Dishwashers

I was trying to figure out not long ago why my dishwasher detergent was doing a ridiculously poor job at cleaning the dishes.  Then it started building up with hard water pasty scum.  Then my glasses were covered in white film and my plastic spatulas are also covered in some sort of white yuck that breaks down the plastic.  I had a dishwasher repair guy come out years ago when my dishwasher was still fairly new.  He told me to use powdered detergent and make sure I always use jet dry. 

It did help the problems at the time for a little while.  I have since had to clean my dishwasher out every year or year and a half.  Then I through a bunch of vinegar in the bottom of the dishwasher sometimes to break down the build up.

Well a few weeks ago I was fed up.  I had heard that the reason dishwasher detergents aren't working like they use to is because they banned phosphates from dishwasher detergents. I was looking at home made versions on pinterest.  Well, I didn't try it.  What the blog told me was that commercial detergents still have phosphates in them. Sometimes I am not all that environmental.  For right now I want my dishes to come out cleaner than I put them in.  So I bought some commercial dishwasher detergent at the restaurant supply store.  It is working better.  :)  But I have many more dishes to do before I am sold on it yet.  I am waiting to see what it does after some time has passed.

But I am not all that bad.  I have decided to do away with most toxic cleaners.  I love using a steamer and my new favorite cleanser is Borax. Borax cleaned my shower better than any super cleaner I have ever used. It also got rid of hairspray buildup on my bathroom counter.  Bleach cleaners couldn't do that. I usually have several gallons of vinegar around and I use it in my washing machine along with the borax and I clean my floors with it. So I am not all rogue on the stuff I use.  If those things had worked, I would be using them in my dishwasher.  I am still on the search for something better though.

Oh and the kids started school.  More on that later but this week has about killed me already which means I should get off the computer and go to bed.  Another long busy day tomorrow.