I’ve been reading about how much of a ripoff detergent pods are. So I bought the powder this time, but it doesn’t seem to get things as clean, and sometimes there’s some powder residue on the dishes. I do use rinse-aid as well. I’d LOVE to take advantage of the lower cost and sustainability of the powder, but does anyone have any tips or tricks to make it work better?
Posted by fruityfox69
9 Comments
Make sure to pour some inside the dishwasher itself. Kind of like a pre wash.
I use the great value brand of powder
I use the great value gel because it hasn’t left the residue like the powder.
Run your hot water tap first before running the washer so it starts off with hot water. Also a rinse aid. I use the cheapest of both Walmart has in my very old washer and it’s been great. Wasted so much on pods
Citric acid powder helps quite a bit with white hard water residue.
Comprehensive guide on how to make your dishwasher work correctly https://youtu.be/jHP942Livy0?si=vpjol9SMAQ7qqjqY
I tested dishwashers for years. The most important thing is to buy a quality detergent like Cascade. The second most important thing is to make sure that your filter is always clean.
If your dishwasher is working properly and you’re using a quality detergent, there is no need to put any in the bottom of the machine, just in the dispenser. With newer models, it is also important to use a rinse aid, like Finish, etc.
Try using less. Depending on your water hardness. My DW uses a prewash cycle. I pour in a little diluted regular dish soap for the prewash. Fill the powdered dispenser to half. And make sure the filter is clean.
If you can still find it, liquid dishwasher detergent is the way to go. I remember when pods came out and they were all the rage.
I use Cascade gel on sale from BJs wholesale. It’s just myself & my wife. The dishes seem to be much cleaner than any pods we’ve used