WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.917 Howdy folks, hope you’re all doing OK out there. 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:05.919 We gotta talk about dishwashers again. 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:09.867 I started writing a really long-winded script which got to a half-our long 00:00:09.867 --> 00:00:12.522 [crickets] 00:00:12.522 --> 00:00:15.028 yet barely covered half of what I wanted to 00:00:15.028 --> 00:00:19.420 so here’s draft two and we’re just gonna launch straightaway with; 00:00:19.420 --> 00:00:22.598 I’ve led you astray, and I’m very sorry about that. 00:00:22.598 --> 00:00:25.818 If you haven’t seen the original video, links are in all the places 00:00:25.818 --> 00:00:27.506 and I think you might want to check it out. 00:00:27.506 --> 00:00:29.267 But here’s a quick overview: 00:00:29.267 --> 00:00:31.262 Over the winter I made a video about how dishwashers worked 00:00:31.262 --> 00:00:35.182 and explained how they just fill up with a bit of water, pump that for a while, drain it, and repeat that few times. 00:00:35.182 --> 00:00:40.000 The detergent dispenser is there so that the dishwasher can hold the detergent back until its wash program calls for it. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:42.596 It deliberately prevents the detergent from being introduced into the wash water 00:00:42.596 --> 00:00:44.296 until it has already filled with water once, 00:00:44.296 --> 00:00:46.785 pumped that around to get the real big nasty chunks off your plates and whatever, 00:00:46.785 --> 00:00:47.605 and drained. 00:00:47.605 --> 00:00:49.492 It then re-fills itself with clean water. 00:00:49.492 --> 00:00:52.450 If it didn’t have some way to hold that detergent back until that second fill 00:00:52.450 --> 00:00:54.073 it would all be gone after 10 or 15 minutes, 00:00:54.073 --> 00:00:56.374 but you see detergent is helpful for cleaning dishes, 00:00:56.374 --> 00:00:59.292 particularly because it’s an emulsifier and can get rid of grease and oils, 00:00:59.292 --> 00:01:04.455 so most dishwashers are designed to also have a nominal amount of pre-wash detergent available in that first rinse 00:01:04.455 --> 00:01:06.639 to help get those oils et cetera out quickly, 00:01:06.639 --> 00:01:10.743 and this is why many dishwashers have not one but two places you are supposed to put detergent. 00:01:10.743 --> 00:01:14.767 Because of that these pre-dosed detergent packs which bypass the pre-wash step annoy me 00:01:14.767 --> 00:01:17.334 and it’s my pet theory that they’ve led to dishwasher dissatisfaction 00:01:17.334 --> 00:01:20.735 which seems to have been backed up by various comments and feedback I received after publishing that video 00:01:20.735 --> 00:01:22.303 but we’ll get to that in a bit. 00:01:22.303 --> 00:01:23.605 Hoo! Alright, 00:01:23.605 --> 00:01:26.618 with that out of the way, let’s continue. 00:01:26.618 --> 00:01:32.087 This video is kinda all-over-the-place so there are chapter markers if you want to just skip around. 00:01:32.087 --> 00:01:34.207 And also I’m not gonna lie, 00:01:34.207 --> 00:01:38.656 this is essentially one giant response to comments. 00:01:38.656 --> 00:01:44.532 Although there are a lot of genuinely great things we’ve collectively discovered that I think you all should know about, 00:01:44.532 --> 00:01:49.199 there are also a lot of… things that I need to address. 00:01:49.199 --> 00:01:55.849 Now, I’m gonna to try my best to not get too snarky because I recognize that this is annoying to many of you and 00:01:55.849 --> 00:01:58.448 frankly I’m starting to see the light, there. 00:01:58.448 --> 00:02:00.934 Another thing I want to apologize for. 00:02:00.934 --> 00:02:03.157 However on a more positive note, 00:02:03.157 --> 00:02:05.855 I want to express how lovely it has been 00:02:05.855 --> 00:02:08.834 to receive all of the comments, tweets, and messages 00:02:08.834 --> 00:02:11.915 from folks who experimented with more basic detergent products 00:02:11.915 --> 00:02:16.325 and found their dishwashers were actually performing better than before 00:02:16.325 --> 00:02:18.872 now that they could be used as designed. 00:02:18.872 --> 00:02:24.157 And in fact a lot of people left comments saying that they never bothered using their dishwasher at all 00:02:24.157 --> 00:02:27.458 because they were convinced it couldn’t wash dishes well, 00:02:27.458 --> 00:02:30.587 but dosing detergent as their machine expected 00:02:30.587 --> 00:02:33.322 proved that it absolutely could. 00:02:33.390 --> 00:02:36.276 That really has been delightful and I’m glad to know that my video 00:02:36.276 --> 00:02:38.233 has helped some of you out there. 00:02:38.233 --> 00:02:41.981 Also before we move on, several of you shared examples of dishwashers 00:02:41.981 --> 00:02:44.552 - including some Bosch and Samsung machines - 00:02:44.552 --> 00:02:47.332 that actually said in their instruction manuals 00:02:47.332 --> 00:02:50.914 that when using normal cycles, you should add some extra detergent 00:02:50.914 --> 00:02:55.684 along the bottom of the door for the first rinse like so for best performance. 00:02:55.684 --> 00:03:00.931 Just because your dishwasher doesn’t have a marked space for pre-wash detergent in the dispenser 00:03:00.931 --> 00:03:04.552 doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not designed with that in mind. 00:03:04.890 --> 00:03:07.833 I mean, that’s terrible user interface design 00:03:07.833 --> 00:03:09.202 but hey, I didn’t do it. 00:03:09.202 --> 00:03:12.484 [voiceover] Oh, hey, remember how I said this video is all over the place? 00:03:12.484 --> 00:03:16.389 Well before we get any further I need to more strongly clarify 00:03:16.389 --> 00:03:20.405 that little qualifier that might have just slipped right past you in the last paragraph. 00:03:20.701 --> 00:03:24.537 If you aren't using the “normal” cycle of your dishwasher, 00:03:24.537 --> 00:03:28.476 a pre-wash fill might not be a thing that even happens. 00:03:28.476 --> 00:03:32.238 Express or Eco wash options often skip it, 00:03:32.238 --> 00:03:35.833 rendering the detergent dispenser fairly useless as a concept. 00:03:35.833 --> 00:03:41.885 Now I’m all for conservation, but these cycles will negatively impact cleaning performance. 00:03:41.885 --> 00:03:48.598 I’d argue an extra water fill is better than dishes that aren’t washed to your satisfaction and need washing again, 00:03:48.598 --> 00:03:54.104 but the point is - if you’ve tried to add some pre-wash detergent but got worse results, 00:03:54.104 --> 00:03:56.567 and you were using one of those cycles, 00:03:56.567 --> 00:04:00.654 you may have severely overdosed the detergent. 00:04:00.654 --> 00:04:04.585 Detergent dosing is the main point of this video, spoiler alert, 00:04:04.585 --> 00:04:08.678 but bottom line - if you’re satisfied with your dishwasher just ignore me! 00:04:08.678 --> 00:04:11.067 Keep on living your life how you want to. 00:04:11.067 --> 00:04:13.082 But if you want more out of it, 00:04:13.082 --> 00:04:17.797 try that normal cycle - or even the heavy-duty or pots and pans one - 00:04:17.797 --> 00:04:19.237 and see how it goes. 00:04:19.237 --> 00:04:21.504 You should feel free to experiment here. 00:04:21.504 --> 00:04:24.804 Worst thing that could happen is a need to re-start the machine, 00:04:24.804 --> 00:04:28.510 and there’s no rule against simply running it twice. 00:04:28.510 --> 00:04:30.807 So, how did I lead you astray? 00:04:30.807 --> 00:04:35.505 Well, like a fool, I read this box’s instructions to you. 00:04:35.505 --> 00:04:36.005 [thud] 00:04:36.005 --> 00:04:38.088 I know! How careless of me! 00:04:38.088 --> 00:04:40.709 Here, watch shorter-haired me do it: 00:04:41.132 --> 00:04:45.926 “For best results, fill both the pre-wash and the main wash cups completely" 00:04:46.180 --> 00:04:46.699 [thud] 00:04:47.079 --> 00:04:49.623 HOW'M I SUPPOSED TO DO THAT WITH ONE OF THESE, CASCADE? 00:04:50.806 --> 00:04:55.399 See, I was making fun of the fact that the instructions for this Cascade product 00:04:55.399 --> 00:05:00.598 are not possible with another, supposedly much-improved product of theirs. 00:05:00.598 --> 00:05:06.819 But in making that joke I forgot to tell you that these instructions themselves are… 00:05:06.819 --> 00:05:10.489 incomplete, and one might even say misleading. 00:05:10.489 --> 00:05:13.762 I neglected to give you the context these boxes are missing, 00:05:13.762 --> 00:05:16.031 which has led to problems for some of you. 00:05:16.031 --> 00:05:17.653 So here’s that context. 00:05:17.653 --> 00:05:20.556 You don’t actually need to fill the cups completely. 00:05:20.556 --> 00:05:21.435 The end. 00:05:22.238 --> 00:05:24.619 ♫ unexpectedly smooth jazz ♫ 00:05:24.619 --> 00:05:28.039 "No no no no, it’s too early for that part!" he says to a camera 00:05:28.039 --> 00:05:31.080 hopelessly trying to suspend your disbelief that this isn’t a bit. 00:05:31.841 --> 00:05:35.084 Here’s the thing. Unless your water is very hard, 00:05:35.084 --> 00:05:38.143 filling the main detergent cup completely is unnecessary 00:05:38.143 --> 00:05:40.788 and may in fact cause rinsing issues. 00:05:40.788 --> 00:05:44.080 There is such a thing as too much detergent, 00:05:44.080 --> 00:05:49.554 and unfortunately following these instructions as written will often get you there. 00:05:49.554 --> 00:05:52.220 Now, we can choose to be cynical and say that 00:05:52.220 --> 00:05:55.435 "of course Procter & Gamble wants you to use as much dishwasher detergent 00:05:55.435 --> 00:05:57.980 as will fit in your dishwasher’s dishwasher detergent dispenser 00:05:57.980 --> 00:06:02.168 because they want you to keep buying their dishwasher detergent, and more faster please!" 00:06:02.886 --> 00:06:06.600 And yeah, it's kinda hard to escape that conclusion. 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:10.192 But if your water is up high enough on the hardness scale 00:06:10.192 --> 00:06:13.162 that it leaves you with scale that’s hard to deal with, 00:06:13.162 --> 00:06:15.918 you'll need more detergent than you might otherwise. 00:06:15.918 --> 00:06:19.789 Europeans, I’m gonna need you to hold your commenting finger-horses. 00:06:19.789 --> 00:06:22.756 Virtually none of us have dishwasher salt over here. 00:06:23.257 --> 00:06:24.581 Yes, dishwasher salt. 00:06:24.581 --> 00:06:25.857 It’s a thing! 00:06:25.857 --> 00:06:27.212 We’ll get to that. 00:06:27.212 --> 00:06:30.108 Detergents find hard water to be… 00:06:30.446 --> 00:06:31.270 difficult. 00:06:31.650 --> 00:06:37.050 The higher the mineral content, the more detergent you need for the same cleaning action. 00:06:37.050 --> 00:06:40.471 The specific reasons why aren’t important right now but, spoiler, 00:06:40.471 --> 00:06:45.359 some of the ingredients in detergent products are compounds which help to soften water 00:06:45.359 --> 00:06:48.081 and make the cleaning action more effective. 00:06:48.081 --> 00:06:51.536 How much you actually need depends on your water hardness, 00:06:51.536 --> 00:06:56.485 and wouldn’t ya know it dishwashers are designed with little fill lines in the dispenser 00:06:56.485 --> 00:06:59.550 to help you figure out how much detergent you should use. 00:06:59.550 --> 00:07:01.190 [voiceover] Haaaaa, not always! 00:07:01.190 --> 00:07:03.710 But don’t worry, I thought of that in the next sentence: 00:07:03.710 --> 00:07:09.326 With water of soft-to-medium hardness, that first line is all you probably need, 00:07:09.326 --> 00:07:11.830 which is generally about halfway. [Voiceover: See?] 00:07:11.830 --> 00:07:15.541 If you do fill it up all the way when your water is softer than some sort of 00:07:15.541 --> 00:07:20.805 really soft thing, you can end up with a powdery residue or film on your dishes 00:07:20.805 --> 00:07:25.639 simply because there was too much detergent in the wash water to be effectively rinsed away 00:07:25.639 --> 00:07:27.548 at the end of the cycle. 00:07:27.548 --> 00:07:30.459 So, If you fill the cups completely 00:07:30.459 --> 00:07:32.586 as I said you should, 00:07:32.586 --> 00:07:35.219 and you have soft-to-normal water, 00:07:35.219 --> 00:07:37.144 residue is likely to happen. 00:07:37.144 --> 00:07:40.996 And I know this happened to a fair number of you because several people, now, 00:07:40.996 --> 00:07:45.301 have asked me why they were getting a residue after trying powder detergents. 00:07:45.301 --> 00:07:51.146 In every case I explained the water hardness complication and suggested simply using less detergent, 00:07:51.146 --> 00:07:55.462 and in every case that I received a reply that fixed the problem. 00:07:55.462 --> 00:08:00.363 Again. Really sorry I read these instructions without contextualizing them. 00:08:00.363 --> 00:08:02.479 That was, frankly, careless. 00:08:02.479 --> 00:08:07.158 You’d be surprised how little detergent you actually need with typically-soiled dishes. 00:08:07.158 --> 00:08:12.357 Even with my very hard water I’m finding that only filling to the first line is sufficient 00:08:12.357 --> 00:08:17.029 (though of course, I also sprinkle some on the lid like it asks me to). 00:08:17.029 --> 00:08:21.441 So I very much regret passing on this box’s instructions as gospel 00:08:21.441 --> 00:08:28.319 and I have to wonder if they might be responsible for some of the negative perceptions towards powders and gels. 00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:32.515 Without telling you you don't need to fill it up if you don't have hard water 00:08:32.515 --> 00:08:35.878 they're kind of asking for problems to occur. 00:08:35.878 --> 00:08:40.440 I mean, they also put this on the back of the box. 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:41.440 Upgrade! 00:08:41.778 --> 00:08:42.778 Do it. 00:08:42.778 --> 00:08:43.778 More colors. 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:45.490 Prettyyyy. 00:08:46.926 --> 00:08:47.524 Hmm. 00:08:47.947 --> 00:08:50.495 OK, that’s the big boo-boo I wanted to fix. 00:08:50.495 --> 00:08:54.567 Seriously, even basic detergent products have improved over the years 00:08:54.567 --> 00:08:57.230 and you don’t actually need a whole lot. 00:08:57.230 --> 00:09:02.247 In fact, the inability to vary how much detergent goes into your wash water 00:09:02.247 --> 00:09:05.904 is one of the main reasons I don’t like these infernal things. 00:09:05.904 --> 00:09:12.294 A pre-packaged, fixed dose has to lean quite far to the side of too much detergent, 00:09:12.294 --> 00:09:16.617 yet not so far that people with soft water will have rinsing issues. 00:09:16.617 --> 00:09:21.292 They’re designed to work for the majority of people and in the majority of dishwashers, 00:09:21.292 --> 00:09:25.129 but that’s more detergent than necessary in many cases, 00:09:25.129 --> 00:09:27.311 and yet not enough in others. 00:09:27.311 --> 00:09:28.992 But wait! There’s more! 00:09:28.992 --> 00:09:30.494 Because of the simple fact that 00:09:30.494 --> 00:09:36.979 foods and oils effectively use up the dispersant and surfactant capabilities of a given quantity of detergent, 00:09:36.979 --> 00:09:42.259 you can - and one might argue should! - vary the amount of detergent you use 00:09:42.259 --> 00:09:47.525 based on how soiled your dishes actually are - and indeed how many you’re actually cleaning. 00:09:47.525 --> 00:09:52.289 These are, again, dosed right up to the line of too much detergent. 00:09:52.289 --> 00:09:57.407 In many (most?) cases that’s just way more detergent than you actually need, 00:09:57.407 --> 00:10:03.190 though to be fair it does have to make up for the sheer lack of detergent in the first water fill. 00:10:03.190 --> 00:10:06.585 Actually, fun fact, I bought a cheap loaf pan 00:10:06.585 --> 00:10:11.679 and it specifically says that detergent tablets are more concentrated and will damage the finish 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:13.205 so don’t use them. 00:10:13.205 --> 00:10:15.447 Whaddya know, it’s not just me. 00:10:15.447 --> 00:10:20.631 Now, although I personally see the ability to vary the amount of detergent used per load 00:10:20.631 --> 00:10:25.454 as a tremendous benefit of powders and gels that I would never want to give up, 00:10:25.454 --> 00:10:32.011 I can see how others might view that as adding an element of complexity and uncertainty to their washing routine. 00:10:32.307 --> 00:10:36.443 I think it’s worth some experimentation to figure out what might work best for you, 00:10:36.443 --> 00:10:41.505 and honestly only gels and powders even allow for that experimentation in the first place. 00:10:41.505 --> 00:10:45.929 But not everybody has the time or patience for that and I respect that position. 00:10:46.521 --> 00:10:49.111 Alright, so now let’s see if we can find out 00:10:49.111 --> 00:10:53.792 whether or not detergent packs are actually better than detergent in not-packs. 00:10:53.792 --> 00:10:57.832 Through the Magic of Buying Way Too Much F****ng Dishwasher Detergent 00:10:57.832 --> 00:11:01.282 we can do a number of tests and make some comparisons. 00:11:01.282 --> 00:11:02.976 Let’s start with a test: 00:11:02.976 --> 00:11:06.643 Some have claimed that detergent tabs dissolve in parts, 00:11:06.643 --> 00:11:11.010 mimicking the actions of pre-wash and main wash detergents. 00:11:11.010 --> 00:11:14.168 For the record I don’t think any manufacturers suggest this, 00:11:14.168 --> 00:11:17.174 but a lot of people apparently believe this is the case. 00:11:17.174 --> 00:11:20.447 Now I have three different kinds to test today: 00:11:20.870 --> 00:11:24.679 Cheap store-brand (my preference if you’re gonna use packs). 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:27.484 Cascade Platinum ActionPacs. 00:11:27.484 --> 00:11:31.513 And Finish Powerball Max-in-1. 00:11:31.513 --> 00:11:33.083 (They were out of Mega Millions) 00:11:33.083 --> 00:11:38.472 Of these, the only one that I have any hope for this theory panning out is the Finish tab, 00:11:38.472 --> 00:11:40.225 but we’ll find out shortly. 00:11:40.225 --> 00:11:45.996 Of note, all of these products instruct you to put them in the dispenser and close the door. 00:11:46.376 --> 00:11:48.611 Not just put them directly into the tub. 00:11:48.611 --> 00:11:54.299 That means, if used as directed, the first fill remains water-only. 00:11:54.299 --> 00:11:58.490 I think that alone kinda voids this theory but let’s keep going anyway. 00:11:58.490 --> 00:12:04.490 To see how these would dissolve I put them in a pan and gently added water as hot as it comes from the tap. 00:12:04.490 --> 00:12:10.169 And much as I was expecting, the Cascade and Great Value packs quickly disintegrated. 00:12:10.169 --> 00:12:12.993 I hadn’t even finished pouring the water into the pan 00:12:12.993 --> 00:12:14.606 before the membranes were breached, 00:12:14.606 --> 00:12:16.882 and once that happens their contents spill out 00:12:16.882 --> 00:12:19.090 and start to become one with the water. 00:12:19.090 --> 00:12:23.349 Note that this is with almost no agitation whatsoever - 00:12:23.349 --> 00:12:26.676 only that which came from pouring the water into the pan. 00:12:26.676 --> 00:12:30.029 In a real dishwasher, the flow of water every which way 00:12:30.029 --> 00:12:32.568 would speed up this process dramatically. 00:12:32.568 --> 00:12:37.316 But the thing I want to show here is that the membrane isn’t holding anything back for later. 00:12:37.316 --> 00:12:41.276 It’s just serving to hold the contents together until it gets wet, 00:12:41.276 --> 00:12:45.182 and of course to hold three pretty colors of something to convince you it’s better. 00:12:45.182 --> 00:12:49.750 In less than two minutes all of the pockets of colored liquid had broken apart. 00:12:49.750 --> 00:12:53.423 And again - this is with mostly standing water. 00:12:53.423 --> 00:12:57.006 The Finish tab, though, doesn’t dissolve nearly as quickly. 00:12:57.006 --> 00:13:00.256 This particular tab has a dissolving membrane as well 00:13:00.256 --> 00:13:03.852 but it’s just to allow for handling the tab without touching it. 00:13:03.852 --> 00:13:08.457 Cheaper Finish products are individually-wrapped (at least in this market) 00:13:08.457 --> 00:13:10.903 and that’s why I made that quip in the last video, by the way. 00:13:11.241 --> 00:13:18.134 I have no idea how anyone could *possibly* find that more convenient than just pouring from a box 00:13:18.134 --> 00:13:19.331 but whatever. 00:13:19.331 --> 00:13:24.119 Once its membrane is no more it behaves like a giant soapy Alka-Seltzer. 00:13:24.119 --> 00:13:28.109 This is taking a long time to dissolve without agitation, 00:13:28.109 --> 00:13:32.131 but I can’t say that the blue and white parts appear to be dissolving at different rates. 00:13:32.131 --> 00:13:36.661 It kinda looked at first like the white part might be dissolving faster 00:13:36.661 --> 00:13:42.240 but I brought a knife in to go a pokin’ and yeah, I couldn’t really feel a difference between them. 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:46.164 Whatever initial difference there seemed to be sure didn’t stick around. 00:13:46.164 --> 00:13:48.626 And to give this argument a true Finish, 00:13:48.626 --> 00:13:52.330 I decided to put a tab in the bottom of my loaded dishwasher 00:13:52.330 --> 00:13:56.412 to see if any of it would be left after it drained its first fill. 00:13:56.412 --> 00:13:59.980 Here it would get the proper water-washing-over-it experience 00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:03.177 and would dissolve as it normally would in a dishwasher. 00:14:03.177 --> 00:14:06.821 I can report that absolutely none of it was left, 00:14:06.821 --> 00:14:10.551 and my dishwasher only spends 10 minutes in the pre-wash. 00:14:10.551 --> 00:14:14.230 I suppose small bits could have remained below the grates in the sump, 00:14:14.230 --> 00:14:18.350 but any that got in there before it drained would have been chewed up by the macerator 00:14:18.350 --> 00:14:19.802 and pumped out. 00:14:19.802 --> 00:14:25.963 I believe we can conclude that the blue and white coloring is there because more colors equals better sales. 00:14:25.963 --> 00:14:28.355 The red ball is the cherry on top. 00:14:28.691 --> 00:14:31.650 OK, hopefully we’ve put that theory to bed. 00:14:31.650 --> 00:14:36.199 Now I want to address a nomenclature disaster which has confused this whole issue. 00:14:36.199 --> 00:14:39.410 I keep calling that bit of detergent you’re supposed to give your dishwasher 00:14:39.410 --> 00:14:42.052 at the start "pre-wash detergent." 00:14:42.052 --> 00:14:44.616 You know because that’s what the dishwasher calls it, 00:14:44.616 --> 00:14:47.934 it’s detergent for the part of the wash before the main wash. 00:14:47.934 --> 00:14:49.417 The pre-wash. 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:51.225 Pre-wash detergent. 00:14:51.225 --> 00:14:54.269 But a lot of detergent products are out there which say something like 00:14:54.269 --> 00:14:58.506 “no pre-wash required!” or just “no pre-wash!” on the packaging. 00:14:58.506 --> 00:15:00.170 What gives? 00:15:00.170 --> 00:15:04.126 Well, those aren’t talking about pre-wash detergent, 00:15:04.126 --> 00:15:10.380 they’re just trying to get you to stop washing or soaking or rinsing your dishes before you load them into the dishwasher. 00:15:10.380 --> 00:15:14.991 They want you to try using your dishwasher as a dishwasher. 00:15:14.991 --> 00:15:16.524 And frankly so do I. 00:15:16.524 --> 00:15:19.266 And that little slogan isn’t exclusive to packs, 00:15:19.266 --> 00:15:22.273 you can find it on several powder and gel products. 00:15:22.273 --> 00:15:29.582 None of these here specifically say “no pre-wash” - instead touting their abilities to clean 24 hour stuck-on food. 00:15:29.582 --> 00:15:33.537 But also none of the packs here say it either - instead going for 00:15:33.537 --> 00:15:38.775 “no pre-rinse required” and “no pre-rinse even on baked-on pasta.” 00:15:38.775 --> 00:15:42.144 Cascade is curiously silent on the issue here. 00:15:42.144 --> 00:15:44.755 But most important to remember is that 00:15:44.755 --> 00:15:49.136 these are all just marketing ploys hoping to convince you to buy the product. 00:15:49.136 --> 00:15:51.801 Don’t expect un-stretched truths. 00:15:51.801 --> 00:15:53.305 But what about this? 00:15:53.305 --> 00:15:57.181 A fair number of you have made claims that independent lab testing 00:15:57.181 --> 00:16:01.589 proves detergent packs have superior performance to basic products. 00:16:01.589 --> 00:16:07.010 But if that independent testing came from the halls of one Consumer Reports, 00:16:07.010 --> 00:16:10.332 Twitter user Michael uncovered this bombshell - 00:16:10.332 --> 00:16:13.515 they don’t use the pre-wash cup in their testing! 00:16:13.515 --> 00:16:16.523 And it came right from the horse’s mouth! 00:16:16.523 --> 00:16:21.819 Now I suppose you could argue that makes the playing field more level for the detergent packs, 00:16:22.571 --> 00:16:24.568 but my whole, like, 00:16:24.568 --> 00:16:27.442 thing is that detergent packs by design 00:16:27.442 --> 00:16:32.592 take that part of the wash cycle away and therefore make it wildly less effective. 00:16:32.592 --> 00:16:34.396 They have to compensate for that, 00:16:34.396 --> 00:16:38.376 so they’d better do a better job than misused powder and gel. 00:16:38.376 --> 00:16:42.526 But do they do a better job than powder detergents used as directed? 00:16:42.526 --> 00:16:45.626 Well, my life experience says absolutely not 00:16:45.626 --> 00:16:48.644 but I’d love for Consumer Reports to re-run their tests 00:16:48.644 --> 00:16:52.533 while using the gels and powders as directed by the dishwasher. 00:16:52.533 --> 00:16:54.344 Not these instructions. 00:16:54.344 --> 00:16:56.963 Fill to line one, and add a little extra. 00:16:56.963 --> 00:17:00.334 You might be wondering what my life experience is. 00:17:00.334 --> 00:17:01.657 Well, I’ll tell ya! 00:17:01.657 --> 00:17:06.094 By my rough estimation I’ve lived with or otherwise extensively used 00:17:06.094 --> 00:17:11.331 nine different household dishwashers in four different geographic areas. 00:17:11.331 --> 00:17:16.281 These have ranged from recent, high-end, three-rack stainless steel designs 00:17:16.281 --> 00:17:19.534 to *utter garbage* landlord specials 00:17:19.534 --> 00:17:23.625 with a 30-year-old Kenmore somewhere in the middle there. 00:17:23.625 --> 00:17:29.302 All of these dishwashers, regardless if they were hooked up to Chicago Lake Michigan municipal water, 00:17:29.302 --> 00:17:31.710 or middle-of-Florida well water, 00:17:31.710 --> 00:17:35.300 or the incredibly hard well water I have out here 00:17:35.300 --> 00:17:38.776 have managed to do their job just fine. 00:17:38.776 --> 00:17:43.223 Even the utterly terribly landlord special washed dishes 00:17:43.223 --> 00:17:46.648 and it didn’t even have a spinner for the top rack. 00:17:46.648 --> 00:17:51.542 The only thing that I’ve consistently been doing across all of these machines 00:17:51.542 --> 00:17:55.589 is putting powder detergent in both labeled places. 00:17:55.589 --> 00:17:58.694 And I feel like I can’t have just been extremely lucky, here. 00:17:59.328 --> 00:18:04.657 I honestly feel like these products break the fundamentals of automatic dishwashing. 00:18:05.890 --> 00:18:07.434 Oh but that’s right, I forgot! 00:18:07.434 --> 00:18:12.800 My dishwasher’s manual actually says the same thing about packs being better! 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:17.640 In fact it’s really pushing those tablets and packs, just take a look at that! 00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:24.296 As a matter of fact the dishwasher came with a sample of these very Cascade Platinum ActionPacs. 00:18:24.296 --> 00:18:27.920 Surely KitchenAid made that suggestion in my best interest! 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:32.420 I mean, I know they still put a little thing that says “prewash” on the dispenser, 00:18:32.420 --> 00:18:36.391 and I know the dishwasher still operates exactly like the one it replaced, 00:18:36.391 --> 00:18:40.260 but that’s probably just to keep curmudgeonly grandpas like me happy. 00:18:40.260 --> 00:18:42.719 They wouldn’t just include a sample of one product 00:18:42.719 --> 00:18:47.730 and tell me it’s proven to work better than some other one unless it was objectively true, right? 00:18:47.730 --> 00:18:51.368 I mean, look, we can even confirm here on the packaging from Cascade 00:18:51.368 --> 00:18:55.679 that this is the #1 Brand Recommended in North America, 00:18:55.679 --> 00:18:57.369 and hey look on the back 00:18:57.369 --> 00:18:58.828 there’s... there's KitchenAid! 00:18:58.828 --> 00:19:00.420 That’s, that’s my brand! 00:19:01.688 --> 00:19:02.986 Why is there an asterisk? 00:19:05.141 --> 00:19:07.529 [mumbling] more dishwasher brands in North America recommend Cascade 00:19:07.529 --> 00:19:09.803 vs. any other automatic dishwashing detergent brand: 00:19:09.803 --> 00:19:12.982 [in absolute shock] recommendations as part of co-marketing agreements! 00:19:13.953 --> 00:19:15.722 That… that... that... 00:19:15.722 --> 00:19:19.062 that sounds like… Procter & Gamble… 00:19:19.442 --> 00:19:24.861 might have had something to do with KitchenAid recommending this particular product to me! 00:19:26.252 --> 00:19:31.078 Well I suppose we will never know the exact details of this little co-marketing agreement, 00:19:31.078 --> 00:19:35.211 but we know there was one - it says so on every single one of their products. 00:19:35.211 --> 00:19:37.670 Frankly I’m amazed they have to disclose that. 00:19:37.670 --> 00:19:41.198 And, by the way, Finish does the exact same thing, 00:19:41.198 --> 00:19:44.897 though they claim to be the WORLD’s #1 recommended brand… 00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:48.010 as part of co-marketing agreements. 00:19:48.560 --> 00:19:49.324 Cheeky. 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:51.173 Here’s the deal. 00:19:51.173 --> 00:19:52.983 Detergents are just chemicals. 00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:56.514 How they’re packaged makes very little difference to their performance 00:19:56.514 --> 00:20:01.550 (although gels do have an actual drawback which we’ll get to shortly). 00:20:01.550 --> 00:20:04.792 Do all detergent products perform identically? 00:20:04.792 --> 00:20:06.152 Of course not. 00:20:06.152 --> 00:20:09.207 But the chemicals in these products are not magic 00:20:09.207 --> 00:20:13.750 and you’ll find incredibly similar ingredients lists between them. 00:20:13.750 --> 00:20:15.139 How similar? 00:20:15.139 --> 00:20:16.469 Well... 00:20:16.469 --> 00:20:21.062 Now let’s talk about these chemicals and actually explain what they do. 00:20:21.062 --> 00:20:24.509 Cascade was kind enough to actually… 00:20:24.509 --> 00:20:29.014 list them and explain what they do on the back of this bag. So... 00:20:29.014 --> 00:20:31.530 Thanks, P&G! You’ve redeemed yourself slightly. 00:20:32.031 --> 00:20:36.559 I also had many a browser tab open to fact-check what they say here and, 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:39.822 aside from little semantic differences, this all seems to be correct. 00:20:39.822 --> 00:20:44.819 So, starting with Amylase enzyme; helps break down starches. 00:20:44.819 --> 00:20:49.180 Colorants; there because pretty colors = better sales. 00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:55.164 Copolymer of acrylic and sulphonic acids; those are dispersing and surfactant agents. 00:20:55.164 --> 00:20:57.780 So soap parts. 00:20:57.780 --> 00:21:03.670 Dipropylene glycol is either another surfactant or a solvent or perhaps both. 00:21:03.670 --> 00:21:06.594 Fragrances are flagrantly unnecessary. 00:21:06.594 --> 00:21:07.588 Glycerin is… 00:21:07.588 --> 00:21:08.921 ok I’m getting tired of this. 00:21:08.921 --> 00:21:11.716 It’s soap chemicals. This is all soap stuff. 00:21:12.301 --> 00:21:18.340 What I’m most interested in is what is in the ActionPacs that’s not in the powder? 00:21:18.340 --> 00:21:20.800 By my count, it’s these five items: 00:21:20.800 --> 00:21:21.800 What do they do? 00:21:21.800 --> 00:21:26.470 Well, Dipropylene glycol and glycerin, also known as Glycerol, both appear to be used 00:21:26.470 --> 00:21:30.310 as either solvents or surfactants or possibly both. 00:21:30.310 --> 00:21:33.608 “Helps with liquid processing” is a little ambiguous, 00:21:33.608 --> 00:21:39.495 though Cascade’s website described dipropylene glycol as “fighting grease residue in dishwasher” 00:21:39.495 --> 00:21:42.510 and curiously doesn’t list glycerin at all. 00:21:42.510 --> 00:21:47.291 I was looking at some chemical industry trade news and it seems these are likely used in a 00:21:47.291 --> 00:21:53.010 formulation meant to replace 2-Butoxyethanol, sometimes called EGBE. 00:21:53.010 --> 00:21:56.112 But this is getting into chemistry weeds and I’m no expert so please, 00:21:56.112 --> 00:21:58.890 feel free to chime in, chemistry experts. 00:21:58.890 --> 00:22:02.905 In any case I’m gonna guess that these make up the pretty colored-liquids part 00:22:02.905 --> 00:22:06.868 since those two chemicals are, ya know, liquids. 00:22:06.868 --> 00:22:12.030 The other three missing chemicals are Isotridecanol Ethoxylated, which is another surfactant 00:22:12.030 --> 00:22:16.100 and probably works as an emulsifier based on Cascade’s description. 00:22:16.100 --> 00:22:21.161 Trisodium dicarboxymethyl alaninate which appears to be a water-softening agent, 00:22:21.161 --> 00:22:24.964 taking up the mantle of the now phased-out phosphates and so yeah 00:22:24.964 --> 00:22:27.419 probably does helps boost tough food cleaning, 00:22:27.419 --> 00:22:30.745 and lastly polyvinyl alcohol polymer. 00:22:30.745 --> 00:22:35.460 That’s just the dissolvable membrane. As far as I know it doesn’t help clean. 00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:41.234 So, do these five (or four) chemicals make a huge difference to cleaning power? 00:22:41.234 --> 00:22:43.346 Cascade sure wants you to think so, 00:22:43.346 --> 00:22:47.409 and at least there is something extra in here that your money is paying for, 00:22:47.409 --> 00:22:50.475 but I remain unconvinced these are game-changers. 00:22:50.869 --> 00:22:54.233 Every other chemical is also found here in this box, 00:22:54.233 --> 00:22:59.241 which you can also use in different doses better suited to your dishwasher and situation! 00:22:59.241 --> 00:23:02.140 In fact the box contains a bonus chemical! 00:23:02.140 --> 00:23:03.393 Sodium silicate! 00:23:03.393 --> 00:23:04.871 What’s it for? 00:23:04.871 --> 00:23:06.612 Well, Cascade says it is a 00:23:06.612 --> 00:23:14.512 Mineral-Based Cleaning Agent which Removes Dried/Burnt On Foods While Providing Special Care For China Dishes And Metal Pots/Pans. 00:23:14.512 --> 00:23:17.361 Geez that’s annoyingly specific yet also not at all. 00:23:17.361 --> 00:23:23.337 Some other sources just say it’s used as a water softener in detergents so I’m gonna say that’s what it’s for. 00:23:23.767 --> 00:23:26.692 That appears to bring the number of cleaning chemicals in the ActionPacs 00:23:26.692 --> 00:23:31.781 with a distinctly different function from those in the powder down to only three; 00:23:31.781 --> 00:23:35.285 all just variations on soaps and solvents. 00:23:35.285 --> 00:23:39.273 Still really struggling to see a reason to pay more for these things. 00:23:39.273 --> 00:23:41.845 And now let’s compare costs. 00:23:41.845 --> 00:23:46.263 This is legitimately why these pods annoy me so much. 00:23:46.263 --> 00:23:50.851 I’m a Midwesterner, I can’t help it, and I loathe paying more for things 00:23:50.851 --> 00:23:52.997 while getting less out of them. 00:23:52.997 --> 00:23:56.527 And frankly I’m hoping that might rub off on you a little bit. 00:23:56.527 --> 00:24:00.252 I understand that pods, realistically, are not that expensive 00:24:00.252 --> 00:24:02.236 but let’s compare costs anyway. 00:24:02.236 --> 00:24:05.427 These are the on-the-shelf prices at my local Walmart, 00:24:05.427 --> 00:24:08.663 you’ll need to do your own comparisons for where you shop. 00:24:08.663 --> 00:24:14.857 The best price you can get here for these specific Cascade Action Pacs is $0.27 each. 00:24:14.857 --> 00:24:18.281 A more basic product works out to $0.22. 00:24:18.281 --> 00:24:22.775 Finish products appear range from about 20 to 24 cents each. 00:24:22.775 --> 00:24:24.706 Now this hefty box of powder 00:24:24.706 --> 00:24:25.359 [thud] 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:29.313 costs a whopping $3.87. 00:24:29.313 --> 00:24:34.930 We only need to get 20 washes out of this to beat the best price of the packs. 00:24:34.930 --> 00:24:37.789 And how many washes do I get out of this? 00:24:37.789 --> 00:24:42.816 Well, loading the detergent like so - which has proven to be absolutely effective for me - 00:24:42.816 --> 00:24:47.195 uses 33 grams assuming my scale is reasonably accurate. 00:24:47.195 --> 00:24:50.200 That gets me 64 washes. 00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:55.182 Funnily enough that’s just about as many washes as you get out of a bulk tub of these things 00:24:55.182 --> 00:24:58.028 and woah that’s a pretty huge price delta! 00:24:58.028 --> 00:25:01.792 Even if I want to go with the name-brand detergent here, 00:25:01.792 --> 00:25:10.622 at this store that works out to less than $0.10 per load, making it half the cost of the most basic brand name pack at the best bulk price. 00:25:10.622 --> 00:25:15.534 Now, does a savings of $0.10 a day make a meaningful impact to the average person’s budget? 00:25:15.534 --> 00:25:17.349 I wouldn’t say so. 00:25:17.349 --> 00:25:20.942 Is it worth $0.10 a day for the convenience of the pack? 00:25:20.942 --> 00:25:25.894 Even I would say that, so long as they work for you, sure. 00:25:26.252 --> 00:25:30.647 But I do think it’s worth considering that if you use your dishwasher daily, 00:25:30.647 --> 00:25:37.268 you could be spending $2/month on detergent instead of perhaps $10 for a super-duper pack. 00:25:37.268 --> 00:25:41.175 That $8 could pay for one of them streaming services or something. 00:25:41.175 --> 00:25:45.436 As it turns out, in this store the cheapest option on a per-ounce basis 00:25:45.436 --> 00:25:47.980 is actually the Great Value Gel. 00:25:47.980 --> 00:25:53.346 But, I feel like you’re gonna need to use more of this to get the same performance as the powder. 00:25:53.346 --> 00:25:57.074 A lot of what you’re paying for here is just water. 00:25:57.074 --> 00:26:02.073 A powder will always be more concentrated because you add the water yourself. 00:26:02.073 --> 00:26:05.495 There’s also the fact that, if you’re concerned about packaging waste, 00:26:05.495 --> 00:26:08.013 this is a large plastic jug. 00:26:08.013 --> 00:26:12.041 Powders come in a paperboard box with a little metal spout, 00:26:12.041 --> 00:26:15.230 probably the most sustainable option out there. 00:26:15.230 --> 00:26:20.932 And packs are just as bad if not worse than gels since larger quantities come in big ol’ tub things. 00:26:20.932 --> 00:26:24.058 Packaging aside, though, let’s talk about gels. 00:26:24.058 --> 00:26:29.056 It turns out gels are probably the worst-performing option available. 00:26:29.056 --> 00:26:33.651 Why? Well, these two Cascade products reveal their weakness. 00:26:34.067 --> 00:26:40.195 Notice that there’s a qualifying asterisk after "2X the cleaning power" on the bottle of Cascade Complete. 00:26:40.195 --> 00:26:43.430 That leads us to “on starch and protein soils.” 00:26:43.430 --> 00:26:46.598 That’s those lovely enzymes modern detergents have. 00:26:46.598 --> 00:26:51.080 But now notice that the Cascade Original (what the 2X compares to) 00:26:51.080 --> 00:26:55.740 warns us that dangerous fumes are produced when mixed with other products. 00:26:55.740 --> 00:26:58.665 That’s because there’s bleach in this. 00:26:58.665 --> 00:27:01.586 Real bleach - Sodium Hypochlorite. 00:27:01.586 --> 00:27:03.521 There’s also sodium hydroxide in here, 00:27:03.521 --> 00:27:04.641 not gonna lye. 00:27:04.641 --> 00:27:07.790 Why isn’t that warning on the bottle of Cascade Complete? 00:27:07.790 --> 00:27:13.074 Because bleach and enzymes don’t like to hang around each other in a liquid suspension. 00:27:13.074 --> 00:27:16.090 If not separated the bleach will destroy the enzymes, 00:27:16.090 --> 00:27:19.368 so with gels you have to choose one or the other. 00:27:19.368 --> 00:27:22.558 Cascade Complete foregoes the bleach for enzymes, 00:27:22.558 --> 00:27:26.478 and Cascade Original doesn’t have enzymes but does have bleach. 00:27:26.478 --> 00:27:30.639 This is something I didn’t know when I made the video, and it’s quite interesting. 00:27:30.639 --> 00:27:37.720 I had a conversation on Twitter recently and someone mentioned that their gel detergent wasn’t removing coffee stains. 00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:42.970 I didn’t seem to have trouble with that when using this specific Great Value gel (which has enzymes), 00:27:42.970 --> 00:27:47.530 but I have noticed a gradual buildup of deposits on some of my cookware. 00:27:48.246 --> 00:27:53.160 I attributed that to my ridiculously hard water but I started using powder again 00:27:53.160 --> 00:27:56.420 and at least after a few washes those deposits haven't returned. 00:27:56.420 --> 00:27:58.450 That’s likely no coincidence. 00:27:58.450 --> 00:28:02.124 Because powdered detergents are produced as dry… 00:28:02.124 --> 00:28:06.800 powders they can contain both enzymes and bleach. 00:28:06.800 --> 00:28:09.720 Now in this Cascade Complete it’s not true bleach, 00:28:09.720 --> 00:28:15.483 instead it’s sodium carbonate peroxide also known as sodium percarbonate also known as 00:28:15.483 --> 00:28:17.559 the stuff in OxiClean. 00:28:17.559 --> 00:28:20.809 But the point is powders, along with tabs and packs, 00:28:20.809 --> 00:28:26.270 can keep the two components molecularly separated until water gets added by your dishwasher, 00:28:26.270 --> 00:28:31.144 making the mixture of enzymes and non-chlorine bleach shelf-stable. 00:28:31.144 --> 00:28:37.551 Notably the only product here that contains actual bleach is the cascade original gel. 00:28:37.551 --> 00:28:43.488 All of the tabs and packs also feature sodium percarbonate as their stain-fighting champion. 00:28:43.488 --> 00:28:50.330 Also notable is that apparently Cascade has cracked this problem in gels, or it least it looks that way at a glance. 00:28:50.330 --> 00:28:53.259 They sell a Complete Oxi Gel. 00:28:53.259 --> 00:29:01.340 However the ingredients list on the P&G website doesn’t show sodium carbonate peroxide as an ingredient so maybe not? 00:29:01.340 --> 00:29:02.018 I don’t know. 00:29:02.018 --> 00:29:06.204 But literally all of the other products here contain that ingredient. 00:29:06.204 --> 00:29:08.000 Only the gels don’t. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:10.970 Now I want to note that I’m not saying gels are bad. 00:29:10.970 --> 00:29:15.078 I’ve had completely satisfactory results with both of these gels, 00:29:15.078 --> 00:29:18.638 and I think they’re definitely easier to use than powders. 00:29:18.638 --> 00:29:22.361 Pouring powder into the dispenser requires a fair degree of dexterity 00:29:22.361 --> 00:29:24.630 because it just spills out. 00:29:24.630 --> 00:29:29.170 But thick gel doesn’t leave the bottle ‘til ya squeeze it so you have much more control. 00:29:29.170 --> 00:29:35.563 It’s just that, compositionally, they have that “gotta pick one: enzymes or bleach” weakness 00:29:35.563 --> 00:29:38.050 which powders and tabs don’t. 00:29:38.050 --> 00:29:42.820 But then again, they also have one more rather huge advantage up their sleeve: 00:29:42.820 --> 00:29:48.370 I started using gels because of a design flaw with a previous dishwasher of mine. 00:29:48.370 --> 00:29:53.280 I had to be mindful of how I loaded it because if I put dinner plates or other large items 00:29:53.280 --> 00:29:57.870 in front of the dispenser, those would block the door from opening fully. 00:29:57.870 --> 00:30:00.754 The top sprayer probably had a jet like you see here 00:30:00.754 --> 00:30:04.121 designed to blast the dispenser and help dislodge detergent, 00:30:04.121 --> 00:30:10.120 but if the door only opened a smidge into some plates the door itself would block that water jet. 00:30:10.120 --> 00:30:14.906 And that happened to me more than a few times with that dishwasher. 00:30:14.906 --> 00:30:20.260 I ended up with loads where my trusty powder had become a giant cake stuck in the dispenser 00:30:20.260 --> 00:30:22.770 and didn’t help wash anything. 00:30:22.770 --> 00:30:27.450 With gels it would at least always ooze out, and since I would occasionally forget about 00:30:27.450 --> 00:30:31.675 this loading requirement I decided to stop using powders with that dishwasher and 00:30:31.675 --> 00:30:35.334 kind of got into the groove of buying gels for a few years. 00:30:35.334 --> 00:30:40.250 Although one other possibility was that the gasket on the door wasn’t sealing well, 00:30:40.250 --> 00:30:44.268 causing water intrusion during the pre-wash which turned the powder into a clump 00:30:44.268 --> 00:30:46.249 before the dispenser even opened. 00:30:46.249 --> 00:30:52.520 After all if it had stayed dry, it should be able to fall out through even a pretty tiny crack. 00:30:52.520 --> 00:30:57.630 So pro-tip for those out there - if you can get to that gasket, give it a good cleaning 00:30:57.630 --> 00:30:59.050 and descaling. 00:30:59.050 --> 00:31:03.670 If you don’t have an actual gasket, do the same for whatever mating surfaces there are. 00:31:03.670 --> 00:31:08.198 I don’t know what the exact problem was but my new dishwasher has a sliding door 00:31:08.198 --> 00:31:12.556 which eliminates this problem, and so back to powders I go. 00:31:13.129 --> 00:31:15.489 After I go through all of this nonsense of course. 00:31:15.740 --> 00:31:17.950 The things I do for you... 00:31:18.234 --> 00:31:20.010 OK, next item of interest. 00:31:20.010 --> 00:31:24.552 I saw a few comments claiming that powder detergents have abrasives in them 00:31:24.552 --> 00:31:27.380 that cause the water to act something like a sandblaster. 00:31:28.884 --> 00:31:30.725 Ehhh… I don’t think so. 00:31:30.760 --> 00:31:32.740 I mean, it all dissolves in water. 00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:34.280 You can just test that. 00:31:34.280 --> 00:31:37.663 Some little granules might stay behind but if you rub them between your fingers 00:31:37.663 --> 00:31:39.730 they just disintegrate. 00:31:39.730 --> 00:31:43.428 And I don’t see anything in the ingredients list that’s not water-soluable. 00:31:43.428 --> 00:31:45.882 Some other comments were claiming something to the effect of 00:31:45.882 --> 00:31:52.467 “powder detergents destroy dishwashers!” and, well, I don’t know what you base that on. 00:31:52.467 --> 00:31:57.508 Especially since these packs are just powder in a pouch. 00:31:57.508 --> 00:32:01.619 Maybe it’s a little bit more concentrated but it’s basically the same stuff. 00:32:01.619 --> 00:32:07.030 Honestly of these products the only one that I’d be concerned with harming my dishwasher 00:32:07.030 --> 00:32:10.970 is the one with bleach and lye in it, but even then I trust it’s fine. 00:32:10.970 --> 00:32:15.201 You’re mixing a couple spoonfuls of detergent with several liters of water. 00:32:15.201 --> 00:32:16.236 And now, 00:32:16.236 --> 00:32:17.507 Rinse Aids! 00:32:17.507 --> 00:32:19.656 What are they and what are they for? 00:32:19.656 --> 00:32:24.236 Rinse aid is really quite simple - it’s just a concentrated mild surfactant 00:32:24.236 --> 00:32:27.416 with the sole purpose of reducing the surface tension of water 00:32:27.416 --> 00:32:32.627 so that it doesn’t bead up on items and instead sheets off them in a film. 00:32:32.627 --> 00:32:36.484 This reduces water spots on your stuff, especially when you have hard water, 00:32:36.484 --> 00:32:41.447 and also just makes drying easier because less water stays on your stuff. 00:32:41.447 --> 00:32:49.510 Now some detergent products claim to have a rinse-aid, though you’ll notice all these are still trying to get you to buy some. 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:52.550 And actually, they’re right. 00:32:52.550 --> 00:32:57.267 Your dishwasher was designed by smart people and the rinse aid part is quite clever. 00:32:57.267 --> 00:33:01.700 Generally as part of your detergent dispenser, there’s a place to put rinse aid. 00:33:01.700 --> 00:33:05.976 At the very end of the cycle, after it’s drained the soapy wash water away 00:33:05.976 --> 00:33:12.244 and filled up with clean water to rinse, the dispenser will squirt out a few milliliters of this stuff. 00:33:12.244 --> 00:33:17.198 That has to happen at the very end after the detergent has been drained away, 00:33:17.198 --> 00:33:22.061 which is why detergents which claim to also have rinse aids are silly. 00:33:22.061 --> 00:33:24.471 Rinse aid is cheap and lasts a long time - 00:33:24.471 --> 00:33:31.201 you also don’t have to fill it up with every wash; there will be some sort of window or indicator to show you when you need to add more. 00:33:31.201 --> 00:33:35.680 So I’d recommend using some, but also absolutely just get the store brand. 00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:38.067 This is a hilariously simple product. 00:33:38.067 --> 00:33:40.190 And now, maintenance! 00:33:40.190 --> 00:33:43.608 You heard my thoughts about dishwashers with filters in the last video. 00:33:43.608 --> 00:33:44.978 Those thoughts were; 00:33:44.978 --> 00:33:45.904 eww. 00:33:45.904 --> 00:33:49.199 But if you have them, you need to clean them at least periodically. 00:33:49.199 --> 00:33:50.432 Sorry. 00:33:50.432 --> 00:33:52.414 Regardless of if you have filters or not, 00:33:52.414 --> 00:33:55.789 your dishwasher itself could do with occasional cleaning. 00:33:55.789 --> 00:33:58.673 Gunk builds up over time, it’s just a fact of life, 00:33:58.673 --> 00:34:01.546 so periodic cleaning cycles can do some good. 00:34:01.546 --> 00:34:05.325 That gunk mostly builds up in the sump where you can’t see it, 00:34:05.325 --> 00:34:08.656 and this could be making your dishwasher perform less effectively. 00:34:08.656 --> 00:34:11.148 If you’ve never run a cleaner product through it, 00:34:11.148 --> 00:34:12.979 by gosh go do that now. 00:34:12.979 --> 00:34:15.842 There are many dishwasher cleaner products out there. 00:34:15.842 --> 00:34:18.196 I’m personally a fan of this one. 00:34:18.196 --> 00:34:21.789 Don’t know if other brands are available, but I like it because it’s clever. 00:34:21.789 --> 00:34:25.248 There’s a wax plug which melts at high temperatures. 00:34:25.248 --> 00:34:30.393 All you need to do is put this upside down in the silverware basket and run the dishwasher empty 00:34:30.393 --> 00:34:33.916 with the high-temp wash selected if you have that option. 00:34:33.916 --> 00:34:38.964 The bottle will hold onto the cleaner until the wash water is hot enough to melt the wax, 00:34:38.964 --> 00:34:42.559 ensuring it doesn’t get released until the long wash cycle. 00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:47.092 And because it’s so large, you get a lot of cleaning action, at least in my experience. 00:34:47.092 --> 00:34:54.058 All this is is really concentrated citric acid, and so you could just buy some citric acid powder and do this manually if you wanted. 00:34:54.058 --> 00:34:57.886 But it works really well, especially at descaling everything. 00:34:57.886 --> 00:35:00.315 Now about the salty Europeans. 00:35:00.315 --> 00:35:06.349 It’s apparently very common for your dishwashers to have what are essentially built-in water softeners. 00:35:06.349 --> 00:35:10.301 And frankly, that’s really neat and I’m jealous of that. 00:35:10.301 --> 00:35:13.213 Those dishwashers have a compartment for coarse salt 00:35:13.213 --> 00:35:20.000 which they use to make a brine solution and recharge the ion-exchange resin in their itty-bitty water softeners. 00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:22.628 That makes detergents work much more effectively, 00:35:22.628 --> 00:35:26.070 and reportedly many of you neglect to refill this. 00:35:26.070 --> 00:35:29.531 This has resulted in European versions of me who are just as fanatical 00:35:29.531 --> 00:35:33.420 about keeping the salt full as I am about using pre-wash detergent. 00:35:33.957 --> 00:35:36.919 Look, we both really just want you to have well-functioning dishwashers 00:35:36.919 --> 00:35:41.101 and the first step to that goal is following the dang instructions. 00:35:41.101 --> 00:35:44.868 Many of us in the States have water softeners for our entire homes 00:35:44.868 --> 00:35:50.319 but many of us also don’t, in fact Google tells me it’s only a quarter of us that actually do. 00:35:50.319 --> 00:35:54.188 So most of us, including me, just cope with whatever water we have, 00:35:54.188 --> 00:35:59.059 and in the case of dishwashers that means a lot of us need to use more detergent than we might otherwise. 00:35:59.668 --> 00:36:04.040 There might be a few dishwasher models available in the US market with built-in softeners, 00:36:04.040 --> 00:36:06.084 my money’s on them being Bosch models, 00:36:06.084 --> 00:36:09.634 but they’re absolutely the exception and not the norm. 00:36:09.634 --> 00:36:13.413 I have never, ever encountered one and I don’t think dishwasher salt 00:36:13.413 --> 00:36:16.640 is a thing I’ve ever seen sold in a store. 00:36:16.640 --> 00:36:20.230 OK, now that I’ve covered everything that I’d call informational, 00:36:20.230 --> 00:36:22.726 it’s time for the video to get a little more… 00:36:22.726 --> 00:36:24.177 salty. 00:36:24.177 --> 00:36:31.065 I’m gonna try to not go overboard here and I’ve been working and reworking this script for weeks to hopefully keep myself in check. 00:36:31.710 --> 00:36:33.946 Here’s the first thing I want to address - 00:36:33.946 --> 00:36:35.785 dishwashers absolutely, 00:36:35.785 --> 00:36:36.794 positively, 00:36:36.794 --> 00:36:42.167 honest-to-god save time, energy, and water compared to hand washing 00:36:42.167 --> 00:36:47.009 yet a shocking number of people out there are obstinately against these conclusions. 00:36:47.009 --> 00:36:52.538 Quick acknowledgement - I know that dishwashers are a luxury and that plenty of you don’t have one in the first place, 00:36:52.538 --> 00:36:55.641 and if you’ve made it this far into the video you deserve a cookie, 00:36:55.641 --> 00:36:57.963 but this criticism isn’t directed at you. 00:36:57.963 --> 00:37:01.629 This is directed at the people who have a dishwasher 00:37:01.629 --> 00:37:05.138 but smugly refuse to use it for some reason, 00:37:05.138 --> 00:37:08.313 and there are apparently a ton of you lot out there. 00:37:08.313 --> 00:37:14.038 Regarding water use - I showed you how little water they use by draining it into a tub. 00:37:14.038 --> 00:37:16.060 This is literally it. 00:37:16.060 --> 00:37:23.552 But I found a comment thread where dozens of people were skeptical about the 4.2 gallons / 16 liters figure I came to. 00:37:23.552 --> 00:37:27.434 Look, I - this person - weighed this thing 00:37:27.434 --> 00:37:29.669 and then subtracted the weight of the empty tub. 00:37:29.669 --> 00:37:33.299 Then I divided that figure by the number of pounds in a gallon of water. 00:37:33.299 --> 00:37:36.122 Then I did conversions so the rest of you would understand me. 00:37:36.122 --> 00:37:38.138 I didn’t just pull that number out of thin air, 00:37:38.138 --> 00:37:45.447 it was a real-world example from a real-world dishwasher, and one that did a just-fine job washing dishes for me. 00:37:46.271 --> 00:37:51.232 That is until its brain box started going bad giving me the perfect excuse to cut a hole in it. 00:37:51.232 --> 00:37:55.431 Look up how much water any reasonably modern dishwasher uses in a standard cycle 00:37:55.431 --> 00:37:58.387 and it’s going to be very close to that figure. 00:37:58.387 --> 00:38:00.541 And the thing is that is a constant! 00:38:00.541 --> 00:38:05.873 You can load the thing up with 8 place settings, some cookware, cutting boards, and whatever else will still fit 00:38:05.873 --> 00:38:10.374 and the same 16 liters of water will take care of cleaning all of it. 00:38:10.374 --> 00:38:16.704 Larger loads don’t take any more time or water, which cannot be said for manually washing. 00:38:16.704 --> 00:38:17.926 Now the time part. 00:38:17.926 --> 00:38:24.964 A frankly astonishing number of people are bothered by how long it takes the machine to wash dishes. 00:38:24.964 --> 00:38:29.415 Many people have proudly claimed they can hand wash faster than their dishwashers. 00:38:30.203 --> 00:38:33.670 Well of course you can, in fact I bet I could too, but 00:38:33.670 --> 00:38:36.401 (and I’m sorry I can’t avoid overt snark here) 00:38:36.401 --> 00:38:40.913 guess what I’m not doing while my dishwasher washes dishes? 00:38:41.343 --> 00:38:42.003 You guessed it! 00:38:42.003 --> 00:38:43.285 Washing dishes! 00:38:43.668 --> 00:38:48.819 Yes it takes the machine a longer period of time but I am not making that time investment. 00:38:48.819 --> 00:38:51.772 While it’s washing dishes I could be writing a script for YouTube 00:38:51.772 --> 00:38:52.474 or reading a book 00:38:52.474 --> 00:38:53.522 or playing a game 00:38:53.522 --> 00:38:54.359 or watching a movie 00:38:54.359 --> 00:38:57.219 or literally any activity at all. 00:38:57.601 --> 00:39:03.652 It’s not like the only thing you can do with that time is pace a rut in the floor waiting until you see your precious dishes again. 00:39:04.297 --> 00:39:08.856 Now, I don’t know who leaves those comments or what your motivations for doing so are. 00:39:08.856 --> 00:39:10.555 I’m not in your heads. 00:39:10.555 --> 00:39:15.693 But I just want to make abundantly clear that machine-time is not human-time 00:39:15.693 --> 00:39:20.490 and you’re not doing yourself any favors by equating the two, John Henry. 00:39:20.490 --> 00:39:23.033 In fact I know you don’t for other things. 00:39:23.033 --> 00:39:28.422 Are you still going to the river to hand-wash your laundry or have you given that task over to a machine? 00:39:28.422 --> 00:39:30.594 I bet you’re letting the machine do it. 00:39:30.594 --> 00:39:33.407 And just as is the case for my laundry routine, 00:39:33.407 --> 00:39:38.317 the longest part of my washing up routine is putting clean dishes away. 00:39:38.317 --> 00:39:44.715 I spend literally zero cleaning effort beyond pouring detergent and pushing a button. 00:39:44.715 --> 00:39:48.727 Why so many of you seem to take pride in hand-washing dishes 00:39:48.727 --> 00:39:53.637 when time-saving (and water-saving!) machines are at your disposal 00:39:53.637 --> 00:39:55.659 is entirely beyond me. 00:39:55.659 --> 00:39:57.320 And I’m a Midwesterner! 00:39:57.320 --> 00:39:59.778 I’m no stranger to principled suffering. 00:39:59.778 --> 00:40:01.319 But this ain’t it, chief. 00:40:01.319 --> 00:40:03.098 Is that still cool to say? 00:40:03.098 --> 00:40:09.075 And the last thing - even if you live alone or don’t generate large volumes of dirty dishes in a given day, 00:40:09.075 --> 00:40:12.975 I’d strongly argue the dishwasher is still your friend. 00:40:12.975 --> 00:40:17.755 I don’t run mine every day, I just put dirty dishes in it as they accumulate. 00:40:17.755 --> 00:40:19.818 Then when it’s full I run it. 00:40:19.818 --> 00:40:25.946 I’ve never had an issue with dried-on food (probably because of that magical pre-wash detergent I've been raving about) 00:40:26.555 --> 00:40:32.744 and if you’re living by yourself with only one or two place settings - wow I think you owe it to yourself to correct that. 00:40:32.744 --> 00:40:35.851 Plus you can clean most of your cookware in it, too! 00:40:35.851 --> 00:40:38.085 If you have a working dishwasher, 00:40:38.085 --> 00:40:40.678 stop wasting your time and energy. 00:40:40.678 --> 00:40:43.834 There are plenty of more fun ways to do that. 00:40:43.834 --> 00:40:47.600 And now, allow me to address a common criticism of the original video. 00:40:47.600 --> 00:40:52.968 Some people complained that I only showed the incomplete results of the first 15 minutes of washing 00:40:52.968 --> 00:40:55.156 and didn’t compare end-results. 00:40:55.156 --> 00:41:00.397 After all, if the detergent pack managed to perform as well as my cheap gel in the end, 00:41:00.397 --> 00:41:02.249 does the pre-wash even matter? 00:41:02.249 --> 00:41:04.127 Isn’t the end result all we care about? 00:41:04.879 --> 00:41:06.592 I suppose that could be argued, 00:41:06.592 --> 00:41:15.616 but the central basis of my entire argument was and is that the pre-wash water fill handles your dishes at their most soiled, 00:41:15.616 --> 00:41:20.189 and so using water alone at this point is… silly. 00:41:20.189 --> 00:41:24.608 I was surprised, frankly, at how well water stood on its own in this task, 00:41:24.608 --> 00:41:26.554 and I even said that in the video. 00:41:26.554 --> 00:41:33.218 But my intent was to compare the cleanliness of the machine and dishes at the starting point of the main wash. 00:41:33.218 --> 00:41:36.954 I wanted to show what the pre-wash detergent itself did, 00:41:36.954 --> 00:41:40.320 especially because there are just so many other variables to contend with. 00:41:40.320 --> 00:41:43.800 So I stopped it there, and that was intentional. 00:41:43.800 --> 00:41:49.898 If you’re still skeptical about my point that detergent packs go against the way most dishwashers are designed to function, 00:41:49.898 --> 00:41:51.995 well first of all don’t just take my word for it - 00:41:51.995 --> 00:41:54.358 look through some of the comments on the original video! 00:41:54.358 --> 00:41:57.389 A lot of people have seen a drastic improvement. 00:41:57.389 --> 00:42:00.573 But even better - just see for yourself! 00:42:00.573 --> 00:42:04.089 The next time you use your dishwasher, observe how it operates. 00:42:04.089 --> 00:42:10.954 Listen for when it starts draining the water - you can almost always hear that happen as a gurgling coming from your sink. 00:42:10.954 --> 00:42:16.703 Then, as it’s draining, go ahead and open it to see if the detergent dispenser is still closed. 00:42:16.703 --> 00:42:21.546 I’m betting that on a “normal” wash cycle it is and that it won’t actually open 00:42:21.546 --> 00:42:24.554 until it re-fills and starts washing again. 00:42:24.554 --> 00:42:28.936 Now, some cycles like “express” or “eco” might not work this way, 00:42:28.936 --> 00:42:33.597 but the bottom line is it doesn’t hurt to try some basic detergents. 00:42:33.597 --> 00:42:37.982 I really think if you give ‘em a fair shot, they’ll do a great job. 00:42:37.982 --> 00:42:41.008 Oh, and that leads me to answer a question many of you had. 00:42:41.008 --> 00:42:48.008 Can you use a powder or gel as a pre-wash detergent but still use your favorite pack in the main wash? 00:42:48.903 --> 00:42:56.009 In general, yes... though I would suggest you make sure neither product has any warnings about mixing with any other products 00:42:56.009 --> 00:42:58.124 but in most cases this isn’t a problem. 00:42:58.124 --> 00:43:03.334 After all lots and lots of packs are literally just bound up, highly-concentrated powders, 00:43:03.334 --> 00:43:05.100 sometimes with flair. 00:43:05.100 --> 00:43:09.030 However, I now would like to ask a question about your question: 00:43:09.388 --> 00:43:11.334 why are you asking that question? 00:43:11.501 --> 00:43:14.922 It seems a large number of you thought I’m in the pocket of Big Detergent 00:43:14.922 --> 00:43:21.264 and I wanted you to buy *more* detergent by way of two different kinds, but no not at all! 00:43:21.264 --> 00:43:25.119 That was absolutely not where I was intending to lead you. 00:43:25.119 --> 00:43:28.734 I want you to try some of the cheapest product your store has on offer, 00:43:28.734 --> 00:43:31.049 ideally boxed powder if you can get it, 00:43:31.049 --> 00:43:34.664 and use that for both pre-wash and the main wash. 00:43:35.130 --> 00:43:40.490 If you want to use up some pods you already have and intend to switch away from, well great! 00:43:40.490 --> 00:43:44.640 Though I will say that I think you should try using powder or gel products by themselves 00:43:44.640 --> 00:43:46.755 a few times to ensure that they will work for you. 00:43:47.829 --> 00:43:51.176 I’m pretty confident they will so long as you follow the path of the pre-wash, 00:43:51.176 --> 00:43:53.601 but there are never guarantees. 00:43:53.601 --> 00:43:56.215 And if you still need to use pods for whatever reason, 00:43:56.215 --> 00:44:00.867 such as their accessibility benefits or the simple fact that they’re all you can find, 00:44:00.867 --> 00:44:05.190 I suggest you try the cheapest pods your store has on offer. 00:44:05.190 --> 00:44:06.194 Go with the Kroger brand. 00:44:06.194 --> 00:44:07.194 The Great Value. 00:44:07.194 --> 00:44:07.979 The Smartly. 00:44:07.979 --> 00:44:08.979 The Essential Everyday. 00:44:08.979 --> 00:44:09.728 The Kirkland Signature. 00:44:09.728 --> 00:44:11.388 The Whatever the heck your store calls it. 00:44:11.889 --> 00:44:13.826 Throw one of them directly into the tub 00:44:13.826 --> 00:44:17.480 and put the other in the dispenser and see what sort of results you get. 00:44:17.480 --> 00:44:20.566 And if you’re having fine results using just one pod- 00:44:20.817 --> 00:44:21.590 Great! 00:44:21.590 --> 00:44:23.180 I’m not gonna stop you. 00:44:23.180 --> 00:44:26.771 If you’re happy with where you’re at, there’s no need to change things up. 00:44:26.771 --> 00:44:29.958 Unless you want the same satisfaction I do that comes from great results 00:44:29.958 --> 00:44:31.789 with the cheapest store-brand option. 00:44:31.789 --> 00:44:33.059 I just love that. 00:44:33.059 --> 00:44:34.740 It feels like sticking it to the man. 00:44:35.034 --> 00:44:39.697 I’d be way less annoyed with packs as a concept if they came in two-part tubs 00:44:39.697 --> 00:44:44.910 with two different packs - a big one for the dispenser and a little one to be thrown into the tub. 00:44:44.910 --> 00:44:49.260 Or they could even be little tear-off baby packs attached to the main one. 00:44:49.260 --> 00:44:52.214 It’s really not the concept of a pack that annoys me 00:44:52.214 --> 00:44:57.680 (though I myself would still choose to avoid them because, again, value-obsessed midwesterner). 00:44:58.181 --> 00:45:01.536 It’s that a single introduction of detergent doesn't make sense, 00:45:01.536 --> 00:45:08.093 and honestly I’m willing to bet that there has been a drastic increase in overall detergent chemical usage 00:45:08.093 --> 00:45:13.079 thanks to their need to overcompensate for the soapless pre-wash. 00:45:13.079 --> 00:45:17.599 Again, use detergent properly and you really don’t need a whole lot. 00:45:17.599 --> 00:45:22.099 Oh, and one last thing, if your preference of packs comes from the fact that they’re, 00:45:22.099 --> 00:45:25.130 quote unquote “less messy…” 00:45:26.276 --> 00:45:28.337 I would like to remind you that this is soap. 00:45:28.874 --> 00:45:32.266 If you spill some powder and it ends up outside the dispenser cup, 00:45:32.839 --> 00:45:34.000 so what? 00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:37.991 It’ll just end up in the first rinse and become part of your pre-wash detergent. 00:45:37.991 --> 00:45:43.626 A bit of soap that gets spilled on the insides of a machine which washes itself 00:45:43.626 --> 00:45:47.920 is a very silly thing to be worried about. At least, to my ears. 00:45:47.920 --> 00:45:50.380 I get it, it’s harder to use, but messy? 00:45:50.990 --> 00:45:52.490 C’mon. It’s soap. 00:45:52.801 --> 00:45:54.499 OK. I think that’s everything. 00:45:54.499 --> 00:45:56.678 Bottom line, if you’re happy with your dishwasher - 00:45:56.678 --> 00:45:57.783 clap your hands. 00:45:57.783 --> 00:45:59.413 And keep doing what you’re doing with it. 00:45:59.413 --> 00:46:05.028 But detergents aren't magic, almost all the same chemicals in here are in there, 00:46:05.028 --> 00:46:10.115 and being able to change how much you use is, to me, a good thing. 00:46:10.115 --> 00:46:15.033 And I do think it’s interesting that basically the entire dishwasher detergent market 00:46:15.033 --> 00:46:20.423 has evolved to a place where you can’t see how far you can stretch your detergent anymore. 00:46:21.032 --> 00:46:24.304 Actually it’s kind of the entire detergent market, really. 00:46:24.304 --> 00:46:27.075 Did you know you can get powdered laundry soap? 00:46:27.075 --> 00:46:30.169 Yeah, maybe I’ll have to go on a tirade about that some day… 00:46:31.100 --> 00:46:33.636 ♫ sufficiently smooth jazz ♫ 00:46:34.352 --> 00:46:37.617 Over the winter I made a video about how dishwashers work and explained how they just pump up with… 00:46:37.617 --> 00:46:38.349 MMMMH 00:46:38.349 --> 00:46:40.364 It then refills itself with clean water. 00:46:40.364 --> 00:46:42.900 If it didn't have some way to hold the detergent back until that second fill it would it all 00:46:42.900 --> 00:46:44.874 be gone in the first ten or fifteen minutes but you see deter... 00:46:45.089 --> 00:46:45.589 Yep! 00:46:45.589 --> 00:46:47.834 I need to move the teleprompter faster. 00:46:48.443 --> 00:46:53.762 [reading the script quickly but you can barely hear him because he’s not by the mic] 00:46:54.415 --> 00:46:55.068 Riveting 00:46:56.468 --> 00:46:58.089 ...help get those oils, etc, out quickly. 00:46:58.089 --> 00:47:01.704 Ann this is why many dishwashers have not one but two places you are supposed to put 00:47:01.704 --> 00:47:02.524 detergent. 00:47:02.524 --> 00:47:05.720 Because of that these pre-dosed detergent packs which bypass the pre-wash step annoy 00:47:05.720 --> 00:47:09.930 me and it’s my pet theory that they’ve led to dishwater shissatisfdumbledefufy FAH! 00:47:09.930 --> 00:47:13.969 That was too much detergent for the wash water to effectively be rinsed away at the end of 00:47:13.969 --> 00:47:15.319 the cycle. 00:47:16.859 --> 00:47:19.782 That’s not what the words were… 00:47:19.782 --> 00:47:22.950 Cascade Action Platinum Packs (?) 00:47:22.950 --> 00:47:24.599 Whether initial…. 00:47:25.464 --> 00:47:26.545 nnnmmAGGH 00:47:27.261 --> 00:47:30.995 Is that these are all just marketing ploys hoping to convince you to buy the product. 00:47:30.995 --> 00:47:33.205 Don’t expect untretched… 00:47:34.136 --> 00:47:35.503 Tha… tha… 00:47:36.900 --> 00:47:41.683 that… that… this eh... that... tha... tha... 00:47:42.829 --> 00:47:48.823 [this nonsense continues for some time.] 00:47:54.016 --> 00:47:57.484 Probably could have washed a bowl or something by now 00:48:00.000 --> 00:48:03.137 The best price you can get… oh that’s turned around. 00:48:04.534 --> 00:48:07.201 That’s right. WASHING DISHES! 00:48:08.924 --> 00:48:12.292 There's a word I didn't use in the script to describe detergent pods. 00:48:12.292 --> 00:48:15.366 In fact I edited the script down in two places because I didn't want to enrage our corporate detergent overlords. 00:48:15.366 --> 00:48:18.350 I just... you know when you need to get a printed photo into a computer you use a scanner? 00:48:18.350 --> 00:48:20.653 You get something called a scan? 00:48:20.653 --> 00:48:23.620 Just thought that's an interesting bit of trivia.