The Complete Dishwasher Detergent
Written: Sep 10 '07 (Updated Sep 16 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Washes extremely well, leaves no residue behind
Cons: More expensive
The Bottom Line: This is one product that lives up to it's claims. It is a bit more expensive, but it did a great job of cleaning my dishes.
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| elzora's Full Review: Cascade Complete |
I have been using different versions of Cascade dishwashing detergent ever since Consumer Reports rated them #1 years ago. When I heard about Cascade Complete I wanted to give it a try, but the extra cost held me back.
When my Cascade Complete arrived over the weekend from Proctor & Gamble, I was excited to give it a try in exchange for my honest review. Read on, and you'll see why the extra expense is worth every penny!
About Cascade Complete
Like the rest of the Cascade family, this product comes in the familiar green colored bottle. My version is the liquid gel formula, which squeezes out a bright aqua color, that has a pearlized look to it.
The large silver safety cap is easy enough to remove, by squeezing the cap on opposite sides and twisting it off. It would probably pose a challenge for little children, which I'm sure is the whole idea behind the design.
Cascade Complete boasts the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. The formula contains Shine Shield which helps protect glasses from that awful etching that so often occurs. Cascade Complete averages no more than 5.0% phosphorus, which equals 1.0 grams per tablespoon.
The bottle I received is a large 75 ounce size, and although it's heavy, the bottle has a built in handle that makes lifting and pouring easy.
My Experience
I gave Cascade Complete a good workout, using it a couple of times over the weekend. The label states that the formula dissolves food and rinses clean, and that there is no need to pre-wash my dishes. I tried my hardest to give it w good workout by purposely choosing foods that are hard to clean.
I did remove any big chunks of food, (my dishwasher does not have a garbage disposal in it), but I didn't wash or scrub them beforehand. My dishwasher was full of dishes that normally pose a bit of a challenge for most detergents. I loaded bowls and plated that held oatmeal, scrambled eggs and biscuits and gravy. The glasses and mugs held coffee, milk and apple juice. A medium sized stainless steel pot that I cooked the oatmeal in was a sticky mess.
I hate spots on my flatware, but mine came out of my dishwasher looking very shiny and "new". (My set is 6 years old!).
My dishwasher has several different cycles, but I wanted to see how Cascade Complete would hold up using the Smart Wash. This cycle is the fastest, so if my dishes came out clean on this mode, the product should work even better on the longer cycles.
The directions said to fill both the pre-wash and main wash cups completely for the best results, and I did follow those guidelines. This used several tablespoons of the detergent.
I have been using the Cascade 2-in-1 Action Packs, and this formula smells very similar to them, and gave off a faint odor through my dishwasher vents. The scent wasn't what I would call pleasant, but it was not offensive. There was no chlorine scent, so I was glad about that.
When I opened my dishwasher and unloaded my dishes, I was pleasantly surprised to find that all of my dishes were sparkling clean. There was no dried on egg or oatmeal, no soapy residue or food on the inside of my coffee mugs. The glasses were sparkling clean, and everything smelled fresh.
My pet peeve is drinking out of glasses that have those water marks on them, making them look dirty. Cascade Complete gets rid of all of those water marks, and there is none of that white film that some dishwashing detergents leave behind. The Shine Shield formula did it's job. It's almost like I had used a rinse aid like Jet Dry in my dishwasher, but I did not.
My stainless steel pans fared just as well as my bowls, plates and glasses did. They sparkled like new!
In the past I have used liquid Cascade that had a thick white consistency. It was much harder to squirt out of the bottle than my new Cascade Complete formula.
I'm sure the performance of Cascade Complete will vary depending on how hard your water is, and how well your dishwasher works. We have a water softener, and our dishwasher is of good quality. Still, I have used cheaper brands of dishwashing detergent to save money, and still ended up with the water spots and etching on my glasses. That didn't happen with Cascade Complete.
I like that fact that Proctor & Gamble is helping the environment by making a product that works without a high phosphorus content. Some dish detergents contain as much as 10% phosphorus! I have used phosphorus free brands in the past, and they didn't work as well and are harder to find in stores. If you have hard water, you might actually find that detergents with phosphates work better, since they do tend to soften your water. (But because phosphates are fertilizers, they can cause algae blooms that can kill fish.)
Final Thoughts
Cascade Complete is a good, high quality dishwashing detergent. It cleans exceptionally well, rinses clean leaving no residue, and leaves dishes with a fresh smell.
Did Cascade Complete do what it claimed it would? Yes it did. They claimed that their new Clean Dissolve Formula would dissolves food particles, eliminating the need to pre-wash your dishes. This prevents food from transferring onto other dishes and glasses during the washing process.
Will I buy this product in the future? Well, I still really like the Cascade 2-in-1 Action Packs, so I guess it will boil down to price. I'll definitely be purchasing Cascade again, and it will be either Cascade Complete or the 2-in-1 Action packs. Which one I buy will depend on which one is on sale in my local store. The next time I'll look for Cascade Complete in the Citrus Breeze scent.
Cascade Complete gets a solid 5 stars from this user.
I received this product from Proctor & Gamble free of charge in exchange for my honest review.
Recommended:
Yes
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