Dishwasher Detergent Prices Differ by Up to 1.8 Times... What About Cleaning Performance?

Results of Testing and Evaluation of Six Dishwasher Detergent Products
Superior Cleaning Performance by Ecover, Jayeonpong, and Frosch
Cost Per Wash Differs by Up to 1.8 Times Depending on the Product

The cleaning performance of major dishwasher detergents was found to vary by product. The cost per wash differed by up to 1.8 times depending on the product.

On January 8, the Korea Consumer Agency announced the results of its testing and evaluation of the cleaning performance, safety, and environmental impact of six tablet-type dishwasher detergents.

The products tested were: ▲Rabikit Dishwasher Detergent (distributed by Bootstrap) ▲Saenghwal Gongjakso Baking Soda Dishwasher Detergent Tablet (Saenghwal Gongjakso) ▲Ecover All-in-One Dishwasher Detergent (EcoAce) ▲Jayeonpong Steamworth Dishwasher Detergent Citric Acid & Lemon (LG Household & Health Care) ▲Tamsa All-in-One Dishwasher Detergent Tablet (CPLB) ▲Frosch Green Lemon Dishwasher Detergent (JNB).

According to the evaluation, under everyday soiling conditions such as rice grains, three products-Ecover All-in-One Dishwasher Detergent (EcoAce), Jayeonpong Steamworth Dishwasher Detergent Citric Acid & Lemon (LG Household & Health Care), and Frosch Green Lemon Dishwasher Detergent (JNB)-demonstrated relatively superior cleaning performance. Under harsher conditions, such as burnt cheese, Frosch performed better than the others.

The cost per wash varied by up to 1.8 times depending on the product. Tamsa All-in-One Dishwasher Detergent Tablet had the lowest cost at 384 KRW per wash, while Ecover All-in-One Dishwasher Detergent was the highest at 723 KRW.

The biodegradability, which measures the degree to which the product decomposes in water, was over 70% for all products, meeting the reference standard. Bootstrap, EcoAce, and LG Household & Health Care products showed biodegradability rates of over 90%.

All products met relevant standards for safety, content quantity, and mandatory labeling requirements.

However, there is a possibility that tablet-type dishwasher detergents could be mistaken for food (such as candy) and ingested by vulnerable groups, including visually impaired individuals and children. Upon checking the test samples, none of the products had braille labeling, and only the Saenghwal Gongjakso product featured child-resistant packaging.

The Korea Consumer Agency stated that, as there are currently no standards for child-resistant packaging for dishwasher detergents, which are classified as sanitary products, it plans to recommend the establishment of such regulations to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, which is responsible for this matter.