Asda (Dishwasher Products) > Reviews > Powder Power!

Author's product rating:   

Value for Money	Good value
Do you need to use much for each clean?	The suggested amount produces best results
Irritable to skin?	Harsh
Longlasting effects?	Keeps things looking clean for longer than average

Advantages:	Cheap, cleans really well
Disadvantages:	Bottle is hard to open

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Asda's 3 in 1 Dishwash Powder

After 24 years of washing up, I decided last week that I wanted a dishwasher. Although the main reason was because I hate washing up, I also wanted to get my glasses really sparkling clean.

We bought a Table Top dishwasher which is perfect for us. We are able to for around 8 plates, a few bowls, cups and glasses in and there is a separate rack for cutlery.

However, when we bought it, we were told that the compartment didn't accept dishwash tablets, which is what I had intended to use.

So, off we went to Asda to see what powder they had on offer. Unfortunately, there wasn't a huge selection of Dishwash powder. Tablets seem to have taken over the dishwasher cleaning market so I only had two products to choose from. One was a well known brand, which advertised itself to be just 'Lemon Dishwash Powder'. and was priced at £2.58 for a 1kg bottle.

The other was Asda's own '3 in 1 Dishwash Powder, Lemon Fresh' and was priced at £1.98 for a 1kg bottle. This was the powder I decided to buy.

**THE PACKAGING**
The powder is packaged in a 1kg white bottle. There's not actually much detail to the bottle - there is a label on the front telling us what the product is and the basics of what it does and a picture of a sparkling glass and fork in the background.

On the back is another label with details on how to use, cautions and ingredients. There are also contact details for Asda. Incidentally, this product doesn't seem to have the 'Asda Guarantee' - most of their items declare that if you don't like the product, take it back for a full refund.

The bottle is topped off by a blue lid which has caused a few problems for me! There are arrows on the top of the lid indicating that to open it, you must put your fingers on their side of the arrows and push in. I tried this for about five minutes and
I just couldn't get it open. Jay did open it for me, but only after a bit of a struggle! Since then, I managed to break the lid of entirely after trying to open it. It's not the best design in the world.

**THE POWDER**
Upon finally opening the lid, there is a clear, pleasant lemon smell. The smell is subtle and so I wasn't worried about my plates coming out with a strong smell.

The powder is made up of white powder with small blue particles. I can assume that this is either the 'Built in Salt Action' which helps to keep your dishwasher clean or the 'Built in Rinse aid' to help the dishes rise properly.

I didn't get a feel of the texture of the powder as I didn't want to get it on my hands, due to it being an irritant.

**HOW TO USE**
The powder has a 'pourer' and so when I pour it into the compartment in the dishwasher, it goes exactly where I want it to. The instructions to advise to fill the dispenser inside your dishwasher to the 'fill level mark'. If you do not have a dispenser, they advise to use around 40g (2 heaped teaspoons) instead.

For areas with hard water, it is recommended to use slightly more powder. For areas with soft water, you are able to use slightly less.

Before switching the dishwasher on, ensure that what you have put in is suitable for cleaning. For example, some plastics and wood are not acceptable. Most items these days advise if they are suitable for a dishwasher.

**THE RESULTS**
When my first cycle was finished, I couldn't wait to see the results. I left the dishwasher for a while, as it gets very hot then went to have a look.

My first observation was that there was a small line of residue running from the compartment, down to the bottom of the dishwasher. However, this residue didn't seem to be on any of the plates or glasses that had been washed. I realise now that this was because I put too much powder in the compartment. After using the right amount since, there has been no residue whatsoever.

The lemon smell was still there but was very faint. The whole of the dishwasher and its items smelt very clean and 'washed'. The plates and glasses were 'sparkling' There was no leftover bits of food, etc left on anything and although I know that this is mainly thanks to the dishwasher itself, I'm sure the powder had a big part to play in getting stubborn food off plates.

When I took the plates and glasses out of the dishwasher, they had a really 'clean' feel about them.

**INGREDIENTS**
The main ingredients listed are:
More than 30% Phosphates (This acts as a water softener)
5-15% Oxygen based bleaching agent
Less than 5% - Non-Ionic Surfactant (Also known as a wetting agent, which lowers the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading)

The product also contains Enzymes which help to speed up the cleaning chemical reactions, for better results.

**CAUTIONS**
As with most cleaning products, this item is an irritant and should be stored well away from the reach of children and animals. Advice is given on the back of the item, should the item be swallowed or come into contact with the eyes or skin. Obviously, in all cases, medical advise should be obtained immediately.

**MY VERDICT**
I am very impressed with this product. I have used it a number of times now and each time, the items have come out of the dishwasher 100% clean.

I have done about 6 washes so far, and it doesn't even seem to have broken the surface of the powder - I can see this powder lasting quite a while!

All in all, I'm glad I went for this powder, rather than the well known competitor. Apart from the problems with the lid, the cleaning results have been fantastic.

I would thoroughly recommend this product.