Why Dishwasher Soap Matters | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey demonstrates what happens when dish liquid is used in the dishwasher instead of dishwasher detergent gel.
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Time: 45 minutes (wash cycle)

Tools:
Wet/dry vacuum [https://amzn.to/32EfWwr]

Shopping List:
Dish liquid [https://amzn.to/2HZAebW]
Dishwasher detergent gel [https://amzn.to/32wWXnJ]

Steps:
• To test how much suds and foam form with dish liquid, put a few squirts into a cup and fill it with water. The top of the glass should form a substantial foamy head, similar to a beer.
• Put a few squirts of dishwasher detergent gel into a second glass and fill it with water. This demonstrates how the gel forms far less foam and suds than the dish liquid. The dishwasher detergent gel is meant to go in the dishwasher, not the dish liquid
• To see what happens when the wrong soap is put in the dishwasher, fill the soap dispenser with the dish liquid.
• When the soap dispenser door is released during the wash cycle, foam and suds begin to encompass the basin.
• Soap clogs the wash arm in the center of the dishwasher basin.
• Suds begin to drip out the sides of the dishwasher and onto the floor.
• If this mistake ever happens, clean out the entire dishwasher with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner before running another cycle. Otherwise, the same thing could happen because the soap is so concentrated and will remain in the dishwasher.

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Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we’re ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O’Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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Why Dishwasher Soap Matters | Ask This Old House
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