in the dishwasher. Would like to see what the trade off is. Use more water to rinse dishes (a lot more) or put phosphates into the water. The reduction of phosphates may not be enough to offset the water usage and having to rewash dishes when the kids do not rinse dishes enough. I really doubt our great governor and the people involved thought this through by including these variables and I’m sure there are other variables to include. Whenever I see the word Green or Eco the first thing that pops into my head is it’s either going to cost me more money or reduce my quality of living. The majority of the time it falls into one of these categories or both and I really doubt many people can disagree with this. What other state calls river/lake water for hydroelectric dams a non renewable resource other than the great state of Washington. Thank Governor Gregoire for being the first to sign this into law and having a ripple effect throughout many other states.
Well, it’s been almost a year, and I think I’m finally good to go again.
I’m using Finish Advanced Deep Cleaning Powder and adding the Phosphates back at a ratio that I found is used by the “best” dishwashing detergent products in Europe. I run the dishwasher longer at a higher temperature and adjusted the rinse agent usage so more is dispensed. I also cleaned the screens and holes in the washer arms.
I believe my dishes are at least as good as they were with good old Cascade Complete with Phosphates, and maybe even better. I’m guessing I’m using more Phosphates than was in the original Cascade (I could never determine how much they used), but the new amount may be making things a bit cleaner.
Be careful when adding other ingredients. For example, Lemi Shine says it’s not recommend for painted glassware, painted mugs, aluminum, enamel coated silverware, fine china, non stick coated cookware or removable stove top components. Just be careful when adding other ingredients and know how to use them.
Good luck to everyone who doesn’t live in the “banned” States.
Another Obama eco-innovation. Not like Mooch ever did any any dishes in her life anyway.
My wife had purchased cascade all in one packs, they are little packets with a powder and a liquid combined. They get the dishes clean, too clean, we had several souviner glasses we had purchased at Disneyland and some glasses with pictures of the Beatles on them. They all said that they were dishwasher safe, and they were until my wife bought the cascade. It ruined them all, we took them out of the dishwasher and the paint on the glasses had been faded so badly that they are horrible to look at.
We will never buy cascade products again.
Vinegar will remove the white film which is likely just a calcium deposit however just dumping vinegar into the machine prior to starting the wash cycle won’t work because the machine goes through a drain cycle at the start up of the machine. This is done to keep the seals supple. Either wait until the wash cycle has filled the machine and add a cup of vinegar or put a cup of vinegar into a dish and place that into the bottom of the dishwasher before you start the wash cycle the wash cycle will push the vinegar into the wash machine as the dish is filled with liquid during the wash cycle. If your dishes are already covered with white deposits, put your spotted dishes into the dishwasher and fill a bowl with vinegar and run a cycle without detergent. It may take more than one time to accomplish it properly but it works just like it works to clean out your coffee maker.
It is not Cascades fault, it was happening with Finish as well and it (Finish) didn’t clean as well.
Best, easiest way to deal with spotty dishes is to get a detergent with phosphate. Don’t worry about adding vinegar, or purchasing whatever additives. Who needs to further complicate their lives anyway? Just google phosphate dishwasher detergent – you can find it.
Glad it wasn’t my dishwasher leaving the white residue.
Switched to another brand and the problem is gone.
Goodbye Cascade.
Since being forced to change to a non-phosphorous detergent, our teacups and teapots will NOT come clean. Cascade Complete not only made the tea stains worse, it colored the white inside of the door with brown tea stains that will not come off. We bought a new dishwasher and have used all the little pellets made by man, and all the rinse liquids, and our tea equipment continues to have tea discoloration — a discoloration I might add that is removed by simply wiping a sponge against it — with no detergent. And this is P&G’s fault. The state in which I live has not outlawed the use of phosphorous. Also, phosphorous is removed by sewage-treatment plants. And …. this shows the futility of such laws … a Cascade product with phosphorous is available online and at many restaurant-supply stores.
I have had all the same trouble outlined here. I have switched to Finish, and have had no problem. I live in CA and suspect we are a state where phosphates have been banned. Finish is the solution.
I work for a detergent manufacturer and since the phosphate ban (and before) we have been struggling to create a suitable formula. There is an alternative. You can still purchase Cascade with phosphate (85 oz box). It is labeled “Institutional” and skirts the ban. You can purchase it at Gordon’s Food service (GFS Market place) in the mid-west and Florida. I am sure there are other institutional food service companies with retail stores that it can be found in. Another brand which still has phosphates is Finish powder by EcoLab (50 oz box). Also institutional but I do not know where it is sold. I hope this helps.
Of course have been using Cascade forever, even worked in the office at P&G so I was sold on their products. This is insane, all the white film on the stainless inside of my dishwasher, glasses, dishes. They even have a fishy smell. Will try the vinegar because I know it helps a lot of problems.
My thanks to everyone for their research and answers to this horrible problem.
Sign me up for the class action lawsuit if it exists. This is a disgusting problem.
If anyone was wondering what Carol was talking about with it being removed for junk science, here’s the follow up:
The guy who did a study after the ban and found that it was the wrong kind of phosphate for causing the environmental effects got defunded.
Heaven forbid a scientist make the hysterical idiots screwing up other folks’ lives look bad for banning something without checking first!
Might as well add my 2 cents for what its worth. My wife and I have been washing dishes together for nearly 38 years and have learned a few things. She learned from her grandmother that you never put aluminum in a dishwasher. A dishwasher serves as a very poor garbage disposal. We have always rinsed off the food into the sink with a real disposal. To avoid having to wash things over, a quick few strokes with a dish brush does wonders on greasy silverware and dishes with dried sauces on them. Using a little soapy water even works better. We have used Cascade powder for many years and recently switched to the complete because of the water spots. We have hard water 21 grains, and the only time we have had the problems that are beings shared here is when our whole house softner crashed and dishes and glasses were washed several times in hard water. I believe the chalky white deposits are the Calcium and Manganese and Limestone deposits from your hard water.
I know some people are reluctant to use a water softner, but the benefits far outweigh the damage that can be done to appliances, water pipes, clothing.
Now here are some suggestions on how to clean your dishwasher. I have used a diluted product much like CLR, which is primarily phosphoric acid. By the way, the reason vinegar and lemon juice work is that they are also acidic. Acetic and Citric, to be specific. Becarefull, and go easy on the CLR. It will suds alot and leave a slight film and will keep on sudsing for two or three rinses with plain water. We have a 10 year old dishwasher, stainless steel which is spotless and gleaming inside and out.
Here is some thing that you may try to get the black deposits off your aluminum. This works wonders on real silver ware and also tarnished brass. Got this off the Internet several years ago. I DO NOT say that it will work with Aluminum and say try it at your own risk. Take a glass or plastic pan and line it inside with aluminum foil. Make up a solution using regular Tide powder laundry soap and clean water. I forget the exact formula, but it is not rocket science folks. Try a 1/4 cup soap to a gallon of water. If nothing happens add more Tide. Will It work with any Laundry powdered soap? IDK. I would probably use soft or a jug of distilled water. Pour it in the pan and set your stained silver ware on the foil. If it is real silver ware that is tarnished it will just disappear without any scrubbing . the black will transfer to the foil and somewhere in the process you will have to replace the foil. If you are thinking about throwing it away, what do you have to use. Like a said , I know it works on real silverware, and brass that is tarnished. I had to use a tooth brush to help the tarnish on the brass, but it came off and left the solid brass fixtures bright and shiny.
Take care and best regards,
John R
I just bought cascade complete #92353754 and had blotchy white specks on my glasses & bowls! Thought u would like to know’ …LM
I started using your cascade with dawn. Do you guys even use the stuff. Now all of my utensils are induced with a thick soapy taste. I have tried using less. I have tried running a cycle afterwards with no soap in hopes that the soap taste will get washed away. But nothing helps.
I can’t believe that here we are in the 70th year of dishwashers and you idiots are screwing up the detergent.
Pathetic!!!