Having hard water, it was very difficult to find a good automatic dishwasher detergent. How do Cascade Action Pacs measure up? — AS PUBLISHED AT FACTOIDZ.COM
When I moved last July into my new home, almost 100 miles away from where I was living, we discovered that we have hard water. It’s not that big of a deal, but it does make certain tasks difficult, such as keeping toilets clean, washing dishes and clothes, and the like. Since we cannot yet afford a water softener, I have tried many products to keep everything as clean and build-up free as possible. The dishes have been the hardest thing to keep build-up and residue off of, no matter what I’ve tried. There was always a nasty almost chalky coating remaining on my dishes. It was frustrating and embarrassing. I would have to scrub my dishes by hand every few weeks to remove the build-up, which was okay, but there has to be an easier way, right??
Cascade Action Pacs: Product, Price, and Packaging
Cascade Action Pacs were reasonably priced for 20 action pacs (whcih will obviously provide 20 loads) at my local grocery store. The pacs are separately sealed little plastic packages containing both a blue liquid gel and a whitish colored powder detergent that is designed to be placed in your dishwasher’s detergent compartment, as usual. The plastic container breaks down to release the detergent in the pack during the dishwashing cycle.
The type I purchased was the Shine Shield Formula Cascade Action Pacs in the fresh scent. It came in a little green colored plastic bag-type container with a zipper seal on top to keep the packets fresh and dry. They are phosphate free, which is something I was worried about at first since they contained the powder detergent, and I heard phosphates are really bad, which is why I always stuck with the gels and liquids. This is said to contain the “grease fighting power of Dawn.” I never really thought Dawn was a spectacular detergent when I used to use it to handwash my dishes, but in these packets, it works great!
There isn’t much scent to the detergent, which I like. It simply smells fresh and clean without a heavy scent. You cannot smell it on the dishes after they are washed with this detergent, but you can notice a slight aroma during the wash cycle.
Due to the way these packets are made, you are only supposed to handle them with dry hands so they don’t dissolve prematurely. You don’t need to open the pack or puncture it, simply place it in the main dispenser cup and close the dispenser door as you would after loading any type of detergent in your dishwasher. That’s about it: they are incredibly simply to use and there is absolutely no drips or any messes at all. It is all pre-measured and sealed for you!
Cascade Action Pacs: Performance
As I mentioned, many detergents didn’t perform well in our hard water. We didn’t initially know what the problem was and thought we had gotten a crappy or cheap/low-end model dishwasher, but it wasn’t that at all.
I had received a sample of three Cascade Action Pacs in the mail and tried them out. I was incredibly pleased with their performance! All my dishes were squeaky clean without residue or hard water chalky build-up, and all the glasses were clean and sparkling! I had finally found a superior product to use for my dishwashing needs!
Needless to say, I was very happy to not have to pre-wash or scrub dishes every now and again, since the action packets take care of everything. I have honestly never seen a product work so well before that I an recall! This is the absolute best automatic dishwashing detergent I have ever used. I always load my dishwasher to full capacity and do not heat dry, just let them air dry, but these little packets will clean even the toughest and dirtiest loads.
I was very impressed with the performance of the Cascade Action Pacs and highly recommend them to anyone who uses an auomatic dishwasher. They are available in several scents, so choose your favorite. I don’t think I will be using anything else again now that I have tried this excellent product.
Sources
product packaging and labeling
personal experience
