Dishwasher Detergent Residue: What Can You Do?

LESLIE: Sandra in Texas, you’ve got The Money Pit. How can we help you today?

SANDRA: Well, I’ve been having a problem with my sharp knives; not that I used them on anybody. (Tom and Leslie laugh) But – my sharp knives and my glasses. When I run them through the dishwasher, I get a white film on the sharp knives and some of the glasses; not all of them. It’s selective.

TOM: OK. Are you using a rinsing agent in the dishwasher?

SANDRA: Yes, I am. Yes, I am.

TOM: And that’s not helping at all?

SANDRA: Nope.

TOM: Hmm. OK. And have you changed dishwashing detergent?

SANDRA: Yes, I have. Well, I didn’t change it. The formula changed of the one I – of the Cascade I used.

TOM: Ah. I see.

SANDRA: But I noticed it happened more after they changed their formula.

TOM: Yeah. Hmm. Well, I think you might just want to be – the easiest thing to do is to try to find a different dishwashing detergent that works better for you. I suspect that you may have hard water and …

SANDRA: Yes. Yes, I do.

TOM: Yeah, and that’s why you’re getting these deposits. Now, there is a system that will soften the water. What’s that called, Leslie? Easy …

LESLIE: It’s EasyWater, I think.

TOM: EasyWater, yes.

SANDRA: Uh-huh.

TOM: EasyWater. It electronically clamps onto the main water pipe and basically makes the hard water – changes the polarity of the mineral deposits inside the water so that they don’t stick together any more and basically that stops it from sticking to stuff. But you know, that’s an investment, to do that. The easiest thing for you to do is to just rotate your dishwashing detergent until you find one that works better for you because, like you said, you know, you had one that worked a little bit better; they changed the formulation and now it’s not so good.

Don’t you love when they say “new and improved” and it just …?

SANDRA: That was not nice, to do that. OK.

TOM: Yeah. When they say “new and improved,” it never quite is.

SANDRA: (chuckles) You know, sometimes it’s better to leave well enough alone, which …

TOM: You got it. Sandra, thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.