Debunk Myths with Cascade to Save Water | Good Everyday

Contrary to popular belief, even when half-full, your dishwasher saves water vs. a running faucet (hand-washing).

Cascade wants to help you by busting myths about dishwasher use, and letting Canadians know it’s actually okay to run a half-full dishwasher.

This initiative is part of Cascade’s ongoing commitment to advocate for responsible water consumption. Since 1955, North America’s No. 1* recommended dishwasher detergent brand has continually innovated its products and methods to improve dishwashing and reduce water consumption.

Follow along as we bust myths about efficiency of water use, energy and time.

TRUE OR FALSE? Using my dishwasher wastes more water than hand-washing.

FALSE. Your sink uses 15 litres of water every two minutes, while your dishwasher uses 15 litres for only one cycle. That means you’d have to wash all your dishes in under two minutes to be more efficient vs. an Energy Star certified dishwasher.

TRUE OR FALSE? I should only run my dishwasher when it’s full.

FALSE. Eight dishes is all it takes to save water with your dishwasher over hand-washing. So, run ’em if you got ’em!

TRUE OR FALSE? Hand-washing saves water.

FALSE. Your dishwasher saves 378 litres of water a week, when you use it every night instead of hand-washing. That’s over 19,600 litres in a year. Or over 87 bathtubs of water you could be saving.

TRUE OR FALSE? Dishwashers waste more energy.

FALSE. A new Energy Star certified dishwasher uses about ¼ of the energy used when washing dishes by hand.

“We all want to conserve resources in our daily lives, so Cascade spends a lot of time finding ways to help families get clean dishes, more efficiently,” says Martin Hettich, Vice President of P&G’s North America Home Care business. “While it’s most efficient to run a full load, we found that most people wind up hand-washing dishes while waiting for the dishwasher to fill up, unintentionally wasting water. That’s why we think it’s important for people to know that the dishwasher doesn’t have to be completely full to be water-efficient.”

1. Start implementing these dishwasher best practices into your daily routine.
2. Practice smart water consumption in other areas of your home.
3. Join P&G Good Everyday to earn points and donate to charities that work toward proper sustainability practices.