Choosing Dishwasher Soap

In 2010, the EPA banned the use of phosphates in dishwasher soap. This change caused the standard powder and liquid dishwasher soaps we were all used to using to no longer clean properly. The soap industry scrambled for two years before they came up with a solution- a tab that keeps three important chemicals separate until they are used. The chemical mix required to clean dishes effectively is an enzyme, bleach and a water surface tension reducer (the rinse aid). The old types of soaps are still available, solely because consumers continue to buy them- not because they are effective. Also, without the phosphates, those soaps over time cause a calcium and scale build-up that leads to component failures in the dishwasher.

The new detergents with their chemical formulation may cost slightly more, but they save you money in the long run by reducing poor results and costly repairs in the future. So our advice for today is “always buy dishwasher tabs with three distinct colors!”

A couple of important tips:

• They do make tablets with one color, however these are just the same as using the powder or liquid because the chemicals need to be kept separate until use.

• If you purchase a gel tablet with three different colors that gets slightly wet causing the colors to blur, then it has become neutralized and should be thrown away as it will no longer work.

At your service,

Joseph and Ginny Seeley

252-772-1264