Posted on 08/22/2010 10:34:20 PM PDT by smokingfrog
Baltimore - A ban that's designed to protect the Chesapeake Bay from a dangerous pollutant went into effect more than a month ago and you may not even noticed. That ban impacts the detergent we all use in our dishwashers. ABC2 News Investigator Joce Sterman explains what's been cut out of the cleaning product and where we found banned items out for sale.
She's got kids, a career and still has to make time to do those households chores. It's obvious Lutherville’s Jenny Atwater is a busy mom with plenty on her plate. She says, “I hate unloading the dishwasher and I really hate unloading the dishwasher and seeing the dishes seem not very clean."
But Atwater has noticed that’s been happening a lot lately. She tells us, "I do notice there tends to be more stuff left with this detergent, just stuff that normally would have been washed away probably."
The dish detergent she's talking about is phosphate free. Jenny made the switch a few months, and chances are so did you, although you probably didn’t even notice. Jenn Aiosa with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation says, "The average consumer doesn't know."
Marylanders may not be aware that automatic dishwasher detergents with phosphorus are now banned in this state and more than a dozen others. The ban is thanks to a law put in place to help get rid of one of the biggest pollutants in the Chesapeake Bay. Aiosa explains, "It's really something that's relatively easy in the grand scheme of things for consumers to do but can have an impact."
The impact is something you should already be seeing on store shelves, but it took awhile to put this plan in place. Dennis Griesing with the American Cleaning Institute says, "It was a significant undertaking."
(Excerpt) Read more at abc2news.com ...
Exactly so. We've had our HE washer for about 3 years. We've had very little trouble with odor. I use about 1/3 (or less) the recommended amount of detergent, because our clothes simply aren't that dirty and really they need water and agitation most of all. After use, I leave the door open, and if I'm inspired, I dry off the door gasket. I run a load with bleach from time to time, and that also helps keep down any odor development. I've used the refresher cleaning tablets a few times when for one reason or another it started getting smelly. They really help, but they're not cheap and I wouldn't want to rely on them for weekly cleaning.
I've been happy with the HE washer. We're on a septic system, and going to a front loader allowed me to cut way down on the volume of waste water. This also means less energy used in heating the water.
I’ve had mine 5 years now and I have no complaints. Apparently the Maytag Repairman isn’t as lonely as he once was.
Yup! We have her sister, aka The Knee Licker.
Ewww! I never thought of that happening.
Fascinating. I've experienced this when I tried to wash some especially dirty clothes with a bit more detergent. Thanks for the info. I've learned something today (actually two somethings if one considers the weird story about the protest for topless women in San Francisco); I can now call it a day (I wish).
I have a 19 year old Kenmore that’s still working just fine.
“So do I need to now make a run on Sam’s Club to stockpile the dish detergent with the phosphates in it, before Barry The Bastard Boy has it yanked from the shelves at great financial loss to the producers?”
It might be too late.
I (in Georgia) was complaining to my out of state sister about my dishwasher not getting my dishes clean. She suggested that I might be using the phosphate free detergent. I replied I had not changed a thing, still picking up the same old Cascade.
She urged me to get the bottle out and check. After a lot of looking, I finally found the phosphate free notice in small letters right about the IPC.
While shopping for a replacement, I could not find any phosphate dishwashing detergent at ANY store.
If you're talking about the new front-loading ones, then yes, there is a problem with that. It may not be a lack of draining properly, it may actually be that the door remains closed and sealed when not in use and that doesn't allow it to dry out properly, so you get stuff growing that you don't want to have grow. The most common recommendation I hear to fix it is to always leave the door ajar. Problem with that is most laundry rooms simply don't have the room to leave the door open. It's also a problem that many models actually don't allow the door to simply stand ajar, but make the machine so that the door swings wide open when it is not latched.
**make home soap...but I Bet You know that. Recipe.***
I make my own homemade bath soap. Much better than anything I have ever bought!
steer clear of HE washers...
I have had my Kenmore washing machine for well over a year with no problems. I read where running vinegar etc through will destroy the gaskets.
Leaving the door just a bit ajar eliminates any moldy odors- my daughter has had one for several years and has had no problems or odor.
Alls you have to do is go to the hardware store and buy some TSP. Add a table spoon with the detergent in the cup - clean dishes again!
most laundry rooms don’t have the room to leave the door open-
All I do it leave it a bit ajar- no problem with space to do that, no odor, no problems. I much prefer my front loader, but I have never had any problems with it of any kind.
Cleaning out the old garage, I ran across half a case of old freon cannisters... Bet someone somewhere would give me a pretty penny for these!
I expect so. However, as time passes, the demand should decline.
Yes, we have one of those too. It started leaking after having it for only about 4 years. It leaks when I do a small load of laundry on one of the longer cycles.
The Maytag dishwasher we bought had problems right off the bat. After three months, the control panel went out. Fortunately, it was under warranty. Then after about 3 years it started leaking. We tried to troubleshoot the problem, but couldn’t figure it out. Even bought a new pump, but that wasn’t it. We took the pump back to the Maytag store and they charged us $11 to reshelf it.
I will never buy another Maytag again. I’ve been without a dishwasher for quite a few months now. Not sure which brand is the best any more.
That's what happened with our Maytag dishwasher--ruined the tile in the kitchen. It was only 3 years old. Also, our Maytag washing machine leaks on certain cycles. Let me know if you find out a decent brand to buy. We need a new dishwasher and stove.
Is this why my dishwashing gel is all watery?
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
Da*ned fascists.
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