Seventh Generation Dishwashing Gel Doesn't Sparkle

Every time our household runs out of a cleaning solution, we try to replace it with a more environmentally-friendly product. The Seventh Generation dishwashing gel was one of the new cleaning products about which we were most excited because of the number of dishes we wash.

The Seventh Generation dishwashing gel claims to "get dishes sparkling clean" while being gentle to the Earth. It might be good for the planet, but unfortunately it is not great at getting dishes clean. And if post- dishwashing you have to re-wash the dishes, it somewhat defeats the purpose.

Seventh Generation Advertising

The bottle statement says, "you are making a difference when purchasing a phosphate and chlorine free product that helps reduce the risk of harm to our lakes and ponds and keep chlorine's dangers out of the environment." The dishwashing gel is non-toxic, biodegradable, has no chlorine or phosphates, and safe for septic systems.

Unlike many of the mainstream dishwashing detergents, Seventh Generation lists all ingredients in the detergent so consumers will know what is in the product. All of the Seventh Generation detergents pose no chronic health risks and are safe for the environment. Though some studies show that phosphates are not toxic to people or animals unless they are present in very high levels, polluted soil and digestive problems can occur from extremely high levels of phosphate.

The Seventh Generation dishwasher detergent is vegetable-based product, and according to Seventh Generation literature, if every household in the U.S. replaced just one 25 oz. bottle of petroleum-based dishwashing liquid with a vegetable-based product, it could save 81,000 barrels of oil annually. This is enough to heat and cool 6,800 U.S. homes for a year.

Cleaning Powers

All of these factors are important because of the environmental impacts of so many other cleansers. Unfortunately, only about half of the dishes in any given dishwasher load using Seventh Generation get clean. The bottle suggests using a full dispenser of detergent for households with hard water or heavily soiled dishes. At first I thought that we were not using enough detergent, or the dishes were not facing the spray, or the dishwasher was overloaded. So we made changes, and still end up rewashing some of the dishes.

Knowing that dishes may not get as clean, consumers may have to more carefully scrape dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. While re-washing the dishes uses water, oil, and energy, the Seventh Generation dishwashing gel overall is still gentler to the environment and a good choice.

Seventh Generation costs approximately $1 more than comparable dishwashing detergents. In the scheme of things, contributing $1 more per product to be more environmentally conscious is a bargain. However, the efficacy of the product currently is not up to the needs of busy families. Hopefully, as consumers continue to make green choices with their cleaning products, companies will continue to improve the products.

Sources:

Seventh Generation

City of Boulder/USGS Water Quality Monitoring