Grab Green Natural Dishwasher Detergent Pods, Fragrance Free, Organic Enzyme-Powered, Plant & Mineral-Based, Free & Clear/Unscented, 60 Loads
Daily savings. Dishwasher detergents
Finally, I braced myself and finished this article. In today's release, a line will be put under the multi-week testing of dishwasher detergents.
If you have not read my article - “Daily savings. Dishwasher " , I recommend to read it before you start reading this.
For my testing, I chose several publicly available tools that can be purchased at almost any household chemical store, and two tools I purchased at the overseas store iherb.com .
The test products have a different chemical composition and different principles of "work", some are ordinary detergent, others are super capsules of N-products in one.
We consider in detail the advantages of some means and the disadvantages of others. We learn why we need "salt" and "air conditioning", how to improve the quality of washing dishes and how, by changing the water flow, to achieve the best performance.
Testing method
The testing method was the following: waiting for the complete consumption of salt and air conditioner in the trays of the dishwasher, I, alternately, washed the dishes with various means, noting and photographing the most interesting results. After that, I loaded the salt and the conditioner and rinsed, and once again washed the new portions of dirty dishes, making comparisons of some samples. Dirty dishes were kindly provided by the New Year holidays and guests. Friends! Thank you very much for your help in conducting experiments! Special thanks to Bosch for making my dishwasher SPV 40E30. Without it, the holidays would have lost their joy and colors.
The basics
Almost all dishwashers have the ability to use several chemicals:
"Salt" - to soften the water
"Detergent" - actually that which washes your dishes
"Air conditioning" - a means for drying dishes and getting rid of "divorces" on dishes
Salt
Salt, water softener, dishwasher salt
Water softener salt
The need to use salt is due to the quality of water - the “tougher” it is, the more salt is necessary for you. Ignoring the use of salt leads to the premature death of heating elements and gaskets in your dishwasher.
Most dishwashers have methods for adjusting water hardness, this setting determines the flow of water and air conditioning.
But you will have to determine the hardness of the water yourself - by contacting the city’s water supply system or using special instruments to determine the hardness.
instruction, setting, water hardness
Instructions on how to adjust the hardness of the water, thereby adjusting the flow of the conditioner-conditioner
Conditioner - rinse
Conditioner conditioner
Conditioner-conditioner - the main fighter with white bloom
Selection of air conditioners is the topic of a separate article, so we touch them superficially.
The main task of the air conditioner is to clean whitish stains from transparent dishes after drying. The harder the water - the more important the use of air conditioning.
The chemical composition can be any, but the main components:
nonionic surfactants
polycarboxylates
acids (usually citric acid)
In fact, the air conditioner is the same dishwashing powder, only the concentration of substances is noticeably lower.
The most important thing to understand about air conditioners is that they remain on the dishes after washing . The cycle of using the air conditioner - the last cycle of washing dishes, after it is drying. Yes, it is extremely small there, but it is. Therefore, if you suffer from allergies, the choice of air conditioner should be approached very carefully. Or it is worth refusing to use it altogether - with sufficiently soft water and opaque dishes, you will not observe whitish stains on the dishes.
In some allergy forums, it is recommended to use a weak solution of acetic or citric acid instead of the conditioner. I have not tested these products, as the incorrectly chosen (too high) concentration of acids can damage the elements of the dishwasher. Too low will have no effect. So I cannot recommend these funds, but you, dear readers, can use them only at your own peril and risk.
Detergents
It should be noted on the samples of detergents from the store iHerb composition disclosed in more detail, and gives food for thought. What we sell is limited to very modest data.
Means are both in capsules and in powder form. On the one hand, capsules are more convenient for use. But remember, a capsule is a notion of marketers. Capsules force you to use a fixed amount of detergent, regardless of soiling or the amount of dirty dishes.
From the point of view of economy, powders are a more rational choice, the possibility of changing the dosage is a great tool that we deprive ourselves of when using capsules.
All in one
The next step for marketers, after the invention of the capsules, became all-in-one capsules. In these capsules may be present as salts and anti-scale, and air conditioners.
If you carefully look at the instructions for dishwashers, then there you will find a recommendation not to use all-in-one products, but to pour salt and conditioner independently. This is not done in vain. The fact is that modern dishwashers can measure the use of air conditioning and salt, depending on the hardness of the water. And the use of all-in-one capsules limits this great opportunity.
In addition, the capsules contain an average amount of emollient salts and conditioner, which may not suit you if the water in your house is very soft or vice versa - hard.
The thesis that all-in-one capsules are not effective by themselves turned out to be partially confirmed by my experiments, which are discussed below.
rainbow stains after dishwasher
If you use all-in-one capsules and do not adjust the flow of the conditioner rinse, you can see these rainbow colors.
Attention
If you use all-in-one capsules and at the same time load the conditioner in the appropriate dishwasher tray, you should reduce the water hardness setting in the settings. If you do not do this, then the total amount of air conditioning will be redundant and rainbow stains will appear on the dishes. These divorces are the remnants of air conditioning, not the most useful food in the world.
So let's get started!
Ecover
Ecover, ecover zero, zero, dishwasher capsules
Ecover zero - Eco-friendly!
The first in my review will be Ecover capsules purchased on the iHerb website. The main difference between these capsules is the declared environmental friendliness and hypoallergenicity.
Composition:
Hidden text
Sodium citrate is a salt of citric acid and has an antibacterial effect, stimulates the formation of foam, regulates the ph-factor.
Sodium percarbonate - bleach. In industry, the substance is obtained by evaporation of hydrogen peroxide with sodium carbonate to a crystalline state.
Sodium carbonate - technical soda ash. It is used to soften water, like salt for the dishwasher.
Sodium bicarbonate - baking soda.
Kremeneze (dioxide of silicon ) - preventing sticking, the formation of granules.
Sodium polyasparaginate - absorbent, retains dirt.
Ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid - is widely used to dissolve scale in a dishwasher.
Isooctylglucoside is used as part of a rinse along with other detergents. Solvent. Destroys proteins, fights microbes.
D-glucitol (sorbitol) is a sweetener.
Methyl esters of rapeseed oil - serve as rinse aid components. Reduce the surface tension of water.
Glycerin - used to increase viscosity.
Amylase and protease - break down proteins and carbohydrates.
Subtilisin - is engaged in the breakdown of fats. Natural enzyme.
Lemon - flavoring.
Sodium gluconate - removes scale and softens water. Additive E576, flavor enhancer, is harmful in doses of more than 20 grams per day.
Judging by the composition, it is assumed that the 4 in 1 capsules are salt, a descaling agent, a detergent and a rinse. The basic principle of washing is abrasive.
In fact, the capsules cope with all the stated tasks, to put it mildly, not very well.
Ecover zero washing result
Ecover zero - eco-friendly, but bad. Even a conditioner does not save the situation.
Minuses:
when washing without salt and conditioner - there is a significant whitish coating on the dishes;
when washing with an additional load of salt and conditioner, the deposit is less, but it takes place;
abrasive ingredients can damage glassware or drawing / painting dishes;
It is not recommended to wash dishes with Teflon coating with abrasive products;
at the current dollar rate, the cost is not attractive.
Pros:
the composition is disclosed in detail, if you are allergic, you can determine if there is something harmful in the capsules;
soda allergy is extremely rare and, if you don’t have these capsules, they are most likely for allergies to be really harmless;
the capsule (briquette) breaks easily and you can dispense the product for incomplete loading.
TOTAL:
It is possible that such a bad result lies in the extreme hardness of the water in my faucet ... But they wash really badly, especially transparent dishes. The preparation copes well with light contamination of plates, but it does not cope with pans. These capsules can be recommended only if you have a really serious allergy to household chemicals.
Finish quantum tablets / Finish powder
Finish family, capsules and dishwasher powder
Finish family, capsules and dishwasher powder
The brand of one of the most common tools for dishwashers. The company produces a full range of products. But the composition, for some reason, is revealed extremely reluctantly. The basic principle of washing is the dissolution and emulsification of impurities. The chemical composition of both powder and capsules is essentially the same.
Composition:
Hidden text
30% Sodium tripolyphosphate is a salt of tripolyphosphoric acid. It is a food stabilizer, better known as E451. Contribute to the emulsification of fat, which explains the inclusion of this substance in the composition of many washing powders and tools for dishwashers.
Phosphonates are moderately strong acids and form salts with amines; secondary ones form adducts with Lewis acids (for example, with boron halides).
5-15% Oxygenated bleach - which bleach is unknown. But, most likely, it is sodium percarbonate, why hide this fact is unknown.
Enzyme - reagents in the reaction catalyzed by enzymes. No more specifics.
Polycarboxylate is an organic water-soluble carbon compound (polymers) used in household chemicals as part of laundry detergents, cleaning products and detergents. In the composition of detergents and cleaning products has excellent cleaning and detergency, and in powders the role of polycarboxylate is a water softener and an increase in the effectiveness of the surfactant. Simply put, it is a kind of sand.
<5% Nonionic surfactants - are compounds containing a hydrophobic hydrocarbon radical, on the one hand, and a hydrophilic part of the molecule, which is usually a polyethoxydated chain. Nonionic surfactants are widely used primarily as good detergents, In addition, in the textile industry, they are used as additives to prevent static electrification of synthetic fibers.
Flavors - anything.
Fairy, comparison
A vivid example of how an all-in-one capsule works. The glass on the left is washed only by the capsule, on the right the powder + salt + conditioner
Minuses:
All-in-One capsules, just marketing. In reality, the efficiency is extremely low and the quality of washing dishes, without adding additional rinse aid and salts, leaves much to be desired;
The composition contains sodium tripolyphosphate, which is not good, as it is a strong allergen. In addition, the consumption of phosphates, higher than the allowed norms, can adversely affect human health - there is a deterioration in the absorption of calcium, and the deposition of calcium and phosphorus in the kidneys, which contributes to the development of osteoporosis . I emphasize - HIGHER PERMITTED NORMS . This means that you should not eat it with spoons. In ordinary life, you should not be afraid of him if you are not allergic;
Pros:
packing in powder allows dispensing detergents, which has a positive effect on saving, and on your health;
when using a full set of detergents (salt + detergent + conditioner), a very good result is obtained - no food residue, no stains on the dishes;
accessibility - you can buy, almost, in any store of household chemicals.
Fairy
Fairy, platinum, dishwasher capsules
Fairy platinum - designers do not eat their bread for nothing
Fairy is a famous brand of dishwashing products.
Its product on the dishwasher market looks beautiful and promises a wonderful sink without adding extras. All-in-One Capsules
Chemically, in composition, Fairy capsules are virtually indistinguishable from Finish capsules or powder. There are small differences in the concentrations of individual substances and a detailed list of flavors.
Composition:
Hidden text
30% phosphate - it does not say here that it is tripolyphosphate, but there is every reason to believe that this is it.
5-15% nonionic surfactants - here their possible concentration is 3 times higher than in Finish.
Oxygenated bleach - what kind of bleach - is unknown. But most likely it is also sodium percarbonate, why it is not known to hide this fact.
Polycarboxylates are organic water-soluble carbon compounds (polymers)
5% phosphonates - are moderately strong acids and form salts with amines, secondary form adducts with Lewis acids (for example, with boron halides).
Enzyme - reagents in the reaction catalyzed by enzymes. No more specifics.
Flavors - citronellol, limonene, linalool.
Minuses:
as in other cases, “all in one”, using only this capsule, washing quality is mediocre;
high price;
the capsule cannot be separated for partial use, the liquid part of the reagents is extremely caustic;
Pros:
when using a full set of tools, the quality of washing is close to perfect.
Subjective view
Among the tools that I purchased in household chemicals stores, I liked these capsules the most. It may be that there is an excess amount of air conditioning, but, regarding thin-walled glassware (wine glasses, glasses), the quality of washing is the best among all tested samples.
Pilotex
Powder for Pilotex Dishwasher
Pilotex. The quality is mediocre, but the price forgives everything!
Very inexpensive dishwasher powder. Bulk packing allows dispensing detergent, which is a definite plus. The composition is described, also, very sparingly, and fundamentally differs little from Finish, but there are still differences.
Composition:
Powder for Pilotex Dishwasher
Composition
Hidden text
15-30% phosphate - it does not say here that it is tripolyphosphate, but there is every reason to believe that this is it. In difference from other means, noticeably smaller concentration is allowed.
5-15% oxygen bleach - what kind of bleach - is unknown. But most likely it is also sodium percarbonate.
<5% Nonionic Surfactants - Concentration at Finish Level
Enzyme - reagents in the reaction catalyzed by enzymes. No more specifics.
Odorant - which one is not specified.
Carbonate - technical soda ash, for water softening
Silicate - absorbent
Powder for Pilotex Dishwasher
Advertising
Minuses:
washing quality is rather mediocre, apparently due to the low phosphate content in the absence of an alternative detergent;
Pros:
fantastic low price;
bulk packing allows you to dispense substances, depending on the need.
If you temper requests for the quality of washing, then this is an ideal option for saving.
Grab green
Grab green, dishwasher capsules
Grab green, dishwasher capsules
Grab Green is the second tool I purchased on the iHerb website. As well as the first, it is declared as non-toxic and environmentally friendly. The composition is encouraging.
Composition:
Hidden text
Soda ash (carbonate) - salt to soften the water.
Sodium Metasilicate - helps in cleaning.
Nonionic Ethoxylate - a mixture of surface biodegradable cleaner + mixture degreaser. Obviously this is what other means call names as “non-ionic surfactants”
Sodium sulfate - cleaner.
Sodium citrate is a salt of citric acid and has an antibacterial effect, stimulates the formation of foam, regulates the ph-factor.
Sodium percarbonate - bleach. In industry, the substance is obtained by evaporation of hydrogen peroxide with sodium carbonate to a crystalline state.
Kremeneze (dioxide of silicon ) - prevents sticking, the formation of granules.
Tetrasodium iminodisuccinate - for water softening.
Sodium polyaspartate - helps in removing stains.
Organic enzyme - a mixture destroys protein compounds.
Minuses:
there is only one significant disadvantage of this means - the dollar / ruble rate;
packing in the form of soluble capsules makes it difficult to change the dosage in case of need;
although this is positioned as "all in one" with the air conditioner function, it does not cope;
Pros:
despite the absence of phosphates in the composition of the quality of washing at a very high level, especially when using a third-party air conditioner (although this reduces the final "environmental friendliness");
in difference from ECOVER, the ware does not suffer.
Subjective view
I really liked this tool. The quality of the washing is no worse than that of Finish, despite the fact that there are no phosphates in the composition. I am very sorry that I did not buy more , while the dollar was at an acceptable level. It should be canceled that I did not meet such hypoallergenic dishwasher products in the free market in our stores. Frustrating lack of air conditioning for dishes from this manufacturer.
TOTAL
Below are the calculations of the cost of one wash cycle, excluding additional salt and air conditioning. It should also be noted that the cost of washing powder that is not packaged in capsules may be even lower, due to the rational use of adequately filling the dishwasher.
Subjectively, I got the best quality of bathing when using Fair y capsules, together with an additional load of salt and conditioner. But such a bath is extremely expensive.
The second, in the list of funds I liked, is Grab Green - a fairly neutral chemical composition and good bathing quality. Unfortunately, its value has increased due to the weakening of the ruble; even now the cost price of one washing cycle is far from Fairy. Additional benefits can be obtained by purchasing large packages , for more capsules, and using the discount code.
DISCOUNT CODE: KZL405 Any new customer who enters this code when placing an order will receive a $ 10 discount on their first order from $ 40, or $ 5 on an order worth less than $ 40. If the order is more than $ 60, then there will be an additional discount of 5% of the order value.
I hope this review will help you make the right choice for you. I wish you good health, and always remember : saved - it means earned! This is very important in our time!
38A---------xx
