Consumer Reports Dishes on Dish Liquids

The full report is available in the May issue of Consumer Reports, which hitsnewsstands today and is also available online.

“Our tests show you don’t have to pay a lot to get your dishes clean,” said Jim Nanni, associate technical director for Consumer Reports. “All dish liquids contain surfactants, enzymes and other chemicals to aid in cleaning.”

Consumer Reports testers baked a mixture of evaporated milk, flour, egg yolk and sugar onto glass plates, put the plates in trays of warm water with equal amounts of each detergent, and used a machine that holds a sponge to rub each plate with equal pressure.

To test grease removal, testers dipped stainless-steel panels in lard, let the fat congeal for at least an hour, then cleaned them using the same process as with the glass plates. In both cases, scores were based on the number of rubs it took to remove the soil

All of the products tested were very good at removing food and grease, butcost just a few cents per ounce while other cost up to $0.94 cent per ounce. The makers of DuoDish ($0.16/ounce) and The Laundress ($0.94/ounce) claim they can be used in the sink and the dishwasher.

Makers of “green” brands claim they’re safe for septic tanks, have minimal impact on aquatic life, are free of fragrance and dyes, or are “natural” (but there’s no official definition of that term except on meat and poultry products), according to the report.

Since all the tested products are recommended, Consumer Reports suggests consumers purchase dish liquid based on the price. Plus, the magazine suggests that consumers skip antibacterial cleaners, noting that the government says they don’t clean any better, and they might lead to tougher bacteria.

More info: www.ConsumerReports.org