Elinor Everywhere Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I want to move away from Cascade and other toxic cleaners, but when I tried 7th Generation it didn't clean my dishes very well. Cascade in particular leaves a kind of whitish "scum" on the dishes that makes me think we are eating/drinking residue or something. Any recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diana in OR Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I've used Method brand dishwasher gelpacs. I *think* they're non-toxic and they work well. I've also used Bio-Kleen in the past. I liked it too, but it's a little harder to find now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 I've used Method brand dishwasher gelpacs. I *think* they're non-toxic and they work well. I've also used Bio-Kleen in the past. I liked it too, but it's a little harder to find now. Can I get it at a grocery store or Target? Thanks for the help; I've tried several brands and they just don't seem to clean very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.griff Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I've found that the bleach in the Cascade causes it to do a much better job cleaning than any other ones I've tried. Maybe you could just not use "as much" Cascade for now, until you find something that you like. Fill the dispenser half full, instead of completely full. It will still get them clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diana in OR Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Can I get it at a grocery store or Target? Thanks for the help; I've tried several brands and they just don't seem to clean very well. You can get Method products at Target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer on Earth Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 We also found it often left a white scum on things. We sprinkle vinegar on the dishes before we wash them and that seems to help a lot (a maid taught me that trick). We also set the cycle to a higher water temperature. That seems to dissolve the scum also. With these tweaks 7th Generation does seem to clean nearly as well as the ol' Cascade used to do. I've read a few articles and books on natural housecleaning in the past few months and they often say that you're often not going to get the same power of cleaning with natural products as you do with toxic mainstream stuff. They just don't have the chemicals that zap things quite as well. It's definitely an adjustment. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*anj* Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I have never been satisfied with the natural brands of dishwasher detergent. I cannot find a brand that gets my dishes clean enough. Until I find one I am opting to use a much smaller amount of the conventional kind. I only use about 1/3 of the recommended amount, which makes a box last much longer. I am presently using a store brand. It works well, and is less expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 And I love them. I've tried about every eco-friendly dishwasher detergent out there and the Sun and Earth tabs are the only ones that work without the white scum and get the dishes clean. They are a tab that looks like a gel pac but it's filled with powder. I got them at Sun and Earth and they have other wonderful products too. I use all Sun and Earth for my cleaning and laundry. I also love that any order over $45 has free shipping even if it's big cases of laundry detergent. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret in GA Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 It does not work as well as Cascade, but we use our dishwasher's Pot and Pans setting to compensate. It that does the trick. Plus, I sprinkle in a little bit more and try not to overload the dishwasher. margaret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda in Oregon Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? We use their powder and have been happy with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgie Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 n/t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? We use their powder and have been happy with it. I'm sure I must have tried their powder in the past, but I can't remember what I thought about it. It's at TJs that I bought the 7th Generation. Probably worth another shot at the TJ brand--it would also save me driving around since that is one place I *know* I'll be every week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 You can get Method products at Target. I'll give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 And I love them. I've tried about every eco-friendly dishwasher detergent out there and the Sun and Earth tabs are the only ones that work without the white scum and get the dishes clean. They are a tab that looks like a gel pac but it's filled with powder. I got them at Sun and Earth and they have other wonderful products too. I use all Sun and Earth for my cleaning and laundry. I also love that any order over $45 has free shipping even if it's big cases of laundry detergent. HTH I'm going to check out the website you gave me--getting dishes clean without white scum is exactly what I'm looking for--thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 We also found it often left a white scum on things. We sprinkle vinegar on the dishes before we wash them and that seems to help a lot (a maid taught me that trick). We also set the cycle to a higher water temperature. That seems to dissolve the scum also. With these tweaks 7th Generation does seem to clean nearly as well as the ol' Cascade used to do. I've read a few articles and books on natural housecleaning in the past few months and they often say that you're often not going to get the same power of cleaning with natural products as you do with toxic mainstream stuff. They just don't have the chemicals that zap things quite as well. It's definitely an adjustment. :) I have a load ready to go, so I'll add the vinegar and try a higher water temperature. I'm getting the white scum WITH Cascade, which is grossing me out and calling to my attention the fact that I've moved away from toxic cleaners in almost every other area except the dishes. Thanks for the tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLHCO Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 7th Generation didn't work, huh? It works on ours while "Earth" or whatever it is the local store sells, is just awful. It must be a difference in the water? Whole Food's 365 seems to do well too but I'm not that close to Whole Foods and rarely get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janna Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I use Shaklee's dishwasher det. You have to buy through their website only. We have soft water to boot, so I use less than a tsp. per load. My dishes shine. I should also add though, that I NEVER put dishes in the dishwasher with food on them. I prewash them and use the dishwasher as a sanitizer. But I know what you're talking about with the white film. It's disgusting. Shaklee doesn't do this at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 7th Generation didn't work, huh? It works on ours while "Earth" or whatever it is the local store sells, is just awful. It must be a difference in the water? Whole Food's 365 seems to do well too but I'm not that close to Whole Foods and rarely get it. Our dishwasher isn't great (a 6yo Maytag that I've *always* hated since the day after we bought it), and we are planning on getting another for Christmas. I know the crumbs that end up in the top rack in my coffee cup & wine glasses are a dishwasher problem, but could the white scum be a dw problem also? I was attributing it to the detergents, but maybe not. Hmmm. I'm going to try the vinegar and hotter water trick, and see if that helps. I'm very close to Whole Foods & could try their 365 brand--I like most other things of it that I've tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.griff Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Oh yeh, it CAN be the dishwasher then. *I* have never been able to just load *dirty* dishes into mine, and have them come clean. I've ALWAYS (apt.'s and military housing here) had to rinse/scrub my dishes before loading them into the dishwasher. If so much as a speck of "debris" is left on a dish/ustensil, then my dishes will be covered in grit and film. Blech! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 I use Shaklee's dishwasher det. You have to buy through their website only. We have soft water to boot, so I use less than a tsp. per load. My dishes shine. I should also add though, that I NEVER put dishes in the dishwasher with food on them. I prewash them and use the dishwasher as a sanitizer. But I know what you're talking about with the white film. It's disgusting. Shaklee doesn't do this at all. No, I definitely don't have to wash my dishes to then have my dw wash my dishes! That's part of the problem. But my mom's (and some friend's) dishes come out clean and sparkly and they don't even RINSE them. It must be the dishwasher. If all my local attempts at getting a nontoxic detergent don't work out, I'll try ordering from a website. Thanks for the recommendation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 Oh yeh, it CAN be the dishwasher then. *I* have never been able to just load *dirty* dishes into mine, and have them come clean. I've ALWAYS (apt.'s and military housing here) had to rinse/scrub my dishes before loading them into the dishwasher. If so much as a speck of "debris" is left on a dish/ustensil, then my dishes will be covered in grit and film. Blech! I want to be able to load my dishes in, with barely a rinse, and then have beautifully clean dishes emerge, and do it with nontoxic detergents. A pipe dream?? We'll see I guess...I'm going to suffer through and use different detergents until Christmas, at which point I'd better see that nice, new machine installed and working wonderfully! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakeside Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 When we discovered why our old dishwasher detergent got the dishes so clean (it had bleach in it), we switched to a more natural product. We have tried a lot of natural dishwasher detergents and the one that has worked best is Ecover. It even gets out most of the coffee/tea stains in our white mugs. Every once in a while we'll try another again, but always go back to the Ecover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janna Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 No, I definitely don't have to wash my dishes to then have my dw wash my dishes! That's part of the problem. But my mom's (and some friend's) dishes come out clean and sparkly and they don't even RINSE them. It must be the dishwasher. If all my local attempts at getting a nontoxic detergent don't work out, I'll try ordering from a website. Thanks for the recommendation. Just to clarify, washing the dishes first is my own choice - not because my dishwasher won't do it. It's just the way I was taught as a kid and I have also learned that it can easily clog the drain hoses, similar to a garbage disposal, which one really isn't supposed to have/use (so why do they exist in just about every household? :confused:). Also, Shaklee is biodegradable and nontoxic. I don't think I clarified that in my op. Best of luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 When we discovered why our old dishwasher detergent got the dishes so clean (it had bleach in it), we switched to a more natural product. We have tried a lot of natural dishwasher detergents and the one that has worked best is Ecover. It even gets out most of the coffee/tea stains in our white mugs. Every once in a while we'll try another again, but always go back to the Ecover. I think I need to spend some time in the detergent aisle at Whole Foods! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 9, 2008 Author Share Posted May 9, 2008 Just to clarify, washing the dishes first is my own choice - not because my dishwasher won't do it. It's just the way I was taught as a kid and I have also learned that it can easily clog the drain hoses, similar to a garbage disposal, which one really isn't supposed to have/use (so why do they exist in just about every household? :confused:). Also, Shaklee is biodegradable and nontoxic. I don't think I clarified that in my op. Best of luck! Thanks for the clarification on the Shaklee, and I guess I should also check my hoses. But I really am starting to think that my Maytag dishwasher just stinks! :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happygrrl Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I second the Trader joe's powder, but *not* the liquid. Big difference! I am now using "planet" which was the store brand at the local Fred Meyer's... TJ's was out of powder. "Planet is sorta OK, but I have to run the "Tough Scrub" cycle to get it to work. I did not know how spoiled I was from TJ's brand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 No, I definitely don't have to wash my dishes to then have my dw wash my dishes! That's part of the problem. But my mom's (and some friend's) dishes come out clean and sparkly and they don't even RINSE them. It must be the dishwasher. If all my local attempts at getting a nontoxic detergent don't work out, I'll try ordering from a website. Thanks for the recommendation. Cascade has always left a film on my dishes. The dishwasher detergent that works the best for me (but it's not nontoxic as far as I know; I'm pretty sure it has bleach in it) is the Kirkland powder from Costco. A tie for 2nd is: TJ's powder (NOT their liquid), & the Walmart powder. My dishes also always get a film if we've forgotten to put the water softener pellets into the softener system. My hair doesn't get as clean in the shower either. Do you have hard water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I am using a compromise product;Palmolive Eco. Not everyone agrees that it is a good compromise according to this review. But it is better than what I was using and I can afford it and it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*anj* Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I am using a compromise product;Palmolive Eco. Not everyone agrees that it is a good compromise according to this review. But it is better than what I was using and I can afford it and it works. I've never heard of that. I don't think they sell it here. Is it possible that you're in a test market? Does it come in powder or only gel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.griff Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 A few select green friends of mine and me have been using green cleaners for years and years. They’ve worked just fine. Also, as you may have noticed, I haven’t been struck dead from germs that made it past my green cleaners. I seriously have to wonder why greener cleaners are working for some people and not others. What could possibly be on these people’s dishes that are creating this cleaning issue? One extremely simple solution is to quickly rinse your dishes after eating. Most dishwasher manuals say flat out, DO NOT load totally crusty gross dishes into the machine. (Ok, not in those words, but you get it). From the site Kelli linked. I guess if you really want clean dishes, you'll take the extra steps to make sure they get clean. If not, well, then you won't have clean dishes. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.griff Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I saw it at the commissary here(SoCal) the other day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 I've never heard of that. I don't think they sell it here. Is it possible that you're in a test market? Does it come in powder or only gel? I can only find it in gel. I get it at Wal-Mart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camy-7 boybarians 1 lady Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 You have got to try Citra Dish automatic dish powder. We have the hardest water on the planet and this stuff worked well much to my delight. I also tried Seventh Generation and it failed miserably. HTH! Blessings, Camy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 10, 2008 Author Share Posted May 10, 2008 You have got to try Citra Dish automatic dish powder. We have the hardest water on the planet and this stuff worked well much to my delight. I also tried Seventh Generation and it failed miserably. I Googled Citra Dish and it does sound good--we have very hard water also. Do I have to buy it online, or can I get it at a retailer? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 10, 2008 Author Share Posted May 10, 2008 I second the Trader joe's powder, but *not* the liquid. Big difference! I am now using "planet" which was the store brand at the local Fred Meyer's... TJ's was out of powder. "Planet is sorta OK, but I have to run the "Tough Scrub" cycle to get it to work. I did not know how spoiled I was from TJ's brand! When I really started thinking about this last night in an effort to narrow down my choices, I remembered I *did* use TJs but I think it was the liquid. Buying something at TJs is a big plus for me since it would be one less extra place I have to go. Thanks for the tip--I can see I'm going to have to make up my mind and just start trying brands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 10, 2008 Author Share Posted May 10, 2008 Cascade has always left a film on my dishes. The dishwasher detergent that works the best for me (but it's not nontoxic as far as I know; I'm pretty sure it has bleach in it) is the Kirkland powder from Costco. A tie for 2nd is: TJ's powder (NOT their liquid), & the Walmart powder. My dishes also always get a film if we've forgotten to put the water softener pellets into the softener system. My hair doesn't get as clean in the shower either. Do you have hard water? Neither gets the white scum off. Maybe it's the Cascade we're currently using. Definitely time to figure out what to try first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 10, 2008 Author Share Posted May 10, 2008 I found on their website that Whole Foods & Sprouts carry it--both of which are near my house. I think of all the ones mentioned in this thread, I'm going to try this one first. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lighthouseacademy Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 It might have to do with your water hardness. When I lived in central CA, we had EXTREMELY hard water and I had to use chemical laundry soap and chemical dishwasher soap. Where I live now we have fairly soft water and the eco-friendly brands work great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 I read to use a mixture of 1/2 Washing Soda and 1/2 Borax. I mix up a batch and add some esssential oil/s of my choosing. I use 1/2 TBSP in the pre-wash and 1 TBSP in the main wash and fill the rinse dispenser with vinegar. Seems to do the trick and I feel much better not using the toxic detergents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted May 10, 2008 Author Share Posted May 10, 2008 I read to use a mixture of 1/2 Washing Soda and 1/2 Borax. I mix up a batch and add some esssential oil/s of my choosing. I use 1/2 TBSP in the pre-wash and 1 TBSP in the main wash and fill the rinse dispenser with vinegar. Seems to do the trick and I feel much better not using the toxic detergents. But what stops me is that I am NOT domestic! :D The thought of me doing that just seems so contrary to my nature. But I've read that using borax with something else that I forget, will make a great general purpose cleaner (countertops, toilets, etc). I like the *idea* of it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca in GA Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? We use their powder and have been happy with it. We like this one as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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