Automatic dishwashing detergents: their pH, ingredients, and a retrospective look

Ingestion of automatic dishwasher detergents is an increasing problem in households with small children. Historically these ingestions have been handled as alkaline corrosive ingestions. However, after many formulation changes since the late 1950's, a re-evaluation of treatment modality is in order. This report examines the pH of varying concentrations of many of the available automatic dishwashing detergents, their specific ingredients, and include a retrospective study of childhood ingestion of these products from 1978-1984.