I use Cascade powder in my dishwasher. I had tried using it in laundry and to clean toilets, but I can't get it to dissolve. How do you use dishwasher detergent and how much?

I'm really not measuring. That's what I'm wondering is how much to use. I start pouring and give a swirl about 1 1/2 times around the agitator and stop. Maybe 1/2 cup? I'm bad at judging amounts. I do use it with at least warm to "hot" water which is supposed to help the enzymes work and maybe that helps with dissolving. I've been wondering about that so lately I've started the water filling and pour in the powders and then swirl the water around with my hand. Usually by the time there's 4"-6" of water in the tub it's pretty well dissolved. I then let it soak at least an hour or two to maybe overnight. Then I finish that cycle and run another short cycle to get everything rinsed out.

How about liquid dish washer detergent?
Linda C

Thanks Linda. Are you referring to the dissolving or my question? I assume Jannie's? I'd still have the same question, how much to use? Also, do liquids have enzymes in them? The purpose of using it is for the enzyme boost.

FWIW, I usually have good luck with bleach and regular toilet cleaners so I've never tried DW detergent in the toilet.

Word of warning about soaking clothes in the washer over night. This may allow water to gradually seep thru the seal down into the transmission. I ruined a washer soaking diapers over night.

Hmm. That I didn't know. Guess it could make sense especially on an old machine. Would think the seal would be worn and just not as tight after 28 years. Now what? Suppose I could use a tote or something. Thanks fo rthe info.

My husband only uses liquid Dawn dish detergent to wash his clothes. He works in Tire sales and can get some interesting stains. He swears that 20 yrs ago I accidentally shrunk a t-shirt and ever since then has always done his own laundry.

I use 1 c of dishwasher powder along with detergent & hot water for a full load of nasty greasy clothes and soak overnight. Gets the clothes clean and fresh everytime.

Thanks lov2garden. That helps. Guess I'm not using too much then. Do you have any problem with excessive suds? I'll try measuring while I pour next time to see a little closer as to how much I'm using.

I've been using Cascade Powder successfully for whitening towels. I used Cascade Liquid to get dingy white pillow cases whiter and they have a slight blue tint to them. At the moment I am running them through the rinse cycle for a 2nd time and hoping that will work. Has anyone else had Cascade turn their whites bluish??

Thanks for the tip about the washing machine seals.
BC

I have used both the liquid and powder versions of dishwasher detergent in the laundry. I usually use between 1/2 and 1 cup per load. I fill the washer with hot water and put both the dishwasher detergent and 1 cup of CLOROX, not cheap bleach, it doesnt work as well, and the laundry soap. however, remember this is for whites ONLY. Dishwasher detergent contains bleach too. This will make dingy whites look brand new. I have two teenage boys and their socks get nasty looking quickly in spite of reglar washing. I may soak them for an hour before starting the wash process. Also, if you have a child with sensitive skin, you may want to let the full cycle run without the laundry soap and then run them a second time as a regular load without bleach so that they can rinse a second time. I hope that this helps

What about using dishwasher tabs for laundry? Any suggestions?

Interesting; I never thought to use dish detergent in laundry--I have some dingy whites I'd like to try it on. I have a Maytag Bravos (top load HE)--how would you fill it with water so you can dissolve the stuff before adding clothes? I can't seem to get the machine to quit draining itself.

Thanks.

The new top-loading HE machines are a PITA. I usually do a rinse and spin cycle using cold water and no detergent on my whites before I do the real wash cycle. It makes the clothes enough heavier that the water will barely cover the clothes instead of leaving them half-submerged. I also use the soak cycle, a full hour, and the extra rinse cycle. When desperate, I wash them twice. I may try adding a bit of dishwasher powder next time.

This thread was started in 2007 when there were phosphates in dishwasher products. Now that the phosphates have been removed, I suspect dishwasher detergent is no better than clothes washer detergent for use in the clothes washer.

Cathyyg: if you do some searching on the internet and are not afraid to mess around with your washing machine, you can adjust (raise) the water level on your machine.

If you clothes are not coming clean, you might want to do some reading on the Laundry Forum. There are a lot of experts over there.

Thank you for the advice. I am ordering some STPP. As far as the water level in my washer, all I am able to find addresses only the front-loader LG washers, and mine is a Top-loader. I wish it wasn't. I bought a front loader that shook the house and walked across my laundry room. How was I to know that the Frigidaire Affinity in late 2011 was a piece of garbage compared to the 2009 Frigidaire Gallery? (Sold the Gallery with my condo, an act I deeply regret, but my husband did not want to be bothered with moving them.) I am waiting for this LG to fail so I can get a new front-loader.

I accidentally used a Cascade dish washing tab in my washing machine. The clothes have gone through a full wash and rinse and are now dry. Should I worry about possible effects Cascade residue might have on skin? I've read some post by folks who use Cascade powder in their laundry. No mention of any health problems as a result.

I read this tip from "One Good Thing By Jillee" - a wonderful DIY website with helpful hints of all kinds. I buy the cheap store brand of dishwasher powder and use 1 cup along with my laundry detergent, use VERY HOT HOT HOT water (I boil some on the stove and add to washer) and once it starts to agitate, I stop the washer and let the clothes soak for an hour or longer, then start the washer to finish the cycle. Amazing results!! The trick is to let the clothes SOAK for as long as you can stand it, and to use the hottest water available. You won't be disappointed. I've stopped using Clorox bleach except for cleaning the bathrooms, etc.

GiniD

Blue dawn solves mostly all my gross laundry problems. A squirt all around the agitator.

No doubt automatic dishwasher detergent cleans but its extremely aggressive. Continue using it for textiles and their lifespan will be drastically short.

I agree that the dishwasher detergent is probably too harsh for clothes. I also want to point out that dishwashing liquid like Dawn causes too much sudsing, and can cavitate the pump on a regular washer, and should never ever be used in a HE washer.

I use the soak cycle and either Clorox 2 or Oxiclean. For the worst I have a small stash of STPP, the phosphate compound removed from detergents to prevent algae overgrowth in waterways. I use it extremely sparingly, a teaspoon at a time as a laundry booster, just a couple times a year, if that often.

I am still using the rinse only cycle with no spin before I wash my clothes. It seems to make a bigger difference than anything else. The clothes are submerged in water, not half-submerged. No way to alter the water level setting, as it does it by weight.

I’ve been using it as a soak I either add half a cup to about a gallon of hot or really warm water then stir until all dissolved then add it to the soak in the washing machine (start load as normal i use less soap) or you can add 1/2 - 1 cup to about a gallon really warm/hot water mix well add clothes soak for at least a couple hours I like overnight. if using pods I use 1-2pods dissolved