Favorite Dishwasher Detergent: Finish versus Cascade

Hi all! I've been wanting to write this post for a while, because if you've read some of my precious posts, you know that I've been on a mission to find the best dishwasher detergent for some time. Actually, for years! I'd seen commercials on Finish dishwasher detergent, but I was pretty sure that with my (admittedly old) dishwasher and very hard water, that only the pricier Cascade detergent would do the trick. I stayed loyal to Cascade powder detergent for years. But guess what? My favorite dishwasher detergent is now Finish. Oooh...when it gets a bold font, you know I mean business, right? Why I love Finish Detergent 1. It's cheaper - here in Canada I can get a regular sized box of Finish detergent for $4.00 even. 2. It just works better. My glassware that looked etched (but wasn't truly etched) and foggy came out crystal clear. I don't need to pre-scrub the dishes as much as before, thereby making my life easier, which I truly appreciate. I had become pretty disillusioned, since Cascade seemed like the high end choice. But, no matter what I added along with the Cascade powder detergent (and yes I tried liquid/gel type detergents too...but always found that the powder worked better in my dishwasher) it just wasn't getting the dishes adequately clean. I'm so glad I tried Finish instead! If you haven't, I highly suggest that you do. (And no - I haven't received any free Finish detergent. This is all my honest experience and recommendation.) I still wish I could find a truly environmentally friendly dishwasher detergent that works as well as Finish detergent does. Does anyone know if such a thing exists? And what do YOU think - is Finish dishwasher detergent your favorite? Or do you still prefer Cascade dishwasher detergent? Please post a comment and let us know! What is YOUR favorite dishwasher detergent? And have you ever successfully experimented by making your own dishwasher detergent?

Cleaning Glasstop (Ceramic Stoves) & Make Your Own Shower Cleaner

I can't seem to keep my blogs straight! ;) Over on my Kitchen Crafts blog today I talk about two old newsletter reader hints that are fantastic. One is on how to easily make a homemade shower cleaner...the other is how to clean even burnt on messes from ceramic stovetops. I thought both were worthy of Happy Slob readers.

Vinegar to Remove Hard Water Stains - Dishwasher Tips

We have very hard water in these parts, which means that every time we use the dishwasher it seems to leave a filmy mess behind. This is particularly true when using the dishwasher to wash anything glass - drinking glasses, glass bowls, glass dinnerware, etc.





I have two tips to share with you on how to remove (or prevent) hard water build up from occuring on your dishes that are washed in the dishwasher:

1. Add a generous glug of vinegar (plain old white distilled vinegar works just fine) to the dishwasher cycle once the water is beginning to fill in the appliance. I've found that doing this every time I run the dishwasher makes for a huge improvement in removing the hard water stains and build up.




2. When you notice that certain dishes are getting very bad - almost etched looking, or entirely filmy in appearance - then it's time to (gasp!) get out your dishcloth and wash those dishes by hand. You'll only need to do this once in a while, but again - add a very generous amount of vinegar to the dishwashing water, along with a good squirt of liquid dish soap. The vinegar seems to nearly eat away at the worst of the hard water stains left behind. Let air dry, or dry with a clean lint free towel. (I love linen towels for drying dishes, or else flour sack towels which are nearly as good.)

If the dishes are in fact etched, there's nothing you can do to remove the etchings - since that's actually tiny little scratches imbedded in the glass. But, if you have hard water and find that getting your glasses sparkling clean is a real chore, then try the vinegar tricks listed above and I think you'll see a big difference.

Post a comment with YOUR fave vinegar cleaning tip, or any tips you just have a hankering to share with the rest of us Happy Slobs.