We heart dishwashing packs. There’s no pouring of powder, no clumps of gel and there’s never grit left behind. Thank heavens for that.

But, when it comes to dishwasher packs, both Lemon and I have yet to find a product that still doesn't leave some blemishes, grim or cloudiness on your glassware. This is especially the case in the all-natural realm.  

This week we both purchased some Seventh Generation Dishwasher Packs (Free & Clear) to do some product testing.  SG’s packs performed really well but the soap still left a few spots (at least in both of our dishwashers). That didn’t really fly with our OCD natures.

Luckily, Lemon’s smart mum-in-law came to the rescue and mentioned that we should do a second trial―but this time add a rinse aid.  Turn out if you combine Seventh Generation’s cleaning power with Apple Cider Vinegar (Lemon’s rinse-aid of choice) things go from somewhat spotty to truly sparkling.

It’s a magical-natural combo.  

We’re talking commercial-grade-clean. It even puts my synthetic-filled-dishwasher-detergent-days to shame (sorry, Cascade). 

Sidenote: If you have a newer dishwasher you won’t want to add vinegar directly to your rinse aid compartment. That’s because most modern compartments are made with some sort of rubber that doesn’t bode well with the vinegar's acidic level. Instead turn a small glass cup right side up in your dishwasher's top rack and pour ½ cup of vinegar in.  

Seventh Generation has been around for 28 years, so you can feel good that there’s no trendy green-washing is going on over there.  These Dishwasher packs were awarded an “A” from EWG and they clean without chlorine, phosphates or synthetic fragrances. And the pouch that holds the packs is made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a biodegradable polymer. We also love Seventh Generation for their #ComeClean campaign to their yearly Corporate Consciousness Reports. 

Anyways, we thought you’d appreciate the info. Happy dishwashing!

Love,

Hazel & Lemon

Good for Others -  Seventh Generation excels in this regard both locally and internationally.  Here are just a few of our recent favorite ways that this company helps others: Seventh Generation dedicates 10% of its pretax operating profits to various foundations & organizations. Seventh Generation has an Employee Giving Program, it has also launched a "Home Green Home" cooperative--an enterprise that provides healthy, dignified jobs for its women owners in the cleaning industry. Seventh Generation has also donated millions of diapers to families in need. You can learn more about Seventh Generation's countless other social enterprises here.

Good for You - We love that Seventh Generation products are free of phosphates, optical brighteners, synthetic surfactants and VOC's.  When it comes to dishwasher packs, these brand's ingredients are especially impressive: no chlorine, no phosphates and no synthetic fragrances. One ingredient to be mindful of in this product is: PPG-10-LAURETH-7 ( a plant-modified synthetic cleaning agent).

C&C Overall - We love this brand but this product did leave the occasional spots & residue (hence the A-). But, if you paired these handy packs with a great rinse-aid every wash then we think you'd probably bump up the score to an easy "A". 

Good for Earth -  This product uses a biodegradable formula and the packs that holds the detergent are made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a biodegradable polymer. Plus, Seventh Generation puts super-clear recycling information right on the package. We can't wait for 2020 when this company aims to have 0 waste and 100% biodegradable or recyclable products.  Until then, we adore their transparent Corporate Consciousness Reports and their Come Clean Campaign.