You have probably had one of those situations whereby you open your dishwasher's door after the wash cycle is finished only to find that your dishes are not clean. Instead, there are white spots, a cloudy film or chalk residue on the dishes. Frustrating, right?
Hard water is notorious for leaving residues on surfaces due to its high mineral content. While the hard water itself is not harmful to your health, it could cause damage to your dishwasher. Switching to the best dishwasher detergent for hard water helps deal with the spots on glassware and limescale buildup in your dishwasher.
There are many excellent dishwasher detergent formulas on the market today. However, not all can deal with hard water. Read on to see our best dishwasher detergents for hard water, along with a buying guide of what exactly to look for when buying a dishwashing detergent.
Contents
What Is A Dishwashing Detergent for Hard Water?
Hard water contains minerals like calcium and magnesium, which cause the water to harden. As the water passes through your pipes and appliances, it leaves mineral deposits that form a limescale buildup.
The best dishwasher detergent for hard water breaks down the mineral deposits hence softening the water. In turn, this removes the marks and spots on your dishes, leaving them clean, shiny and sanitized. In addition, these dishwasher detergents prevent corrosion in your dishwasher, therefore, enhancing its longevity.
Which is the best dishwasher for hard water?
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Let's dive into our top picks.
1. Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Pods
- Cascade cleaning power allows you to skip pre-washing dishes, saving...
- ActionPacs are formulated with the grease-fighting power of Dawn dish...
- Cascade Platinum PLUS+ ActionPacs dishwashing detergent dissolve,...
- #1 Recommended Brand in North America. More dishwasher brands in North...
- Premeasured Actionpac dissolves quickly to unleash cleaning power...
Cascade Platinum Plus is formulated to deliver clean dishes in one wash. It contains powerful ingredients like sodium carbonate, nonionic surfactants and enzymes to break down tough residues faster. In addition, the ActionPacs pods have the power of Dawn dish soap to fight grease, so you are guaranteed spotless dishes after every clean.
With the Cascade dishwasher pods, you can skip the pre-wash step and save about 15 gallons of water. This is not only good for the environment but also saves you from paying high utility costs. In addition, the ActionPacs pods dissolve, lift and rinse away food while ensuring that no hard water spots are left behind.
The perks of having a dishwasher include the convenience of loading up the dishes, adding detergent to the dishwasher detergent dispenser, and turning the machine on. The Cascade dishwasher pods are convenient to use and store and have a lemon fragrance that leaves your dishes smelling clean and fresh.
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2. Finish Quantum Dishwasher Detergent
- Finish Quantum Scrubs, Degreases, and Shines. Because There’s Clean....
- 3 Separate Fast Dissolving Chambers, Delivering 3 Different Power...
- Powder: Scrubbing Power to Break Down and Remove Toughest Stuck on...
- Gel: Grease Cutting Power Handles Even the Toughest Messes
- Liquid Powerball: Filled With Power Actions That Dry and Deliver a...
Finish is a household brand when it comes to cleaning products. The Finish Quantum superior clean and shine dishwashing detergent scrubs removes grease and ensure that your clean dishes are shiny. Unlike a regular dishwasher detergent, Finish guarantees you that your glassware will remain bright and spotless.
This Quantum dishwashing detergent by Finish uses three fast-dissolving chambers to give you three varying power actions. The powder breaks down and removes tough stains like coffee, tea and food stains, while the gel has grease-cutting power to handle all kinds of messes. In addition, the liquid Powerball dries and shines your dishes.
Finish dishwashing detergent tablets are premeasured. This means that they are packed in the exact amount needed to achieve spotless dishes. In addition, they are wrappers free which helps to reduce the impact of plastics on the environment.
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3. Lemi Shine Dish Detergent Booster
- 100% GUARANTEED HARD WATER CLEANER: So long hard water spots! Our...
- BOOSTED BY CITRIC ACID: Looking for a mighty, yet eco-friendly...
- POWERFUL FORMULAS, SAFER PRODUCTS: Clean your dishes with confidence!...
- UNSTOPPABLE DISHWASHER DUO: Dirty dishes don’t stand a chance with...
- PROUD EPA SAFER CHOICE PARTNER: We’re proud to be named a Safer...
Lemi Shine dish detergent booster contains powerful citric acid that washes dishes with a fresh sparkling finish. It is made from natural ingredients that remove stains, film, lime and water spots. In addition, this detergent booster removes mineral deposits like calcium and iron that cause your dishwasher to clog.
Lime Shine balances the PH balance, which helps to optimize the dishwasher's cleaning ability. Hard water clogs the dishwasher, which ultimately jeopardizes the quality of cleanliness. Therefore, your glassware and crockery will be not only clean but also shiny as new.
Protecting mother nature is also a top priority for Lime Shine. The dishwashing detergent is phosphate-free, toxic-free and biodegradable. The lemon fragrance smells of clean dishes and is safe to use for both children and pets.
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4. Ecover Dishwashing Tablets
- Dishwasher Soap
- Fragrance Free
- Ecover
If you are environmentally conscious and are looking for the best dishwashing detergent for hard water manufactured on the same basis, then Ecover is an excellent start. The Ecover dishwashing tablets are made of natural and biodegradable ingredients to reduce the environmental impact of using chemicals.
The ingredient list includes sodium citrate, sodium carbonate peroxide and sodium carbonate disodium disilicate, which effectively clean dirty dishes using hard water. In addition, the Ecover dishwashing tablets are phosphate-free, which is good for your health and the environment at large.
The plant-based formula of the Ecover dishwasher detergent is fish-friendly. It is also not tested on animals, unlike other products on the market. In addition, this detergent is fragrance-free and perfect if you are sensitive or allergic to fragrances.
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5. Puracy Platinum Dishwasher Detergent Pods
- [Designed to work better when you skip the pre-rinse] Wash your dishes...
- [Developed by biochemists, tested by households nationwide] These...
- [Perfect for All Dishwasher Safe Items] Made from plant and...
- [Made with 99.5% Natural Ingredients] Looking for a plant-based,...
- [Pure Love Guarantee] At Puracy, we're passionate about creating...
Making our last pick is the Puracy platinum dishwasher detergent pods. Made from natural ingredients like plant-derived enzymes, one pod is enough to break down dried-up food stains without needing you to pre-soak or pre-rinse.
Puracy uses a third-generation formula to ensure no cloudy residue or white spots are left when cleaning dishes with hard water. In addition, the natural formula makes the dishwashing detergent compatible with all dishwasher-safe items, such as pots, pans, ceramic, baby bottles and toys.
Puracy is formulated by chemists and doctors gearing for the use of natural ingredients in dishwashing detergents. Therefore, the pods do not contain harsh chemicals like sulfates, bleach, perfume, Cocamidopropyl betaine, dyes and petroleum-based ingredients. In addition, this dishwasher cleaner is cruelty-free.
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How Do You Choose the Best Dishwasher for Hard Water?
Hard water dishwasher detergents are formulated to counteract the effects of hard water. This ensures that instead of letting a cloudy film or chalk-like residue on your utensils, your dishes are thoroughly cleaned and shiny. Our buying guide will help you familiarize yourself with what to look for in the best dishwasher detergent.
1. Type of Dishwasher Detergent
The best dishwasher detergents for hard water come in three types; gel, powder and tablets or single-load pods. Knowing which variant you prefer is the first step when choosing a dishwasher cleaner. Let us look at each type at length.
- Gel detergents - Gel dishwasher detergents are similar to regular dishwasher soap. They are cost-friendly and dissolve fast to clean dishes, especially delicate ones. However, a gel dishwasher detergent has the least power compared to other types of detergents. This is because it does not contain enzymes and bleaching agents found in other dishwasher detergents for hard water since they don't mix well in liquid form. In addition, a gel dishwasher detergent is messy when measuring and can spill during storage.
- Powder detergents - A powder dishwasher detergent for hard water is more effective than a gel alternative. This is because it contains a blend of bleach and other enzymatic ingredients that are key for sparkling dishes. Unfortunately, these dishwashing detergents have their downsides too. For example, clumping is typical as the powder absorbs moisture during storage, especially in a damp environment. This results in reduced potency as the powders are activated by water. A powder dishwasher detergent is also challenging to measure. Knowing how much dishwasher detergent to use is essential as too much could leave soap residues on dishes and using too little could be ineffective for very hard water.
- Tablets or Single-load pods - Tablets and dishwasher pods are placed directly in the dishwasher detergent dispenser to offer a convenient solution since they come premeasured with the right ingredient concentration. Tablets contain concentrated powder detergents, while dishwasher pods have gel packs. Apart from not measuring how much dishwasher detergent you will need, pods and tablets are easy to store and have no risk of spills. However, they are pricey and do not offer flexibility since they come premeasured.
2. Ingredients
Hard water reacts with a dishwasher detergent to produce the white spots and chalky residue that you find on dishes. Sodium-based ingredients like sodium carbonate and citric acid are common enzymes in the best dishwasher detergent for hard water. They soften the water and break down the mineral deposits, ensuring that you have spotless dishes.
- Sodium-based ingredients - Sodium carbonate and sodium citrate have sodium ions that replace the magnesium and calcium ions which cause the water to harden. These ingredients ensure that the detergent can work effectively with hard water to clean dishes and reduce limescale buildup in your dishwasher.
- Citric acid - It is a chelating agent that binds to minerals hence softening hard water. It is, therefore, essential to ensure that your dishwasher detergent of choice has this ingredient.
- Enzymes - These help to clean dishes faster by removing food particles and stains left on the dishes. This is because enzymes help to break down fats, starches, cellulose and proteins.
3. Scent
Dishwasher detergents come in various scents, either naturally derived or chemically made, choosing either a personal decision. The scents range from lemon and fruity to fresh and clean. In addition, detergents made from natural ingredients use essential oils to add scent rather than chemical-based ones.
A scented dishwasher detergent for hard water ensures that your clean dishes have a fresh scent as well as your dishwasher. However, if you are allergic or sensitive to fragrances, there is a range of the best dishwasher detergents that are unscented.
4. Effectiveness
You need a dishwasher detergent that works effectively in only one cycle. Unlike traditional detergent formulas, modern formulas have removed the need to have a pre-washing step or add rinse aid. That said, be sure to look at the manufacturer's specifications on how the dishwasher detergent should be used.
5. Eco-Friendliness
The world is changing and most people are looking to reduce their carbon footprint in any way possible. The best dishwasher detergent for hard water that is eco-friendly causes less harm to you and the environment in general. Such detergents are made from natural products, plant-derived ingredients or biodegradable ingredients.
The environmental impact is reduced when naturally derived ingredients like acids, enzymes and fragrances are used. For example, enzymes are used in place of phosphates to break down food particles since phosphates damage the ecosystem. However, some people find phosphate-free detergents to be less effective.
Tablets and dishwasher pods are compact and take up less packaging, which is good for the environment. In addition, you can also go for recyclable packagings, such as cardboard which is more environmentally friendly.
Conclusion
Washing dishes using hard water is often frustrating. The never-ending white spots and cloudy film damage glassware and crockery, not forgetting the impact of the hard water on your dishwasher. That said, the best dishwasher detergent for hard water is formulated to soften the water and clean your dishes to a sparkly finish. Additionally, there are eco-friendly and non-toxic options to help you better deal with hard water when doing dishes.
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