I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
I love my vintage Pfaltzgraff dishes. Fancy Instagram post-processing texture? Cool. Icky streaks and spots post-dishwasher? Not cool.
When we moved into our previous home, I discovered the dirty little secret about Hoosier water: it’s hard. Very, very hard. Our house didn’t have a water softener, and how the previous owner could stand it, I don’t know. But within days we’d had it and we were off to buy a softener. While the water situation remedied itself pretty quickly, the effects from years of hard-water weren’t so easy to fix on our dishwasher. The inside looked someone had tried to make a diorama of a cave in it – layer upon layer of hard-water buildup. We eventually gave up on cleaning it. Frankly, it was grossing us out, so we bought a new dishwasher.
In the six years we lived in that house, we managed to keep the dishwasher clean and hard-water buildup at bay. I still struggled with spots on my dishes and glassware, though. I tried just about every product out there, from the very cheap to the very ecofriendly to the very expensive. The only product that ended up working was Cascade Action Pacs. Not only did they work well, I loved not having to deal with goopy liquid or messy powder.
In our new home, the owners left behind some pretty fancy kitchen appliances, including the dishwasher. The first time I opened it, I was convinced they’d never actually washed a dish in it. I’d let my kids eat off the surface. I think I could do my hair and makeup in its shiny reflection. You can bet I plan to make sure it stays that way.
As happy as I’ve been with my dependable Cascade, it’s time to make a switch. This spring they launched Cascade Platinum Pacs. Same packaging I love, but with new features that, while they may bump the price up by a few cents, make them worth every penny. Features like:
- No need to pre-wash dishes. Me? I’m a rinser. Mike is, too. But this summer we’re working on getting the kids involved. Sure, I’ll show them how I put the dishes in the dishwasher, but you know how that goes. As long as they make it in there I’ll be happy. With Cascade Platinum Pacs I won’t have to worry about what they did in between clearing the table and loading the dishwasher.
- Removes stuck-on, 24-hour food. Have you ever dealt with cereal spackle? No? You don’t leave the breakfast bowls out so long they develop super-strength adhesive properties? Or my favorite, half-and-hurl: what happens when you forget your insulated coffee mug in the hot car after the early mornings at swim team practice. These, and many other food atrocities, were something my old standby couldn’t quite handle. Washing dishes once is bad enough. Who wants to do them twice?
- Leaves dishes spot free. I had some stubborn spots on a few of my beloved vintage Pfaltzgraff and Frankoma dishes and trusty wine glasses that never seemed to budge. A single cycle with Cascade Platinum Pacs took care of it once and for all.
- Maintains a clean dishwasher interior. SOLD. I can keep checking my profile by the shine of the dishwasher.
Where once only our family and the guests we invited into our homes saw our dishes up close and personal, now we often put them out there for the whole world to see. With Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram we’re sharing what we eat as well as what we eat it on. Spots on my dishes? No way – the only textures I want to see are the ones you add after you snap the pic. Cascade Platinum Pacs is partnering with Gail Simmons, of Top Chef and Food+Wine fame, to discuss why presentation is just as important as preparation.
You can also participate in a super fun Instagram contest. Through June 30, the Cascade “My Platinum” Instagram contest encourages participants to upload photos based on weekly themes. Using the hashtag #MyPlatinum and tagging them with @MyCascade enters you in a weekly drawing for a new Whirlpool dishwasher. A grand prize winner will receive a Platinum kitchen makeover!
Give Cascade Platinum Pacs and try and tell me if it doesn’t make your life just a teensy bit easier. There are hundreds of fun summer things calling your name right now, and I’m pretty sure spending extra time on your dishes isn’t one of them!