dishwasher tip

MATH

toozie wrote:

When he goes to the great dishwasher graveyard in the sky, I probably will buy a German make then, and just hope it lasts as long.....

I've had a dishwasher for over 15yrs. Normally I have to replace every three years. My 'high-quality' German one lasted 18 months:eek: I'm now running a cheapie Beko costing £170 which has just had it's 2nd birthday.

squeaky

Mine's fifteen years old and still going strong. But then, I'm an enjineer and can keep it going. Can't spell enjineer tho'

larmy16

Does anyone know why you use salt in a dishwasher to reduce limescale build up etc. and it is reasonably cheap to buy.

For a washing machine, however, you are recommended Calgon which costs an arm and a leg. Are they the same thing?

squeaky

Nope!

Different job entirely.

The salt used in a dishwasher is used to flush the crud out of the water softener that is built into the machine. It's the fact that you are using softened water in a dishwasher that helps to keep limescale down. The tablets then do their own bit to help things along.

Calgon is used to clear limescale build up from a machine that is using unsoftened water. It can prevent build up if used from day one, but can also, when used regularly, clear accumulations.

Salt won't clear scale from a washing machine, sorry.

basill

blue-kat wrote:

it's to soften the water

we don't bother with it, but then we live in soft water area.

see https://www.dishwasher-care.org.uk/ for lots of dishwasher tips.
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Just had a quick look at that site, they recommend using salt even with three in one salt tablets as these dont soften the water.

I dont buy three in one tabs myself as the cost of salt seems negligible, but their tips seem worth noting if you are not getting the best from your m/c.

Also found a bit from Which warning that some manufacturers do not recommend these tabs and problems arising may not be covered by warrantee.



|B

Badgergal

My dishwasher arrived last weekend and I LOVE IT!

However I have questions esp regarding the salt.

I bought a box of salt from Lidl and filled the compartment for the salt as high as it could go. The manual said "until some water comes out" (it a really unclear and not very good English manual btw) but I'm not sure what it means by this. And the "add salt" light is constantly lit all the time even though the thing is full! I am worried I have done it wrong because already there is a very fine coating of scale on the element (but not the glasses or anything)? Admittedly London water is hard as nails though...

The other thing is, how often do you put in the rinse aid, be it white vinegar or traditional rinse aid?

squeaky

Hmm. I don't know your machine but I top my salt up until I can see that it's full. Water does come out as the salt goes in, but that's not a problem on mine. Maybe yours is slightly different and you're supposed to stop as soon as you see water. ? Anyway, if you're over full it'll probably empty itself slowly.

As for rinse aid... on my machine it has a perspex cap and you can see through into the rinse aid container. I can't see the rinse aid itself, but if the end of the perspex is in liquid then the view is dark. If the view is down the cap is light it means there's no liquid there and I need to top up. This is with the door down flat.

Other machines will be different. Have another browse through your book and see if it makes any more sense in a second reading

larmy16

I bought a new dishwasher recently (I am in love with it too) but I think there would not be water first time you put the salt in, as there was not in mine. However next time I do it, there should be as machine has now been used.

I do not have rinse aid or salt aid indicators (cheapest model), I just fill up the rinse aid thingy to the top and you can see it then replace cap. I check it every so often and then fill to top again.

I just love my dishwasher!! Mine is a little on the noisy side compared to my friends Bosch but I dont care!!!!!!!

Badgergal

Thanks!

Trust me, I have studied this flimsy manual with as much attention as I gave any of my English Literature texts at uni and it is just very badly written and unclear - I don't think I will get any more out of it, though there is a number I can call. It does not even tell you how to stack things or anything.

I don't have any indicator whatsoever with my rinse aid, there really is no way of telling I don't think, which is prob a reflection of it being a cheap model! Once you've filled up the rinse aid, how long does it last? Several washes?

squeaky

Rinse aid, if full, usually lasts weeks to months. Check it every couple of weeks until you think it needs filling again. You'll get to know roughly how long to leave it - which obviously depends not only on your machine but on how many loads it does.

In a hard water area (like mine) the glassware gets a bloom on it if I run out without noticing. A dead giveaway