Phosphorus is hard to shake (www.examiner.com)

On July 1 2009, the Wisconsin State Assembly referred a bill to ban phosphorus from dishwasher soap to the Senate’s Committee on Environment with the same reasoning behind the fertilizer ban almost four years ago. Several other states will enact laws banning phosphorus soaps by July 1, 2010. The Soap and Detergent Association, a trade organization that represents North American manufacturers of cleaning products, stated that they would be phosphorus free by that deadline.

So all is well. No more manufactured phosphorus polluting our environment.

The author of this piece, Brian Barger, seems to infer that this legislation is already enacted. From what we can tell, it’s not law yet. It has been passed from the Wisconsin Assembly and has been read through (WI-AB 281). We think it will go through but it’s not there yet.

Here’s an interesting link:

• The Soap and Detergent Association

On their site, they have an article about phosphates in dishwashing detergent:

DETERGENT “ALTERNATIVES” – THE FACTS

Claim: The environmental impact of detergent “alternatives” will be lower than that of laundry detergents because no chemicals are used.

Fact: Washing with detergent “alternatives” will have the same environmental impact as washing with water alone. But then, they only get clothes as clean as washing with clean water.

…As a result, it is totally false and misleading to describe laundry detergents as being toxic or pollutants. They are designed to go down the drain when their cleaning job is done, and be safely treated in municipal sewage treatment facilities or in septic tank systems. Detergents and their ingredients are well researched by toxicologists and environmental scientists, their fate in the environment is known, and they can be used by consumers with confidence in their human and environmental safety.

Interesting. The debate goes on!

Phosphorus limits will be good for us (www.journaltimes.com)

Cutting the level of phosphorus has had a marked impact in Spokane, Wash. Officials said similar restrictions there reduced the chemical by 14 percent within 10 months of the law’s onset.

The timing was far from ideal. With detergent makers still scrambling to perfect low-phosphate products, some residents decided the only way they could get the grime off their dishes was to flout the law. They drove to Idaho and “smuggled” in Cascade or Electrasol.

Wisconsin consumers shouldn’t face the same dilemma. By the time the law takes effect in July 2010, the detergent industry’s heavy hitters expect to have a more potent line of green products on shelves. That’s why Illinois, which passed its law in 2007, purposely held it in the starting gate until next summer.

Time will tell if good dishwasher detergents will be available. This is just one instance of government and law being pushed too far ahead of technology, which caused trouble for residents of states that were early adopters.

Right now, several Madison, WI beaches are closed due to increased algae:

Algae advisory on Wisconsin lakes and rivers (www.wkowtv.com)

Algae is a common problem. The blue-green variety that floats like paint or pea soup even caused the recent closure of Madison’s Hudson Beach.

“Just a little can cause irritation to the throat,” said Chuck Warzecha, an environmental health specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

This algae growth has happened for a number of years now as the above article mentions.

As a service company we are constantly asked, “Why doesn’t my dishwasher clean better”. To this query we offer the following insights and suggestions.

Whenever we diagnose a “poor cleaning” complaint the main things we want to know are:

1. Is the water hot enough?
2. Are you using a proper detergent?
3. Are you using a rinse additive?
4. Your loading practices

1 Water temperature

Most manufacturers suggest a minimum 120 Fahrenheit for the dishwasher to begin the cleaning process, 140 to remove food soiling, and 155 to sanitize and remove bacteria. In restaurants they boost the dishwasher temperature to 180 Fahrenheit to satisfy health requirements. Consumers misunderstanding these requirements have led to problems for the household dishwasher.

In a dishwasher the temperature of the wash water is paramount. Unfortunately, It is now common to find household water temperatures of 100 Fahrenheit, or less.

Many people have lowered their household water temperature in an effort to be conscientious consumers. Yes, it lowers electrical consumption. Unfortunately it has other consequences.

Manufacturers say it does not provide enough heat to clean dishes properly and can leave them covered in bacteria and food residue. Supporters of lower water temperatures claim it is both environmentally friendly and necessary to protect children from any possibility of scalding at bath time.

One of the latest ideas is a mixing valve added to hot water tanks. It is preset and will not allow temperatures in excess of 115 Fahrenheit. It does this by mixing cold water with the hot to maintain this preset maximum.

This debate over hot water tank temperatures has resulted in a catch 22 type scenario. Lower the temperature to lower consumption and be more child safe, but end up leaving bacteria on the plates we use to eat.

Low water temperature can also affect the cycle length. If too low the dishwasher may keep stopping to try and heat the water. A normal cycle of 40 minutes could be extended to 2 or 3 hours with all the heating delays. Some dishwashers may stall completely.

2 Using proper detergent

We always suggest you use a name brand detergent. A good detergent is always worth the price. So stay away from those that are super inexpensive, or ones that claims to clean the dishes plus everything else in the house. If unsure, ask your neighbours what they use.

Gel or crystal, the choice is yours. Both seem to work equally well. Whichever form you prefer the one thing we always stress is, “when you find one that works for you stick with it … even if it costs more than others”.

Crystal is less messy, while gel will dissolve quicker with the water. If your water temperature is low (as described above) gel may be a choice because it will mix better.

If using crystal detergent be aware that it can pick up moisture from the air. When this happens it will swell up and become lumpy or harden. These lumps will be difficult to break down and will not fully dissolve. If at cycle’s end you see detergent left inside it may be evidence of hardened crystals.

Additional evidence of moisture buildup can be seen if the box itself appears to be swollen. If seen, replace immediately with a fresh box.

A box of detergent should be consumed within 2-3 months. If not throw it away and buy a new one. Match the box size to your needs. Do not buy a large box just because it is on sale. If you have to throw most of it away, it wasn’t much of a bargain.

Some detergent manufacturers now offer a product that combines the detergent with the rinse additive. Others offer a detergent that includes a special grease-dissolving agent. Still others are in a tab form, or inside a dissolvable plastic pouch.

Also dishwashing detergent and dishwasher detergent are not interchangeable. Trying to do so will cause problems. Each type of detergent is formulated to do a specific job.

“Dishwashing detergent” is the one used to wash dishes in the sink is. It is definitely not meant for the dishwasher. Anyone who has ever mistakenly put it into the dishwasher can attest to the mess this will produce. The beating action of the water will produce massive amounts of suds. This results in the dishwasher flooding out the door and across the kitchen floor.

So the moral of this tale is: “Don’t confuse dishwashing with dishwasher”.

3 Rinse additive

This is something that gets forgotten once the free sample bottle that came with the dishwasher has been used.

Its job is to make the water run off the dishes faster so they can dry quicker. Without it there would be little beads of water on everything at the end of the cycle. Glasses especially would appear to be water stained or be left with a gritty residue. So if poor cleaning is a problem, check the rinse additive level.

But remember, only one or two drops are added per load. A few ounces of rinse additive lasts a very long time. Such a long time those customers often think it is not being added, and blame the additive for problems it has nothing to do with

To refill, look on the dishwasher door for a cap or plug that is removable. It is often overlooked because the time between fill ups can be months. Also, the appliance manufacturers could help solve this problem if more of them added some sort of “Hey, I’m empty” indicator.

Frigidaire dishwashers have a neat little indicator. Right next to the soap dispenser is a clear plastic eye that changes colour when the additive is empty. So every time you add detergent to the machine you also see this eye staring back at you. White if empty, and black if full. Simple, effective, and smart.

4 Proper loading

Lastly, don’t forget that how you load the dishes can drastically affect how well they are cleaned.

Proper loading will allow the water to penetrate all the nooks and crannies. Try the following suggestions:

· Cups and glasses on the top rack with bottoms up

· Plates on the bottom rack all facing the same direction

· Bowls either rack, but all facing the same direction

· Utensils in the utensil holder in a mixed fashion (some knives, forks, spoons together in each compartment) to allow gaps between them

· Large items, such as a spatulas, laying down on top rack

· Pots bottom up wherever space allows (on their side okay if positioned so that water will drain out)

Placing the dishes and utensils in an orderly manner really does make for a better wash. It allows the water sprays to penetrate the dishes thoroughly. Try it … it works.

The analogy I offer customers is: If you were going on a car trip would you pack the car efficiently, or just open the doors and throw everything inside so that the passengers had to fight with the luggage. I think you get the picture.

Dishwasher efficiency

If your dishwasher is having a mechanical problem the result may show up as poor cleaning. Anything from low water pressure, broken pump, not draining fully, or even a blocked filter could be the cause.

So how do you know if the machine needs repair? You don’t. But, by checking all the previous problems first a lot of the more common causes of poor cleaning can be easily eliminated.

Also, you have probably heard this a million times before, but before telephoning for service read you owner’s manual. It can include some valuable information. It will usually give you a checklist of items to test before calling for service.

Summing up

You now know what is needed to make the dishes come out of the dishwasher sparkling clean. Hot water, good detergent, rinse additive, and proper loading practices. That’s it – that’s all. Provide all four of these things to the dishwasher and your cleaning success is guaranteed.

So load up the machine, go get yourself a liquid refreshment, put your feet up and let the dishwasher do all the work.

Automatic dishwasher detergents are among one of the products that contain higher amounts of phosphates which can wreck havoc on the environment. The bad news is, from all my experimenting so far I have yet to find a recipe that actually works in a dishwasher but without leaving spots or residue behind on the the dishes.

I am extremely hesitant to recommend one of the “green” phosphate free brands though because many contain an ingredient called “zeolite”, which I have read may not necessarily be the lesser of the two evils. There is concern over the fact that because zeolite is undoubtedly not as effective as phosphates, more detergent or cleanser is needed- even more getting dumped into the environment. It is actually also cheaper and easier to remove phosphates from contaminated waters that it is for zeolite. As always, if something sound too good to be true there’s probably another side to the story…

There is also a popular recipe on the net that uses two tablespoons of half borax and half baking soda in the dishwasher. Once again, I have a hard time recommending this. Only in this case I’m not claiming it doesn’t work or isn’t more environmentally friendly , but borax has been linked in research studies to create fertility issues and just because it may natural doesn’t mean it’s innocent- remember borax is also used as a form of pesticide! Even though many swear by the use of borax in many types of homemade cleaners, I won’t use it in my home in areas that come in contact with my family at any time so I simply cannot recommend you use it to clean the same plates you’ll eat off of.

So what do we do? Well there is one tactic for the dishwasher I found to be at least helpful until better solutions are known of. First off I’ve found that you really don’t need as much dishwashing detergent as most brands recommend- using half of that amount does an excellent job in itself. Another thing that can be done mixing your powdered dishwashing detergent with as much as half baking soda, which acts as a water softener to make that lesser amount of detergent you use even more effective. Or even better yet, just do your dishes by hand!

Clean dishes are about more than just the dishwasher. It’s about the detergent too! And with so many on the market we decided to tell you about our favorite – Cascade Dishwasher Detergent – here’s what you need to know.

Cascade two in one has been a real hit and I think it goes beyond the great job it does. When you open the package you see these wonderful little bright blue and spring green bubble. They are rather refreshing on their own.

The tablets are rather intriguing to look at. The plastic casing will dissolve with the water and inside the pouch is Dawn dishwashing liquid and Cascade dishwashing powder. That’s it. And just in case you might forget whose product you have in bold red letters on the bottom you’ll discover the word Cascade.

There are actually two varieties that you can choose from. The Original blue Dawn or the new Citrus Breeze scented orange Dawn. What will you do with two choices?

Now I love Dawn as a dishwashing detergent so the logical deduction would be that I would like the Cascade dishwasher version. And of course I was right.

The packaging that holds the pouches is easy to open. Use your scissors, cut the top, and then it reseals with a zip lock style top. In fact Cascade has gone as far as including a diagram of a pair of scissors at the top. The reseal holds well and since the pouches are water soluble that’s important!

It’s a good idea to make sure your hands are dry before grabbing the pouches since they could become squishy and start to dissolve in your hands.

They are a breeze to use. No unwrapping, no pouring, no puncturing. Just take the pouch out of the bag, pop it into the dishwasher’s soap dispenser, close the door and start the dishwasher. That’s it – how simple is that? No fuss no muss!

Both of the scents that are available are nice but if you don’t like fragrance or are sensitive to it stick with the original blue. No matter which you choose the strong smell of the dishwasher soap can still be smelled.

Now let’s talk about performance. On a scale of 1 to 10 I’d give this product a 10. It works well, cuts grease, no streaks, no spots, and no fogging. The Action Pac works great! There’s no reason to rinse the dishes. It cuts through grease without hesitation. And it’s easy and convenient to use.

As with any of these cleaners it comes with a warning not to get it on you skin or in your eyes and to keep it away from children. It also lists the first aid treatments clearly on the packaging.

You can buy a pack of 20 pouches for around $4.00 so that works out to about 20 cents a cleaning. Shop on line and you can even save more. I think It’s a great buy and with all that cleaning power how can you go wrong?