Latest news with #AndreaBarnes
New York Times
07-07-2025
- Health
- New York Times
CleanTok Says Dishwasher Rinse Aid Causes IBS. Actually, That's False.
Rinse aid is a liquid that can be added to a dishwasher to help prevent water spots on glassware, which are especially persistent if you have hard water. You add the rinse aid to a compartment in your dishwasher about once a month, and the rinse aid dispenses in small amounts (usually around 3 to 5 mL) toward the end of each wash cycle. The rinse aid compartment is often located near the detergent dispenser in your dishwasher door. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Rinse aid contains surfactants, or surface active agents. When rinse aid meets water, these surfactants break water tension, allowing droplets of water to sheet off dishes and glassware. This expedites drying and helps glassware dry without spots. Rinse aid also aids in drying, picking up some of the slack from the machine's drying system, which can help save time and energy usage in a typical dishwasher cycle. The mug and bowl on the left were dipped in food coloring and water, while the mug and bowl on the right were dipped in the same solution with a half teaspoon of rinse aid added. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter The bowl on the left was dipped in a solution of water and food coloring. The bowl on the right was dipped in the same solution with a teaspoon of rinse aid added. The rinse aid helps water glide off surfaces, leaving the bowl on the right with fewer water droplets. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter The mug and bowl on the left were dipped in food coloring and water, while the mug and bowl on the right were dipped in the same solution with a half teaspoon of rinse aid added. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter The study making the rounds online was published in 2022 in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, a peer-reviewed journal. Scientists at the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), part of the University of Zurich in Switzerland, wanted to explore how common dish cleaning products might impact the gut. Specifically, they were interested in epithelial cells, the cells lining the intestines, which are thought to be a key component of the immune system's defenses. Researchers washed dishes in both commercial and residential dishwashers and then examined them for residue. They then directly exposed epithelial cells in vitro (outside of the body) to various dilutions of professional rinse aid and other detergents in water to see how they responded. Professional rinse aid was shown to impair epithelial cells after being exposed for 24 continuous hours, and the study pinpointed alcohol ethoxylates as the main culprit. The study found that cups washed in household dishwashers had undetectable concentrations of detergent, context that social media posts often fail to mention. Instead, the findings being highlighted on social media are from studying residue on dishes washed in commercial dishwashers with professional rinse aid. Here's the catch: professional rinse aid is highly concentrated and meant for use in commercial dishwashers. It isn't rinsed as thoroughly, due to the speed at which dishes must be washed. Commercial kitchens need to sanitize dishes quickly to satisfy health department requirements, and dishes must be dried quickly to keep up with demand. Professional rinse aid makes quick drying possible. Household dishwashers, on the other hand, have longer cycles and a final rinse of clean water. The rinse aid used in homes is also less concentrated. Because of this, the likelihood of similar amounts of alcohol ethoxylates remaining on your dishes at home is far lower than what might happen in the commercial settings that the experiment was studying. This is a commercial dishwasher, which is meant to wash dishes much faster than a typical household dishwasher. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter But whether the dishwasher is commercial or residential, the rinse aid dilutions used in this study do not reflect a manufacturer's recommended use, noted Joseph Zagorski, a toxicologist and associate professor at the Center for Research on Ingredient Safety, a toxicology research center at Michigan State University. 'When used as directed, with the proper dilution, alcohol ethoxylates are considered safe for use. The referenced paper uses dilutions that are outside of the manufacturer's requirements,' said Zagorski. But what if a small amount of rinse aid did manage to make it onto your glass and you accidentally ingested it? Would it reach the protective barrier of your intestines? 'The odds are pretty stacked against it,' said Thomas Wallach, MD, chief of pediatric gastroenterology at SUNY Downstate, whose research focuses on the gut's epithelial barrier. (Epithelial cells are cells on the surfaces of the body, such as skin and the inside of your intestines. ) At the very least, it's unlikely to occur at the concentrations of alcohol ethoxylates reflected in the study. Here's why: For a person's epithelial cells in their intestines to be exposed to the level of rinse aid described in the study, not only would there need to be an unusually large amount of rinse aid left on their dishes, but trace amounts of previously dried rinse aid would then need to make it through saliva, the esophagus, and then the stomach and its enzymes and acids, before finally reaching the intestines. There, it would need to penetrate the gut's mucus barrier, which Wallach described to me as highly unlikely. Emerging research studies like this one are designed to highlight subject areas where more research (and funding) is justified, said Wallach. 'I would look at this as the beginning of a process,' he said about the 2022 rinse aid study. 'I would definitely not consider this a conclusion.' I have celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the small intestine, and I often wonder what might have triggered the gene lurking in my body. Was it a viral illness, an allergic reaction, or perhaps chronic exposure to a chemical or contaminant? I, and the medical establishment, don't know. And that's what's tricky about studies like this one. They pose more questions than they answer, and that's the point: These studies are designed to show areas we should continue to explore. Hopefully you're not still worrying about using rinse aid, but if you're wondering about alcohol-ethoxylate-free alternatives, you have options. Not all rinse aids are formulated with alcohol ethoxylates. Though we don't recommend a specific rinse aid at Wirecutter, in my own home, I use Ecover Rinse Aid, which is citric-acid-based and happens to contain no alcohol ethoxylates. This alcohol-ethoxylate-free rinse aid leaves streak-free dishes and spot-free glassware. But it's among the pricier rinse aids available. If you're concerned about rinse aid agents in some dishwasher detergent pods, these agents are formulated to be rinsed off by the final cycle. But if you prefer to avoid them altogether, you can switch to either of our powder detergent picks, Cascade Complete Powder or Dirty Labs 2-in-1 Bio Enzyme Dishwasher Detergent + Booster, which don't contain rinse aid. And of course, if you don't mind spots on your glasses, you can forgo using rinse aid altogether. This powder detergent is free of dyes, allergenic fragrance, PVA/PVOH, and plastic packaging. It cleans very well, but it falls short on grease and glassware, and it's the most expensive powder we tested. This affordable and powerful powder detergent wipes away baked-on and greasy foods, but you may need to use more than the recommended dose to get the best results. Some people recommend vinegar as an alternative to rinse aid. Vinegar will likely help prevent mineral deposits on glassware, but at Wirecutter, we don't recommend the prolonged use of vinegar in your dishwasher. Ongoing exposure to the highly acidic liquid could eventually cause issues with internal components of the machine. Rinse aid is a safer, more effective bet. If this entire study has you wondering what simple ingredient swaps you might be able to make for dishwasher detergent, too, I cannot emphasize this enough: I do not recommend making your own dishwasher detergent, for safety concerns as well as effectiveness. A vintage ad for Cascade detergent shows that the desire for spot-free glass solutions has been around for some time. Photo courtesy of Procter & Gamble Heritage Center & Archives. Unlike your average DIY dishwasher detergent recipe, the dishwasher detergents we recommend are designed by chemists and other cleaning experts. This year, I toured Procter & Gamble's dishwasher detergent testing labs and saw firsthand the level to which products are tested and researched for both safety and efficacy. Conversely, many DIY dishwasher detergent recipes call for borax, or sodium borate, a cleaning agent that is banned in the European Union and can cause potential harm if ingested. Besides the possible safety concerns, DIY dishwasher detergent just isn't that effective. We mixed DIY dishwasher detergent in-house for our dishwasher detergent guide using washing soda, borax, and citric acid; it made me sneeze repeatedly, and within a month or two it had caked into a solid brick that we couldn't break open. (We ended up using water to dissolve it.) It also did not clean dishes very well, especially when compared with our two powder detergent picks. I love a satisfying CleanTok as much as the next person (rug restoration, anyone?), but I have learned to think twice when a talking head tells me to be scared of a common cleaning product. It would be awesome if you could cure gastrointestinal issues by swapping out cleaning products, but is anything ever that simple? Based on what we know now, the answer is no — so I happily continue to use rinse aid. This article was edited by Katie Okamoto and Megan Beauchamp. Dishwashers save water, time, and energy. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your machine. Dishwasher detergents are better than ever, and after testing over 30 of them, we've found that Cascade Free & Clear ActionPacs deliver the best overall clean. Inexpensive doesn't necessarily mean bad. Cascade Complete Powder costs just pennies per load and is the best powdered dishwasher detergent we've tested. What I Cover I research and report on dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, and laundry. This involves touring factories, visiting showrooms, attending trade shows, speaking with appliance-brand representatives, interviewing experts, studying patents and schematics, and reading manuals. I am based in New York City, and I test appliances in our Long Island City office.
New York Times
05-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
4 Laundry Detergents That Come in Plastic-Free Packaging (And What We Think of Them)
In this edition of Clean Everything, we're talking about laundry detergent that comes in plastic-free packaging — and why some options out there might not actually be a more sustainable choice. Let's talk detergent. Senior staff writer and laundry expert Andrea Barnes says that reducing plastic packaging is one area in which the laundry industry as a whole is taking steps to minimize waste. But it's complicated — just because a laundry detergent comes in plastic-free packaging doesn't mean it's automatically a more sustainable choice. Andrea anticipates that we're sure to see more and more somewhat experimental detergents enter the scene over the coming years. We'll continue to test them to find the best detergents that don't sacrifice convenience or cleaning power. And in the meantime, here are four laundry detergents that don't come in plastic we've tested so far — and what we think of them: A hyper-concentrated liquid detergent that comes in a metal bottle: In our testing, we've found that this liquid detergent is the best for the sustainability conscious. It's admittedly expensive, yes. But it's free of potentially irritating ingredients, comes in a recyclable aluminum bottle, and is highly effective at removing stains and odors. In our testing, we've found that this liquid detergent is the best for the sustainability conscious. It's admittedly expensive, yes. But it's free of potentially irritating ingredients, comes in a recyclable aluminum bottle, and is highly effective at removing stains and odors. Powder that comes in a cardboard box: This powerful powder detergent outperformed all the other powders we tested, removing some of the toughest stains and odors with ease. Plus, unlike other boxed detergents we've tested, it's easy to open and store long term. This powerful powder detergent outperformed all the other powders we tested, removing some of the toughest stains and odors with ease. Plus, unlike other boxed detergents we've tested, it's easy to open and store long term. Laundry detergent sheets: We're not a fan. Though they claim to cut down on excess packaging and weight, in our tests, we found that laundry detergent sheets are just, well, terrible at cleaning laundry. Says Andrea: 'Simply put: If you use laundry sheets, you're more likely to have to wash stained or smelly laundry multiple times and/or with hot water to get it even tolerably clean. That makes using laundry sheets inconvenient, and it likely negates any positive environmental impact.' We're not a fan. Though they claim to cut down on excess packaging and weight, in our tests, we found that laundry detergent sheets are just, well, terrible at cleaning laundry. Says Andrea: 'Simply put: If you use laundry sheets, you're more likely to have to wash stained or smelly laundry multiple times and/or with hot water to get it even tolerably clean. That makes using laundry sheets inconvenient, and it likely negates any positive environmental impact.' Solid laundry detergent tiles: These sponge-like laundry detergent tiles are easy to toss into the washing machine — and are far better cleaners than sheets. But they aren't perfect. They're not quite as effective on oily stains as traditional detergent is, and they're heavily fragranced (though Andrea is looking forward to testing the soon-to-be released fragrance-free version). The tiles show promise as a potential solid detergent of the future, but in order for them to gain popularity, the formula needs some tweaking. Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter Recently, the Trump administration proposed several plans to roll back federal regulation of energy- and water-saving home appliances — including shutting down Energy Star, a popular certification program for high-efficiency products that save more energy and water. This might impact your choices the next time you're shopping for a laundry machine and many other appliances. Here's what to know. A little motivation: There's a thriving ecosystem of dust mites, dead skin cells, and sweat in bed with you. They're nearly unanimously recommended by homeowners and our bug experts. New pressure washers are getting smaller and quieter, with plenty of satisfying scouring power for outdoor surfaces. It tries (and mostly fails) to pick stuff up for you, from socks to dog toys. Dana Davis/NYT Wirecutter; source photos by Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter, AdobeStock Broadway dresser Michelina Evans comes to work equipped to fix just about any wardrobe malfunction: a stain, a rip, a snapped shoe strap, or a broken heel. One of her go-tos? To manage odors lingering on costumes backstage, she sprays some cheap vodka on them. Though the booze initially smells, it dries scent-free and leaves no discoloration on costumes.
New York Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Your Next Appliances Might Use More Energy. Could They Work Better?
It's unfair and inaccurate to blame efficiency rules for all, or even most, of the changes to appliance designs. Detergent bans and the downward price pressures from increased global trade have also added to the challenges. However, efficiency standards can involve trade-offs. When an appliance uses less water or energy, the machine needs to offset that change somehow to ensure that it still does its job well. That might mean longer run times, a heating element that's more efficient but also more expensive, or better and pricier insulation. Appliance manufacturers have largely risen to the challenge of making efficient machines that can also produce great results. The high-efficiency washing machines we recommend are excellent at removing stains. Today's refrigerators use 75% less electricity than fridges did before the first federal efficiency rules took effect in the late 1970s, yet they're bigger, quieter, and often better at preserving food. But changes to the efficiency standards tend to be disruptive for at least a few years. Early low-flow toilets were famously bad. More recently, the latest Energy Star dishwashers have struggled to perform well in our testing, according to writer Andrea Barnes, Wirecutter's dishwasher expert. 'Several dishwashers from brands that cleaned very well in the past have failed to pass basic cleaning tests after the latest Energy Star update,' Andrea says. Our top-rated model, the Miele G5008, meets Energy Star standards and aced our tests, but it costs $1,300 and saves only about $6 worth of energy per year in comparison with our picks that don't meet the current Energy Star standard, which start at $930. (However, we like the Miele G5008 because it's quiet, easy to load, and possibly more durable than other models — all of which also matters when you're buying an appliance.) Even after years of reengineering, some problems don't have an obvious solution. Front-load washers, for example, still sometimes grow mildew in the damp, dark folds of their door gaskets. High-efficiency washers don't always use enough water to effectively rinse away lint, mud, and other solid soils, as traditional washers could. Cycle times are up significantly for most cleaning appliances in comparison with 30 years ago. So, yes, if efficiency rules are repealed, you may see at least some appliances that work a little better or faster. Even under the current efficiency standards, which are pretty tight, there's still room for plenty of washing machine types. Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter However, nobody I spoke to was convinced that rule changes would unleash a wave of dramatically cheaper or more durable appliances. Abt pointed out that while the typical lifespan of an appliance has dropped over the past few decades, so have prices (after you adjust for inflation). In addition, several super-durable appliances are still available from brands such as Speed Queen and Sub-Zero. But they're some of the most expensive models in their categories.
New York Times
22-04-2025
- Science
- New York Times
We Don't Like Laundry Detergent Sheets. But These Tiles Impressed Us.
Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter We put Evo tiles through our typical laundry detergent tests. First, we test dissolvability in cold water. This test gives us an idea of how well a detergent will perform during cold-water washing, which is one of the most energy-efficient (and environmentally conscious) choices you can make when doing laundry. (Our top laundry detergent picks—powders, liquids, and pods—are all strong performers in cold water.) Tide Evo tiles passed the test, dissolving fully and quickly (within seconds) in 70 °F water. Tide Evo tiles dissolve within seconds of cold water hitting the washing-machine drum. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter To test stain removal, we use two industrial stain tests: a jersey-cotton stain monitor and a linen stain strip. These are soiled with an array of hard-to-clean substances, such as carbon black (a mixture of soot and mineral oil), wine, cocoa, pig blood, sebum (body oil), foundation, peat, grass, baby food, and turmeric. We added both the stain monitor and the stain strip to a 10-pound load of laundry. Then we tossed in a T-shirt stained with bacon grease and pepperoni pizza to evaluate odor removal. We washed this load with one Evo tile on a cold-water cycle. After the wash cycle ended, we removed the stain tests to air-dry, and we dried the rest of the load—including the shirt stained with bacon grease and pizza—in the dryer. After the tests dried, we compared them to the stain-test results of similar solid, single-dose detergents: Earth Breeze detergent sheets and Tide Pods Free & Gentle Laundry Detergent. We also folded the dried laundry load, paying close attention to the scent of the laundry itself and making notes of which odors lingered after laundering. Like pods or detergent tablets, Evo tiles can be thrown directly into the drum. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Finally, we repeated our stain and odor protocol, but we used two Evo tiles to see whether doubling up would result in more-powerful cleaning. After an extra 30 minutes, the suds finally dissipated. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Though stain removal was improved when we used two tiles, we don't recommend this method for very stained laundry. The suds from using two tiles filled the machine drum with a deluge of bubbles and lengthened the wash cycle. Instead, you're better off pretreating moderate to severe stains with a separate stain remover.
New York Times
26-02-2025
- Business
- New York Times
How I Came to Love the Dusty Powdered Dishwasher Detergent of My Childhood
Wirecutter's resident detergent expert, Andrea Barnes, snapped this look at Cascade detergents through the decades while reporting at Procter & Gamble. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Cascade was developed in 1955 as a spin-off of Tide laundry detergent, which was then marketed as multiuse. I spoke with Morgan Eberhard, a senior scientist at Procter & Gamble, the company that makes Cascade, to confirm some details about Cascade's history. 'Prior to the launch of Cascade, Tide boxes said 'cleaner clothes, sparkling dishes' on them,' Eberhard told me in a video interview. 'We launched Cascade because we saw a need to differentiate formulations for different jobs, instead of having one that was pretty good at all of it. Tide powder didn't leave dishes shiny.' The Cascade powder I remember was a green box with an outline of a sparkling glass on the front. I also found a 1988 lemon version for sale on eBay for $32.99, complete with a ShopRite price tag of $2.49. The current version of Cascade powder was reformulated in 2019 to include Dawn, a detergent known for its excellent ability to cut grease. Dawn was added to specifically help clean the increasing amount of plastic, such as to-go containers and kids' dishes, that people were washing. Plastic tends to hold onto grease more effectively than glass or ceramic, said Eberhard, so the reformulation helped address that. (For the record, experts don't recommend that you reuse or machine-wash single-use plastic for food purposes, due to the potential for microplastic exposure.) The blue granules throughout the Cascade powder are 'protease, a protein-busting enzyme that proved especially effective on meat sauce, egg yolk, and burnt milk in our testing,' according to our guide. My house is full of pasta enthusiasts who eat carbonara monthly. The sticky, eggy, cheesy remnants were a challenge for our previous big-box-brand pods. Now Cascade powder slips it off our Fiestaware, no problem. Some people online have complained about the smell of the new Cascade formulation, but I am very scent-averse, and its light citrus notes don't overwhelm me or transfer to our silicone tools, as other detergent scents have in the past.
