Do Cascade pods stop up your drain pipes?

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Methuselah

Well-known member
May 9, 2022
470
Alabama
Since we got a new dishwasher it seems like once a year we have to call a plumber to snake the drain line. First time I wad told it was stopped up by rice, wasn't there to ask the second time. Line is probably 30 to 35 feet long and clog is pretty far down.

We now wipe down the dishes first, doesn't seem to help though. I'm considering purchasing a motorized snake, pushing one through the roof vent hit the clog once but 2-3 weeks later it comes back (and I'm too old to keep trying that).

Opinions, experiences, swag welcome!
 
We do not allow any solid food down the drains to the extent possible. If anything solid is scraped into the sink, it goes down the disposal. All dishes are rinsed of their minor solids/sauces in the sink first with hot water. Not washed, just rinsed. Then the dishes are run through the dishwasher. We use only powdered detergent, not pods or liquids. We use the dispenser on the dishwasher as opposed to the method of just throwing the pod in. Newer dishwashers have pre-rinse and drain cycles that, if you throw a pod in the tub, all of the detergent will be gone before the wash cycle. Most newer dishwashers have removable filter screens that need to be cleaned periodically.

Pods are made with a dissolving polymer casing. Once water hits it, it dissolves. It will not clog up lines.

Someone is putting too much food waste down your sink drains. Oils are a huge problem as they will congeal and stick to pipes unless copious amounts of hot water and soap are flushed into the drain. “Fat-bergs” is a search term you can use on YouTube … but be warned, it is gross to watch …
 
+3 to plumbing problem. Clogs happen, but if it happens more then once it's usually an uphill/level pipe or bend. Solids and grease collect there until enough force builds to push then out and the next clog is only a matter of time.

Ahhsome a couple of times a year might help if grease is collecting in one particular area of the plumbing.
 
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JoyfulNoise said:
Pods are made with a dissolving polymer casing. Once water hits it, it dissolves. It will not clog up lines.
Click to expand...

Very good to hear!

JoyfulNoise said:
Someone is putting too much food waste down your sink drains. Oils are a huge problem as they will congeal and stick to pipes unless copious amounts of hot water and soap are flushed into the drain.
Click to expand...

It's a new Maytag, before that old(er) dishwasher and powdered detergent. First 22-23 years two clogs I took care of myself, one was grandma had washed a big container of egg salad down the drain.

All dishes get solids wiped into trashcan, then usually wrinsed at sink. Bacon and pan grease 98% poured into container. Clogs have only become a regular thing since new waterfall Maytag used with Cascade pods.

Edit - pipe has some downward slope
 
Methuselah said:
Very good to hear!



It's a new Maytag, before that old(er) dishwasher and powdered detergent. First 22-23 years two clogs I took care of myself, one was grandma had washed a big container of egg salad down the drain.

All dishes get solids wiped into trashcan, then usually wrinsed at sink. Bacon and pan grease 98% poured into container. Clogs have only become a regular thing since new waterfall Maytag used with Cascade pods.

Edit - pipe has some downward slope
Click to expand...

Dishwashers nowadays use A LOT LESS water than older models. Energy efficiency standards implemented in the mid teens forced most appliance manufacturers to reduce water water consumption. It’s likely your old machine washed lots of water down the drain and thus kept the pipes well-flushed with water. The pods have little to do with it.

If possible, use a setting on the machine that adds an extra rinse or longer wash cycle. Also consider switching back to powdered detergent for a while and see if the clogs stop.

Short of that, you may need a pro to come in and scope the drain lines to see if there are any blockages that need clearing. Old pipes can quickly build up a lot of crud and you may just need them to be jetted out.
 
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JoyfulNoise said:
Dishwashers nowadays use A LOT LESS water than older models. Energy efficiency standards implemented in the mid teens forced most appliance manufacturers to reduce water water consumption. It’s likely your old machine washed lots of water down the drain and thus kept the pipes well-flushed with water. The pods have little to do with it.

If possible, use a setting on the machine that adds an extra rinse or longer wash cycle. Also consider switching back to powdered detergent for a while and see if the clogs stop.

Short of that, you may need a pro to come in and scope the drain lines to see if there are any blockages that need clearing. Old pipes can quickly build up a lot of crud and you may just need them to be jetted out.
Click to expand...

All good advice. That kind of work (jetting) has gotten very expensive but I reckon an annual blockage ain't cheap in the long run.
 
Do people just toss pods in the dishwasher? I put them in the detergent dispenser just like Jim does. It's in the directions on the side of box of Cascade pods.
 
Homebrewale said:
Do people just toss pods in the dishwasher? I put them in the detergent dispenser just like Jim does. It's in the directions on the side of box of Cascade pods.
Click to expand...

I've known several people that do that. One did it because the dispenser had failed and they did not want to pay for the repair. I tried to explain to them how it was going to be harder for the machine to wash the dishes but they didn't want to hear it ... oh well :scratch:
 
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Are you regularly cleaning the filter? How to do so varies by model.
Nothing should really get past the filter & into the pipe except grease/starch. I run hot water for several minutes & a bit of dawn down my drains monthly to break any grease buildup down.
 
Mdragger88 said:
Are you regularly cleaning the filter? How to do so varies by model.
Nothing should really get past the filter & into the pipe except grease/starch. I run hot water for several minutes & a bit of dawn down my drains monthly to break any grease buildup down.
Click to expand...
If it has a filter the dishwasher probably has to be dismantled to get to it.

The dawn idea is interesting, I used to pour enzymes, but not regularly bc I kept forgetting...
 
If it’s fairly new- within the last 10 years I can almost guarantee it has a filter.
Google the one you have + clean filter.
It may surprise you.
Its below the screen thingy on the bottom & usually the whirlybird at the bottom needs to be removed.
It’s generally not that hard
 
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Mine looks Like this -

image.jpg

You twist-open the octagon thingy and take it out. It has a fine filter screen. Then the plastic coarse screen around that comes up to be washed off.

On my old machine, the screens were hidden under the lower spray arm that you would pull up on to remove. Never liked that design. This one is a lot easier.
 
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JoyfulNoise said:
. Newer dishwashers have pre-rinse and drain cycles that, if you throw a pod in the tub, all of the detergent will be gone before the wash cycle. Most newer dishwashers have removable filter screens that need to be cleaned periodically.
Click to expand...
FYI, my newer dishwasher instructions say to throw the pod directly in the tub unless you are using the longer cycles. We tend to use 60 min. cycle and it's been working for us.
I also have a 20 yr old dishwasher that I do the same with. I guess they're not all the same.
 

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