Looking for phosphate-free dishwasher detergent THAT WORKS

[Fairy]

My friend who flipped her house is having a hard time finding dishwasher detergent without phosphates that works. Method, apparently, doesn't make one (or maybe she's just not finding it; she's trying to avoid going online). The Seventh Generation she's tried every which way, and it leaves her dishes dirty every time. She's tried everything at Trader Joes, and those haven't worked any better. The Kirkland has phosphates. So, what do you guys recommend that work?

[mudder17]

Hmm...TJ's brand powder works well for me. But I've read of people using Charlie's soap for dishwashing and it apparently works. I haven't tried it yet because TJ's worked fine for us.


Eileen

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[Fairy]

I knew you'd pipe in, Eileen, thank you!

[Tondi G]

Method DOES make dishwashing detergent in little cubes! I'm pretty sure I've seen them at Target too!

http://www.methodhome.com/products/detail.php?prodName=dc_pgrapefruit

[caleymama]

The Seventh Generation (lemon) liquid works well for us, and I haven't tried any others. Hmmm . . . maybe her water plays into what is successful and what isn't? It seems like in all the reviews I read of the SG before trying it people either loved it or hated it, so there's got to be some other factor.
Sorry that wasn't a more helpful reply! Hopefully she'll find something that she likes.

[C99]

>Method DOES make dishwashing detergent in little cubes! I'm
>pretty sure I've seen them at Target too!
>
>http://www.methodhome.com/products/detail.php?prodName=dc_pgrapefruit

I loved these, but Target no longer carries them.

[lisams]

We've been using the Shaklee dishwasher detergent (powder) and have been vreally impressed with it. We also use the dish soap and like it too. A little goes a long way!

[gatorsmom]

The Seventh Generation powder does Suck. I've tried to like it but DH has threatened me if I ever buy it again. So I started trying the Seventh Generation lemon liquid and as another poster mentioned, it works great. I'd give that a try.

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005
and surprise! twins due 11/07!

[kijip]

Ok, might it be in part her dishwasher or water? I have the 7th Generation stuff and we don't pre-rinse hardly at all and I am getting nothing but clean loads. And right now, I am doing about 3-4 FULL loads a day since I have 5 house guests plus 4 more over for 2 meals a day on top of that (my brother from FL is in town with his three kids and wife and so my parents and my other brother and his husband have been eating with us.) Is she using powder or liquid? Maybe that is the difference? I have the lavender liquid.

****Rocking out while parenting my smart little munchkin Toby. Just trying to do good in the world, a little at a time. Words to live by: it is *never* the wrong time to do the right thing :)

[Fairy]

Thanks so much, all yous Guys! I'll forward this on to her. Really appreciate it. I think she'll be thrilled to learn that Method makes something; now just to find it (indeed, she's been coming up dry at Target).

[karolyp]

i've also heard great things about the shaklee dishwater detergent too!

[ilovetivo]

Any new inputs? Thanks!

[elliput]

I think this is new since the original post - Palmolive ECO +. No phosphates, but, it does contain chlorine bleach and silicate salts. I have been very satsified with the cleanliness of my dishes and haven't noticed any spotting even though I do use quite a bit less of the product than the directions indicate.

[MarisaSF]

I had given up because so many of the more nature-friendly dishwasher detergents didn't work well for us, but I JUST found Palmolive Eco and it really works! It's not *totally* green, but the lack of phosphates is something.

The other stuff (including 7th Gen and 2 or 3 others we tried) left a lot of residue and seemed to be wasteful of water because we'd need to rinse the "washed" dishes. FWIW, we have very hard water (with a water softener, which doesn't help with the dishes for whatever reason).

[kijip]

Ok, might it be in part her dishwasher or water? I have the 7th Generation stuff and we don't pre-rinse hardly at all and I am getting nothing but clean loads. And right now, I am doing about 3-4 FULL loads a day since I have 5 house guests plus 4 more over for 2 meals a day on top of that (my brother from FL is in town with his three kids and wife and so my parents and my other brother and his husband have been eating with us.) Is she using powder or liquid? Maybe that is the difference? I have the lavender liquid.



Ok, I amend my answer from a year ago. The best I have found is Ecover tablets. Not the loose stuff, the tablets (don't know why, go figure). The tablets are in little plastic wraps, which bugs me but it's less than a plastic bottle. The 7th Generation stuff worked...right up till it did not work quite as well and I decided I did not want to buy it in a plastic bottle. The Ecover box is cardboard so it is recycled. It seems to me that all of these work at first and then don't work as well for some reason. Go figure.

[trales]

The ecover powder really gets the food off but it leaves tea stains and other stains. I will have to try the tabs.

[caleymama]

Ok, I amend my answer from a year ago. The best I have found is Ecover tablets. Not the loose stuff, the tablets (don't know why, go figure). The tablets are in little plastic wraps, which bugs me but it's less than a plastic bottle. The 7th Generation stuff worked...right up till it did not work quite as well and I decided I did not want to buy it in a plastic bottle. The Ecover box is cardboard so it is recycled. It seems to me that all of these work at first and then don't work as well for some reason. Go figure.

I will give a big :yeahthat: to Katie's post. I had previously recommend the 7th generation liquid in this thread and exactly as Katie said, it worked until it didn't. We tried BioKleen powder and it's so-so. I went to the Ecover tablets next after reading rave reviews in lots of places. The Ecover tablets are FAB! I've also been using the Ecover rinse aid for several years and been happy with that as well.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I too was told by dh never to use the Seventh Generation soaps again (liquid or powder) because they stink fo us. We do have hard water. I'll have to give some of these other ones a try.

Beth

[brittone2]

Ok, I amend my answer from a year ago. The best I have found is Ecover tablets. Not the loose stuff, the tablets (don't know why, go figure). The tablets are in little plastic wraps, which bugs me but it's less than a plastic bottle. The 7th Generation stuff worked...right up till it did not work quite as well and I decided I did not want to buy it in a plastic bottle. The Ecover box is cardboard so it is recycled. It seems to me that all of these work at first and then don't work as well for some reason. Go figure.

I love, love, love Ecover. We use it and I think it works as well or better than Electrosol tabs. I buy from Frontier ($10 a year to join to get wholesale pricing). I order a bunch of boxes at a time. Frontier is also carbon-neutral :boogie: (not perfect, but ordering a bunch at a time and having them carbon neutral makes me feel a wee bit better about not buying locally).

Consumer Reports rated Ecover highly a few months ago. They ranked it up there w/ some of the top non-eco friendly products.

eta: I use the tabs.

[pastrygirl]

THANK YOU!! I've been looking for a different tablet to use instead of Electrosol. I'll try the Ecover next time I order from Frontier. :)

[hellokitty]

I've tried ecover, biokleen and 7th gen. I like the ecover and 7th gen, BUT I have soft water. The type of water you have AND the amt you use can make a big difference. I HATE biokleen DW powder, it is truly awful, I probably would have had better luck just using plain baking soda than the biokleen stuff. Hmmm, for those that use charlie's soap, how much do you put in the dispenser. I bought a ginormous tub of the powdered laundry det, so the more way I can find to use it, the better!

[overcome]

Both my All Free and Clear and Cheer Free say contains no phosphates. Whats up with that? I'm thinking they have something else since no one has mentioned mainstream brands?

The All says "contains Biodegradable ingredients and enzymes".

[pastrygirl]

This is about dishwasher detergent. ;)

[ilovetivo]

What's Frontier?

I only found this, which looks good too: http://www.frontiercoop.com/index.html

[supercalifragilous]

I just remembered to bring the bottle upstairs with me to the computer so forgive the delay...

We got the dishwasher detergent through Melaleuca called Diamond Brite by EcoSense. It says "No phosphates, no chlorine, no bleach, and no lye." And though it doesn't say it's HE (neither is my dishwasher), the directions say ot use 1/4 as much as other gels.

I'm happy with the way it cleans, but we have softer water, so that helps.

[MommyAllison]

Thank you for reviving this! We are now required to use phosphate free dish detergent, and I haven't known what to try. I order from a Frontier co-op already, so I'll just add some ecover tabs onto my next order to try! I do like individually wrapped tabs for safety around little kiddos. The powder always worried me with DD crawling around.

[brittone2]

What's Frontier?

I only found this, which looks good too: http://www.frontiercoop.com/index.html

You can shop Frontier retail, or for $10/yr you can form a buying club and get wholesale pricing. My mom and I along w/ a few friends put our orders in together. Free shipping over $250 usually. They are carbon neutral. I order like 6-8 liquid dishsoaps at a time, a few boxes of Ecover, bath and body products, vitamins, etc. It isn't that hard to hit the $250 and get it shipped for free.

[niccig]

You can shop Frontier retail, or for $10/yr you can form a buying club and get wholesale pricing. My mom and I along w/ a few friends put our orders in together. Free shipping over $250 usually. They are carbon neutral. I order like 6-8 liquid dishsoaps at a time, a few boxes of Ecover, bath and body products, vitamins, etc. It isn't that hard to hit the $250 and get it shipped for free.

I'm looking on their website, but I don't see where you get dish soap etc. I see some skin care and baking/cooking, but no cleaning. Am I looking in the wrong place?

[shoxie]

I'm looking on their website, but I don't see where you get dish soap etc. I see some skin care and baking/cooking, but no cleaning. Am I looking in the wrong place?

I also couldn't find anything...so, I think you have to become a member and shop through that website vs the retail one to have access to Frontier's entire product inventory - and it's pretty large. I downloaded the catalog - YIKES! It's great!

http://wholesale.frontiercoop.com/

Click on "Request a Catalog" and you can download into .pdf or .xls.

:)

[niccig]

Oh my goodness. I am so joining.
But why didn't anyone tell me about this before ??

[shoxie]

I know - I wish I had known about it sooner. It looks like a great option!

[brittone2]

I love Frontier.

If you don't want to join, they run Frontier co-ops over at MDC pretty often (need 50 or 100 posts to view the co-op forum). You end up paying shipping to you from the organizer, but it is still cheaper in many cases than retail.

[niccig]

I love Frontier.

If you don't want to join, they run Frontier co-ops over at MDC pretty often (need 50 or 100 posts to view the co-op forum). You end up paying shipping to you from the organizer, but it is still cheaper in many cases than retail.

I don't mind joining - I saw several products that I normally buy or want to buy, but they're too much $$, and the whole sale price is much cheaper - put a few things together and I'm saving the $10, plus getting it all from the one place rather than many places.

[overcome]

This is about dishwasher detergent. ;)

Uh, duh! How stupid am I?? I knew that at the beginning, but I somehow lost track. :duh:

Thanks for clarifying!!

[egoldber]

Where can you find Ecover locally? I'd like to try it first before making a commitment. ;) We have moderately hard water and DH is super picky about his dishes and I refuse to rinse. :)

[lablover]

Where can you find Ecover locally? I'd like to try it first before making a commitment. ;) We have moderately hard water and DH is super picky about his dishes and I refuse to rinse. :)

I've bought Ecover products at Whole Foods in the past.

[niccig]

Where can you find Ecover locally? I'd like to try it first before making a commitment. ;) We have moderately hard water and DH is super picky about his dishes and I refuse to rinse. :)

I got it at Whole Foods today and their rinse aid for the dishwasher. Once we're out of dishwashing liquid for sink, I'll try their version as well.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Ecover tabs!!!!!! I love them.

[brittone2]

Just wanted to add that I got my August Frontier sale catalog, and Ecover is on sale in August. 3.75 (I think?) for a box of 25 tablets if you have an account.
:cheerleader1:

Just sharing :)

[egoldber]

I found the Ecover tablets today at Wegman's. I think I paid $5.99, but I just want to try them out first. After I use up my Costco size supply of Cascade tablets.