In this article, we’re going to talk through dishwasher salt as a possible area for poor washing results.
Dishwashers and washing machines always work best in soft water. Dishwashers have a built in water-softening system and so the salt chamber will convert hard water into soft water, providing dishwasher salt is added.
It is worth noting that it is not the salt itself that softens the water. There is a special resin inside the salt chamber that converts hard water into soft water. The purpose of the salt is to clean and restore this resin as it periodically flows through the chamber. For this reason, the salt chamber is often called a regeneration unit.
To replenish the dishwasher salt in your machine, follow the steps below.
When opening your dishwasher, you will find the cap for the salt chamber at the base of the machine, usually to the left of the filter.
If you purchased a new dishwasher, you will have been provided with a funnel to aid you in adding dishwasher salt to your machine.
Dishwasher salt is often related to poor washing results.
Exclusive use of 3-in-1 dishwasher tablets combining detergent, salt and rinse aid is only recommended in areas of perfect soft water. If you have hard water containing some form of limescale, it is not recommended to rely solely on combined tablets and dishwasher salt must also be added separately.
The resin inside the salt regeneration unit does not last indefinitely and uses dishwasher salt to regenerate it. If you are not adding dishwasher salt directly into the chamber, the resin will eventually deplete and no longer be effective. Therefore, any hard water that is entering the machine will not be converted into soft water and this may cause poor washing results.
In addition, the salt regeneration unit requires adjusting to the level of water hardness as this will determine how frequently the resin is regenerated. Machines set for very hard water will regenerate resin more frequently and therefore deplete salt quicker. Conversely, a soft water setting will regenerate resin less frequently and so the salt will last longer.
An incorrect water hardness setting can also cause poor washing results due to too much salt being present in the machine. An indication of this is small drop marks being left on items, particularly glassware.
On modern machines, the water hardness is adjusted using the controls on the front of the machine. Some high end dishwashers ask you to type in an exact value for water hardness and it is recommended that you obtain this value from your local water authority.
When either the dishwasher salt or rinse aid reach low levels, a warning light is often shown on the front of the machine to indicate that these need replenishing.
I hope that this article has been helpful, however if you are still experiencing poor washing quality after following this advice then there may be a fault with the appliance. If you need further assistance, you can book an engineer visit quickly and easily by following the Book A Repair button on our website.
We aim to send an engineer on the same day of reporting the fault or the next day where possible.
We believe in our skills and follow that up with a standard guarantee of our work to give you peace of mind.
We understand the importance of budgeting and make sure you are fully aware of all costs in advance.
Husband and Wife team Adrian & Amanda set the standards at NAC with over 40 years experience.
