The Mystery of the Dirty Dishes, Chapter 3

Today I'm happy to report I've made some headway on the dishwasher mystery:

Sure, the cracks look terrible, but it's clean!

Compare this new result to my initial disaster (if you're unfamiliar with the mystery so far, check out Chapter 1 and Chapter 2):

Ew. Ew ew ew.

So here's what I did: I filled the main detergent cup with Cascade and the second one with Natureclean, then added white vinegar as a rinse aid. I'm still a little disappointed with the cutlery but am happy that my mug with tea stains has become a mug with mere memories of tea. Sure, it's not sparkling, but I have multiple fancy tea cups that I only ever wash by hand for discerning guests.

Coincidentally, the New York Times just ran an article about low-phosphate detergents. Not a particularly friendly one, either, singling out disgruntled whiners while conveniently ignoring everyone who has had great results with eco brands. Also, the author made statements about people choosing traditional products because of how unappealing it is to make personal sacrifices for the sake of the environment, rather than how switching to healthier options points to how much we've been sacrificing nature for so long.

Subsequently, people voiced there opinions. Lots of them did. And they were angry. Please read the article and the comments and perhaps leave a few comments of your own below this post.