You might have heard us mention a product called Lemi Shine, which is a dishwasher detergent additive. We’ve had questions from several customers who wonder why there is need for a detergent additive, when the EasyWater No-Salt Conditioner was made to treat hard water minerals. Good question! There are two big answers.

1. First and foremost, the EasyWater No-Salt Conditioner doesn’t remove minerals from water. This means that where water is allowed to evaporate from a surface there will be a whitish mineral spot left behind. This is called evaporative mineral. Lemi Shine is a natural product that enables evaporative mineral water spots to rinse cleanly off your dishes.

2. In the summer of 2010, many states chose to ban phosphates from dishwasher detergent. As a result, some manufacturers of detergent voluntarily chose to change their formulation to remove phosphates. This means that no matter where you live, the formulation of your favorite brand of detergent has likely changed. Phosphates bind calcium in water, so their absence from dishwashing detergent means that you will have more water spots than you have had in the past. The addition of Lemi Shine to the detergent cup will provide the boost that the new formulations of detergent need to get your dishes clean.

In our testing, we have found that when water is treated with the EasyWater No-Salt Conditioner, a combination of 1 tbsp Cascade Complete + 1 tbsp Lemi Shine is the most effective way to get dishes clean in the dishwasher. Your results might be different, however, depending on the hardness of your water and the brand of detergent you use. If your glasses are cloudy out of the dishwasher with this combination, try cutting back on the amount of detergent used.

Have you found a ratio that has worked for you? If so, leave us a comment with your city and state, and the amount and brand of detergent you use!