What would you do for clean dishes? Would you cross the border into another state just to bring back dishwasher detergent that got the job done? That’s just what’s happening in Spokane, WA.

Good, law-abiding people are “crossing the border” so they can keep their dishes clean. This is reaction to a Washington state law that puts a ban on dishwasher detergent made with phosphates, a measure aimed at reducing water pollution.

Many people were traumatized to find that “green” products like Seventh Generation, Ecover and Trader Joe’s left their dishes dirty, greasy and too disgusting to use without rewashing them by hand. The culprit is the hard water that many Washington residents experience, which is mineral-rich and resistant to soap.

The less than stellar results have produced an underground of Spokane-area shoppers that are traveling into Idaho in search of the good stuff.

Some residents have resorted to using hotter and more water and even the pots and pans cycle on their dishwasher. So at the end of the day the state may be seeing less pollution but aren’t they doing it at the expense of using more energy.