Dishes Still Dirty? Blame Phosphate-Free Detergent

It is warmer this morning just ahead of a promised storm; the radar predicts that the storm will travel just below us up toward Louisville and Lexington; there is snow in this winter storm.

We broke down and borrowed some money to replace our dishwasher and to fix the brakes on my truck which were screaming for repair. The only dishwasher mom found here in town is exactly the same dishwasher we had tons of trouble with these last 3 years. I begged her not to get the same model but it was the best of the lot and that is what she chose. Maybe sometimes you get a lemon and the next time you get a pearl. We will see; I hope it has nothing to do with the removal of Phosphates from the detergents. The young lady that sold us the dishwasher said you have to wash the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. It might be cheaper to hire a an unemployed dishwasher (that's me).

Quote from Cascade:
"Ottusch said that in addition to the decrease in cleaning efficiency, the lack of phosphates in detergents can eventually compromise the dishwasher's parts, and you may start to notice the clogging of spray arms. Bosch's Hutaff said that sediment buildup from the harder water will eventually affect the entire dishwasher hydraulic system.
To help eliminate the added hard water buildup, both experts recommend cleaning your dishwasher monthly with a specially made cleaner such as Dishwasher Magic, www.dishwashermagic.com; Whirlpool's Affresh, www.affresh.com; or Finish Dishwasher Cleaner. Hutaff said consumers with hard water could also consider buying a dishwasher that has a water softening system built in, or even getting a whole-house water softening system to alleviate the problem."