If your dishes do not come out from the dishwasher sparkling as clean as you want, that may be a sign that you need to change your detergent. However the varieties of detergents on the market can make choosing which one to buy a hassle but if you find yourself in front of a Cascade shelf, this post will help you decide between Cascade Platinum and Cascade Complete.
Cascade Platinum is a powerful detergent that removes tough burnt-on stains from your dishes. In just one wash, it conveniently delivers premium cleaning. No pre-washing or soaking of dishes.
Cascade complete is also one of the oldest and most functional detergents you can get on the market. It works well with your dishwasher to leave your dishes crystal clear.
The major difference between Cascade Platinum and Complete is that Cascade platinum is an enhanced, stronger, and more expensive detergent than Cascade Complete. However, they are both effective options for anyone who needs a dishwasher that will work.
Comparison of Cascade Platinum vs Cascade Complete
| Cascade Platinum | Cascade Complete | |
| Form | ActionPac | ActionPac, gel, and powder |
| Scent | Lemon, fresh | Lemon, citrus breeze, fresh |
| Formulas | Platinum ActionPacs, Platinum ActionPacs + Dishwasher Cleaner, Platinum ActionPacs + Oxi, Platinum Power Dry | Complete ActionPacs, Complete Gel, Complete Gel+Oxy, Complete Powder |
| Cleaning strength | Better | Good |
| Enzyme-based | Yes | Yes |
Differences between Cascade Platinum and Cascade Complete
There are lots of differences between Cascade Platinum and Cascade Complete, despite coming from the same brand. Some of these differences can be found in theirform, active ingredients, cleaning strength, scents, formulas, and cost.
Form
Cascade Platinum is available in only one form which is the detergent ActionPac while Cascade Complete is available in three forms which are the gel, powder, and ActionPac forms.
Active ingredients
It is important to know the ingredients used in producing any product you want to buy especially detergents like the ones we are talking about. If you know your way around chemical compounds, you will have a clue of what you should be expecting from a detergent even before buying.
Cascade platinum and Complete are produced with the same basic ingredients, but in different quantities which also shows in their cleaning powers. These ingredients are listed from the highest to the lowest in terms of quantity. This means the first ingredient on the list is the highest in quantity followed by the second, and so on. The comparison chart below shows how these ingredients rank in quantity for Cascade Platinum and Complete.
| Cascade Platinum | Cascade Complete | |
| Sodium Carbonate | 1st | 1st |
| Trisodium Dicarboxymethyl Alaninate | 2nd | 3rd |
| Sodium Carbonate Peroxide | 3rd | 4th |
| Sodium Sulfate | 4th | 2nd |
| Copolymer Of Acrylic And Sulphonic Acids | 5th | 5th |
| Isotridecanol Ethoxylated | 6th | 7th |
| PEG/PPG/Propylheptyl Ether | 7th | 9th |
There are other ingredients but the ones mentioned here are the major active ingredients and from the table above, you can see that these active ingredients are ranked further up the table for Platinum more than Complete. This means that these ingredients are used in greater quantities for Platinum more than Complete further proving why Platinum is a more powerful detergent than Complete.
Cleaning strength
One of the features that havegiven Cascade its fame over the years is the cleaning power of its detergents. Cascade Platinum and Complete are effective detergents that will serve your dishwashing needs, however Cascade Platinum is a more powerful detergent when compared to Complete. This is because of its higher concentration of active cleaning ingredients which we have explained in the table above. Cascade rates Platinum detergent to be 50 percent stronger than Complete which is also the testimony of some prominent outlets. Therefore with Cascade Platinum, your dishes will be sparkling clean without water spots in just one wash, saving time, water, and detergent. No prewashing or pre-soaking before putting dishes in the dishwasher, no stress.
Scents
When it comes to scent, Cascade Platinum and Complete hold up excellently. They will leave your dishes smelling nice and fresh. Platinum and Complete both offer a Lemon and Fresh Scent but if you want something different, you can try the additional Citrus Breeze Scent offered only by Complete.
Formulas
Another reason why Cascade is loved by many is that its detergents come in different formulas for you to choose from. Cascade Platinum and Complete are present in four formulas that are different from each other.
For Cascade Platinum, you have the Platinum ActionPacs, Platinum ActionPacs + Dishwasher Cleaner, Platinum ActionPacs + Oxi, and Platinum Power Dry. The formula with “+OXI” has a very high cleaning power and is also great at removing stains.
For Cascade Complete you have the Complete ActionPacs, Complete Gel, Complete Gel+Oxy, and Complete Powder.
Cost
Cascade detergents are generally inexpensive. When compared to Cascade Platinum, Cascade Complete is always about 40 percent cheaper. However, the type and formula you want to buy will determine the exact price of the detergent. For instance, the Platinum formula with OXI is more expensive than other Platinum formulas just like the Complete formula with Gel+OXY is more expensive than other Complete formulas. Stating a price range for each of them, you can get the Cascade Platinum formulas from $0.30 to $0.44 per count while the Cascade Complete formulas are from $0.13 to $0.24 with an exception in Complete ActionPacs which is not sold in counts. It has about 90 counts all sold together for about $23.00.
Conclusion
Cascade is a tested and trusted brand when it comes to producing reliable dishwashing detergents. From the details discussed above, choosing between Platinum and Complete should be a breeze. The important point to keep in mind when choosing which one to buy is that Cascade Platinum is available in only the ActionPac format and it is more powerful than Cascade Complete because of its higher concentration of active ingredients. However, you will need to pay more for its premium services. While Cascade Complete is available in gel, powder, and ActionPac format, it has an additional Citrus Breeze Scent and it is cheap but not as powerful as the Platinum. Despite their differences, both detergents are Enzyme-based, they are effective in cleaning and will meet up with your daily dishwashing needs.