Hand dishwashing liquids are formulated to facilitate removal of greasy soil from dishes (glasses, plates, utensils, pots, etc.). They also suspend (emulsify) the soil in the wash water to facilitate rinsing. Although a hand dishwashing liquid does not have to produce any meaningful amount of suds to be effective at removing soil,
suds stability has become accepted (rightly or wrongly) as an indication of a product's remaining cleaning power.
Consumers Union surveyed staff members regarding their dishwashing habits. The respondents reported using one or more of the following methods. In fact, many of the respondents reported
using all three methods.
- Squirt a quantity of hand dishwashing liquid into a sink, dishpan, or equivalent before or during the process of filling it with water. Then clean the dishes using a sponge, brush, plastic scrubbing pad, or dishcloth.
- Squirt some detergent into the dish and wash it using a sponge,brush, plastic scrubbing pad, or dishcloth.
- Squirt some detergent directly onto a sponge, brush, plastic scrubbing pad, or dishcloth, which is then used to wash the dishes.
THE PRODUCTS
Most products have pull-up dispensing tops. Some have snap-top dispensing caps or screw caps without dispensers. The 22-fluid-ounce size is commonly used. However, many products come in
larger sizes, and ultra concentrated versions come in smaller containers. Most containers have contoured shapes, presumably for ease of gripping.
Hand dishwashing liquids may contain alcohol to keep the surfactants dissolved; alcohol may irritate some individuals' hands. They may also contain fragrances, preservatives, and colorants, which can also irritate.
PRODUCT PERFORMANCE
Most test methods for hand dishwashing liquids are based entirely on the products' ability to sustain a head of foam in hard water while challenged by soiled plates. The number of plates that hand
dishwashing liquids will wash before the suds are depleted varies from product to product and is affected by water hardness. In Consumers Union testing, several well-known national brands washed more than 12 plates in both hard and soft water. Most of the brands will not do much worse.
But suds stability is not the most important characteristic of good hand dishwashing liquids. Their primary function is to facilitate the removal of greasy soil. Hand dishwashing liquids do not remove soil by themselves, especially carbonized (burned on) food residues (e.g., the fat in a broiler pan), which can be difficult. They help loosen and emulsify the soil so you can more easily remove it with some amount of elbow grease and the help of a dish cloth, sponge, steel wool, or plastic scrubbing pad.
Typically, the hand dishwashing liquids Consumers Union tested were more effective at removing greasy soil in hard water than in soft water. They were very good to excellent in hard water, whereas the best products were only very good in soft water.
(Most were merely good.) However, some were not much better than using only hot water .which is not very good at all. In hard water, the better products (especially the ones with the best suds stability)
might be slightly more difficult to rinse than most of the others. In soft water the differences are less significant.
Many Consumers Union staff members reported that they never use protective gloves when they clean dishes, whereas 22 percent use them some of the time. Although most of those who never wear gloves or wear them only some of the time reported that they had not experienced any skin irritation, about 20 percent had.
Contrary to claims that some products attack grease but not skin oils, the surfactants in all hand dishwashing liquids will remove natural oils from the skin. Accordingly, none of these products will
actually be beneficial for your hands. But some products are less harsh than others. Consumers Union found the best "natural" brands to be almost as mild as baby shampoo. Whereas most products
tested were at least as mild as an adult shampoo, a few might be more irritating to some people's hands.
DOSE
Very few products provide the user with any definitive dose information. In fact, several tell the user to employ "one firm squeeze.'' To see what a "squeeze" might deliver, Consumers Union staff members were asked to show how much hand dish-Washing liquid they would squeeze into a sink or dishpan. The results varied from less than 1 gram to about 25 grams. Thus, instructions to use a "firm squeeze" to dispense hand dishwashing liquid do not provide enough information for proper dose control.
RECOMMENDATIONS
If you normally use a hand dishwashing liquid to clean a few lightly soiled dishes like milk or soft drink glasses, soup bowls or sandwich plates, it may be best to apply a few drops of the product to a dishcloth or sponge and refresh it as needed. However, if you wash a sink full of dishes, start with a dilute solution (about one tablespoon of hand dishwashing liquid for every three to four gallons of water). If this does not do an adequate cleaning job,
add more. To clean heavily soiled pots, pans, and dishes, you'll need a product with the ability to effectively emulsify the grease and loosen the tough soil, thereby making the scrubbing job as easy as possible.
No matter which product you choose, use water that is as hot as your hands can bear. Rubber gloves will permit use of the hottest possible water; they'll also protect sensitive hands from irritation. The hot water will help to soften the greasy soil, making
it easier for the hand dishwashing liquid's surfactants to loosen and emulsify it. When washing in a dishpan or sink, wash dishes and utensils by groups. Start with the least soiled group and end
with those having the heaviest soil build-up. A good sequence is glasses, flatware, plates, serving dishes, and pots/pans last.
OTHER USES
Hand dishwashing liquids are very versatile. They can be used to clean dirty hands, they can be used to hand launder delicate washable clothing, and, as mentioned throughout this book, they can be used for many other stain removal and cleaning purposes.
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Caution: Do not use a hand dishwashing liquid in an automatic dishwasher-it will over suds.
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