Green Product Review: Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder
Product tried: Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder
Test washes completed: At least eight or ten; we’ve been using it a few weeks.
Cost: About $9-10.00 at my local grocery store, for 32 oz., which is 64 loads, but I’m betting it comes out to more loads then that. Also, I found it at Drugstore.com for a great deal, just $6.59. That’s an outstanding price considering the amount you get.
Website: Again, remember that before I mentioned how Biokleen has a lame website. I still dislike their website. Here’s what I said before (and it still stands).
I’m very disappointed in the Biokleen website.
First off, their site map page is busted. Click on “Company Overview” or “Our Promise” and nothing? Also, it’s hard to find their ingredient info, in fact, I never found it, I had to pull ingredients from the actual bottle of detergent, which did not thrill me. I shouldn’t have to work so hard to look up ingredients - they should tell me about them at the site.
They also have zero pages dedicated to recycling or packaging; which in my opinion is shoddy for an eco-friendly company.
Stats:
- 3x More Concentrated
- Phosphate & Chlorine Free
- Vegan.
- No artificial fragrance, colors, or preservatives.
- No negative effects on rivers, streams, plants, or wildlife.
- Kind to those with chemical sensitivities and allergies
- biodegrades and Ozone safe.
- Not tested on animals
- New & Improved Formula home
- Removes tough stains, including coffee and tea
- Safe for high-efficiency dishwashers
Ingredients: Oxygen Bleach (Natural Sodium Percarbonate), Vegetable Fiber, Anti-Corrosive Agents (Natural), Grapefruit Seed, Pulp Extract, Soda Ash, Sodium Citrate, Readily Biodegradable Nonionic Surfactants. Contains no phosphate, chlorine, ammonia, petroleum, solvents, alcohol, butyl, ether, SLS or SLES, EDTA, DEA. No SARA title III, CA 65, or EPA priority pollutants. No materials listed by the ACGIH as hazardous.
Packaging: The container is plastic and recyclable but I don’t think the lid is. I can’t tell. After searching their site forever, (which frankly started to make me mad - I’ve had a bad day) I decided to call them. Turns out they’re closed. The good news; Bi-O-Kleen Industries, Inc. is actually right near where I live, so I’ll call them again to find out about the lids, and also maybe stop by to chat with them about their website. Hopefully more to come. There is no boxed powder available.
Review - i.e. what I think:
I followed the directions; which you can read here, and the first wash left a little white residue. The next time I washed I used a little less than 1/2 Tbs per soap cup (I have two). If I use under 1 Tbs per load, I don’t get any white residue. I ran two incredibly dirty loads of dishes and those loads came out clean looking, but a little sticky. The other loads I rinsed the dishes before hand quickly, like I normally do after we eat, before washing them. All of those came out clean and not sticky.
In my dishwasher, on my dishes, I felt like this powder worked much better than the Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Gel and also better than the Seventh Generation Dishwasher Powder. The Biokleen powder seems less iffy. The Seventh Generation products work, but I didn’t love them because once in a while something came out sketchy. Also, while I’m not the type to check for spots, I haven’t noticed any with the Biokleen powder, and I did notice some with the Seventh Gen powder.
Bottom line: If you use the Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder you need to be willing to rinse your dishes before hand. I do this anyhow, dishwashers always note that they’re aren’t meant to clean totally gross dishes, so it’s no big deal to me. I think my dishes are perfectly clean using this powder. It’s got a nice light scent, like all their products. A huge perk is that one container will last forever. You get a ton of earth-friendly loads for a great price. I’ll buy this product again.
Total score: 
Three out of five happy trees because it works well. They lose two for their lame ongoing website issues, and because they don’t offer a boxed powder; a cardboard box would be easy to recycle.
Other reviews of this product:
Tags: artificial fragrance, biodegrades, Biokleen, Biokleen All Temperature Laundry Liquid, Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder, colors, dish powder review, eco-friendly detergent, environmental honor, Not tested on animals, Ozone safe, Phosphate & Chlorine Free, preservatives, Recycle, VeganRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Green Cleaning, Product Review
11 opinions for Green Product Review: Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder
marye
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I like 7th generation. I put cider vinegar in the rinse dispenser thing and I never have a problem at all.
The other reason I like them alot is their worldview. The owner gives alot of himself and from what I have read he is ethical…which goes a long way with me. His blog is at http://www.seventhgeneration.com/learn/inspiredprotagonist
Peggy
Jun 9, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Marye, I think the people at 7G are great too. They were very kind to answer my product questions. The only thing is that the effectiveness of their powder product may depend on the water hardness in your area. I may still try their gel.
Right now I’m fairly impressed with Ecover. I haven’t tried Biokleen.
Rachel
Jun 10, 2008 at 1:46 am
I cannot get into powders. At some point they squicked me out for not rinsing well, and I’ve never tried to go back. Same thing with laundry detergents.
I have really been digging the Biokleen liquid laundry detergent, and will be trying the Biokleen dishwasher liquid soon. I also want to try 7th Gen.
Thanks for this review, Jennifer! I have to practically wash my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher anyway, I have a weak dishwasher in my apartment.
I’d heard about the cider vinegar before for rinsing, I will have to try that. Thanks for the reminder, Marye.
Peggy
Jun 10, 2008 at 3:05 am
Jennifer, what did you use to scoop this with? Do they include a plastic scoop or did you use a measuring spoon? I don’t think I’ve used a powder that didn’t have a spout for pouring.
I’m with Rachel though. I like gel better, except I do like the Ecover tablets. I guess they are pressed powder, but too bad for being individually packaged.
Jennifer
Jun 10, 2008 at 3:09 am
To scoop this powder, I used one of the MANY child sized medicine cups that I have saved from every flipping bottle of children’s aspirin and cold syrup I’ve ever had to buy. They’re pre-measured at tbs and any parent has an extra. I assume even adults have extras. I was glad the powder didn’t come with a scoop, because I got to use one of those darn medicine cups.
Actually, Cedar, who is seven is the one who fills the dishwasher with powder, and the medicine cup, which has little numbers on it is the perfect size for his hands. And it can stay in the container - i.e. you can still get the lid on.
Jennifer
Jun 10, 2008 at 3:30 am
Marye - my deal is that I don’t want to add vinegar. One the smell makes me seriously want to puke, and two, I don’t need extra steps. I like 7th gen’s whole company deal, really. But, I do like the biokleen product better overall.
Peggy - I may still try ecover, because I love their hand washing dish soap, then I’ll have to decide between them.
Rachel - I LOVE the Biokleen liquid laundry detergent. I’ve used a lot of green detergents and that’s my fave so far. Although, I may try the powder for better packaging. I don’t mind powders.
Liz.
Jun 10, 2008 at 4:25 pm
I’m not a huge fan of powder ANYTHING, even laundry detergent, and the last “Eco Friendly” dishwashing soap that we used was Pamolive Eco, which I’m not sure if that even counts as “Eco Friendly”, and it left plenty of white residue and did not clean the dishes that well at all. In fact, I had to re-wash dishes on serval occasions by hand. But I am wondering if there is a liquid, that works, that could be better then what I’m currently using.
Nature Deva
Jun 10, 2008 at 10:50 pm
I really like the Biokleen dishwashing detergent and have been using this brand for the past couple of years. If I use just a bit too much of the powder, it would leave some residue. This past year I switched to their gel and love it. No residue and easy to just squirt some in without measuring exactly.
My lovely energy star d/w broke down a year after installing it and they thankfully replaced the motor and the service guy told me at that time that dishes need to be put through a rinse cycle if they are just going to sit there dirty for a while. No detergent will get them totally clean if they sit with stuff on them for too long. I didn’t know that and instead rinse (esp. egg) off the dishes beforehand. He also said with powders, the d/w water must be hot when doing the initial filling up so to ensure that, be sure the kitchen sink tap water is hot before turning on the d/w. I didn’t realize that, either. He did say to do this for both gels or powders but esp. if using the powders and they will do their job better.
It did make a big difference doing what he said when using the powders and I still do that with using the gel and I haven’t ever used a vinegar rinse before.
Emily
Jun 17, 2008 at 3:03 am
Hi Jennifer!
Nice review :)
(I dislike the smell of vinegar as well. Not quite want-to-puke dislike, but more it just doesn’t smell clean to me.)
Regards,
Emily
Jennifer
Jun 17, 2008 at 3:09 am
@Emily - Hey, I liked your review as well. So, the puke deal is a little much? I’m sort of blunt. But it’s true, I remember being a kid, and my mom would clean the coffee pot with it and I’d feel sick. I can’t even eat salad dressings with a vinegar scent at all. Now my own son hates the smell. Maybe it’s genetic? You’re the first person ever to agree with me abut vinegar I think - everyone else seems to love it.
Jennifer
Jun 17, 2008 at 3:18 am
Liz and Nature Deva - you know I left both of you comments. It must have been during last week when Askimet decided I was spam for some reason. Sorry! I wasn’t ignoring you two, I swear. Hmmm, let’s see if I can remember what I said….
@Liz we did a review of the 7th gen liquid, but we do like powder better around here (at least so far). We also did a review, or looked at Pamolive Eco which we do not consider a green brand at all. It’s interesting to hear that it doesn’t work well. Look at our green review category for reviews of the liquid; which I think is ok, I just don’t love the packaging.
Nature Deva I always rinse dishes - dishwashers are really just sanitizers. Sort of, I guess it depends on if you use hot water, I doubt the water gets hot enough to sanitize. My take is this, there are tons of germs all over, my dishes are as clean as they are, but likely not germ free, because no one’s dishes are, and that’s ok. I’m way more worried about other stuff than germs. That’s pretty interesting stuff that guy told you though, I haven’t heard any of it before.
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