Customer Reviews

Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Powder, Free & Clear, 75-Ounces Boxes, Case Pack, (Pack of 8)

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

I try to be a good environmental consurmer, but I won't use a natural product that doesn't work. I've used Seventh Generation for over 5 years in a new dishwasher, and have had no problems. I have a septic system now, so I don't like to use bleach, but even when I lived in a city, I used this stuff. I've run out a couple times and had to use Cascade for a day or two (I live in the country -- they don't stock this stuff here) and my dishes were no cleaner than with 7th Gen. which is way better for people and the environment.

I have read that dry dishwashing powder can get bad if it is old, so I only buy two boxes at a time. Perhaps the reviewers who've had problems are using old product. I think it absorbs moisture when stored under your sink, and may then clump in in your DW.

I use vinegar in my rinse-aid container or Liquid Jet Dry.

This soap did not dissolve in our hard water. It left dirt and soap all over the dishes. I hate to waste an entire box of soap as well as the water to wash a load of dishes, but that's what happened. Ecover seems fine with the hard water.

I'm very pleased with this dishwasher detergent. Eight large boxes for a great price. It works very well for us. It doesn't leave any residue. My kids' plastic cups always tasted like detergent when they were washed in a national brand. Seventh Generation leaves no residue, doesn't release chlorine bleach into the air, and is much healthier for our family. I wouldn't use it if it didn't work because I'm too busy to wash dishes by hand, but it works great on top of everything else.

It's much healthier than using the major name brands which contain potentially harmful chemicals...we've been using this brand for 2 years and are quite satisfied. I would reccommend this or any phosphate/chemical free detergent that works well.
Look out for price fluctuations as it can vary from time to time...I wouldn't pay more than about $5-$6/75 oz. box.

UPDATE: Having used this product now for over 7 years, I can tell you that depending on the quality of your dishwasher, the soap performance may vary. Since this doesn't have the abrasive chemicals like regular brands, if you have a cheap $200 dishwasher, it may not perform as well. I've noticed improvement as we upgraded our dishwashers. I also use it in the pre-wash/rinse cycle & have seen better results.

I love this product. It cleans very very well and is great for the environment and my family's health. However, if you have soft water you MUST fill the cups less than full to have it clean effectively and remove all the powder residue from dishes. I also think the reviewer that speaks about product getting old on the shelf is onto something. I have problems more often when it is an older box that seems to have taken on moisture...the box clumps up a little and I have to shake it to break it up. Those seem to be the times I have more problems with some powder remaining. When I use less than half a compartment full it seems to clean the same and leaves no residue. Occasionally I have a tapered sippy cup or glass that needs rinsing out just to be sure, but if that is all I have to do for my part in helping the health of my family and the environment then I can do that.

Yes, it is natural and much better than chemical-based detergents from an environmental perspective, but beware of soap particles remaining on your dishes after washing. Unless you have a very specific degree of water hardness, you will inevitably have to rinse a few (or maybe many) dishes all over again.

I try to use environmentally friendly products whenever possible, as I have a hard time with the fumes from chemicals. I was noticing that the newer dishwasher detergents were covering up their chemical smells with a "fruity" fragrance. UGH!! That was worse than before.
Then, I discovered this product. What a Godsend! It cleans just as well as the national brands and does not leave any residue or offbeat odors on your dishes. It even works well on greasy casserole dishes and leaves your plasticware squeaky clean! I highly recommend this product.

I've used this product for about two years now. I have MCS and using this product does not bother me at all. It does a great job cleaning my dishes. I wanted to give it 5 stars because it's a safe product, but I gave it 4 stars because sometimes it will leave a little powder on a dish. I always run the rinse cycle a second time and that takes care of that. It could be my dishwasher that's not rinsing good enough or I don't have my water hot enough. It's a good safe product that works for me.

This dishwashing powder works wonderfully for me; glasses and ceramics are astonishingly clean, although plastics often look cloudy. I would not get this type of detergent if you have a good deal of plastic cups or such, although I would reccomend not getting this particular brand under any circumstances. I believe the mineral content of the wash water has a gigantic effect; I had residue after a snow melt that induced lots of road runoff into the municipal water supply. However, this detergent is exorbitantly overpriced. The chemical composition of this dishwashing solution is of cheapo compounds: sodium carbonate and sodium silicate. As such deep discount grocery stores such as Aldi, and Walmart's store brand sell detergant with the same cleaning compounds that are just as 'green' for far less (2.50$ at any Aldi; most of their prices are set at the national level, and most likely under 3$ at most Walmarts), although their packaging does not greenwash the product as this does. Basically, you'll pay about three times the typical retail price for a picture of a leaf and clouds on a box of the cheapest detergent avaliable.

Cleans my dishes just fine. Occasional residue, small price to pay.

Hopefully they'll do something about how they pack the very heavy shipping box. The eight boxes of detergent were packed inside a simple cardboard box with no padding, so when my shipment arrived, powder was spilling out of one damaged corner of it, and when I opened it carefully I found that TWO of my eight detergent boxes had been smashed open and powder was spilling out of them. One of the two boxes is torn beyond usability. I'll have to put the powder in something else, now, and I don't have any container that is large enough and reliable enough for the job, so I'll probably have to go out and buy one.

ALSO, don't be fooled by the dotted line printed around the sides of the shipping box with arrows pointing to it on all four sides and the words "Open here to display." Do NOT open this end unless you're working in a supermarket; it's meant to allow you to cut off the bottom of the shipping box and lift it off the detergent boxes so that they will be standing upright. They are NOT "this end up" arrows; your boxes will be upside-down and powder will spill out of the little metal spouts as you remove them. The "this end up" label is ONLY printed on the top of the shipping box and is therefore easy to miss.

It's obvious my shipment was dropped, tossed, or otherwise handled roughly. Any person who is familiar with shipping in the U.S. knows that this is a possibility. Printing "do not drop" on a box does nothing to prevent it from being dropped. Until this is handled, buyer beware.

Great product, though.