So here’s a consumer conundrum: Which is greener -- using a greener dishwashing detergent that requires running the dishwasher two to three times because it doesn’t really get dishes clean the first time, or washing dishes by hand?
Therein lies a perfect example of why 64 percent of the population says they’re searching for greener products yet far, far fewer are actually making green product purchases. They don’t know the answer. In fact, neither do I. And, it would appear, neither does Proctor & Gamble.
In a recent NPR report about this topic -- that phosphates have been banned in 17 states so makers of dishwashing detergents have begun taking them out of their formulations -- a consumer, upon complaining directly to P&G that her dishes were coming out of her dishwasher unclean, was told by a company rep that “…maybe you should wash your dishes by hand.”
Sigh.
In reality, washing dishes by hand uses far more water than washing dishes in the dishwasher. Makers of dishwashers have done a masterful job over the years of figuring out how to get dishes clean using less and less water.
But there is this little problem of greener detergents -- whether it be all natural varieties from Seventh Generation or conventional products that now lack the miracle ingredient that would get stuck-on food off plates and keep it off -- not cleaning as well.
Expect that consumers will be confused and angry. We Americans value cleanliness and we value comfort and convenience way more than the environment (see our Eco Pulse study for lots of findings on this). So we won’t like that our dishes aren’t clean and we won’t like the inconvenience of having to wash some things by hand. And, by doing more hand washing, we’ll actually be making a negative impact on the environment.
The companies that get in front of this issue -- that lead the education of consumers -- will be the winners in the end. Consumers don’t like surprises. So they won’t like buying their Trusted Brands and suddenly realizing they don’t work as well.
We’ve preached this here before, but honesty truly is the best policy. Let consumers know what’s going on and why and what they can do to partner with you, get their dishes clean and still have some modicum of convenience.
The original version of this post appeared on the Shelton Group blog and is reprinted with permission.
Images CC licensed by Flickr users mastrmaq and jenny downing.
Homemade green dishwasher
Homemade green dishwasher detergent
I use a homemade mix of
1T washing soda,
1T borax and
.5T salt (or even leave out the salt).
If you want more heft, add a bit of vinegar to the rinse container.
Works like a charm.
The answer to this problem
The answer to this problem for consumers is simple. The best detergent brand for you depends on your dishwasher age, make, and if your water is hard or soft. A cheap old machine with hard water with any detergent might not get much clean. A new, well rated (and sometimes more costly) machine with any detergent will get more clean. For most, a middle to lower cost machine with the right detergent will work just fine.
I looked at the Consumer Reports rating of detergents. Tried them starting from the top rated until I found the one that worked best for my machine. It turned out to be one of the cheaper ones too. The top rated one worked good too but cost more and seemed more dependent on water being soft. My city water softness varies (why is that?) so I went with the cheap one which seems to work all year.
It is true to some extent
It is true to some extent that phosphate pollution in streams occurs from fertilizers. What about the pollution that occurs from mining phophaste rock, which leaves huge piles of metals like Cadmium, Lead. By using phosphate detergents, we are not only polluting our streams but also damaging eco life.
Isnt it better to eliminate phosphate detergents and be wise in how we use phosphates as fertilizers in order to protect our streams and lakes?
I'm always amazed how panic
I'm always amazed how panic over phosphate detergents never seems to end. Phosphate pollution in streams and lakes occurs almost entirely from fertilizers and soil erosion, not from detergents. If you wash your car in your driveway with a phosphate-rich detergent, that's bad for you local stream. But if you live in a city or town where your kitchen sink drains to a tertiary water treatment plant (almost all of us do), then it doesn't make any difference whether you use detergents with phosphates or not. Your treatment plant removes all the phosphates.
Much of the phosphorus that is removed by the plants is then sold as fertilizer. This is the point at which paying attention to phosphorus becomes important. If you fertilize your lawn or you garden, be careful not to over-fertilize, and be careful that your fertilized lawn doesn't drain directly into your storm drain - this is where most of the phosphorus pollution that you can control is coming from. A much larger phosphorus load to streams comes from farms. Your kitchen sink is not part of the problem.
Phosphate-free detergents are mostly "greenwash" marketing, and phosphate laws for detergents sold in cities are mostly "greenwashing" by government agencies responding to a misinformed public.