Dishwasher hacks

[Titsalinabumsquash]

Through the power of Mumsnet I've degunked my washing machine and got my oven glass super sparkling so now I need to sort my dishwasher out.

I have had 3 dishwashers in my house over the years and tried every brand of dishwasher tablet, so why is it that the stuff in the bottom comes out shiny and clean with no trace of food ever being on it but the top comes out splattered in brown/orange gritty stuff, every bloody time!

[wowfudge]

Is something stopping the upper arms from rotating or are you stacking the top basket in a way that means the water isn't circulating properly?

[specialsubject]

Have you cleaned filters and spray arms?
Is the upper basket pushed right back?

[peripateticparents]

Remove the rotating arms just under the top shelf and remove any bits blocking the holes. Cucumber seeds and almond pieces seem popular in our house. May require a pin. May require washing water down and seeing what comes (partway) out. Often they block while water is flowing but fall back inside when water stops.

As wow fudge said, you also need to be able to freely spin the arms

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Salt- tons if it and rinse aid and a cleaner once a month and use hot cycles.

[Titsalinabumsquash]

Gah! No stuff in the arm and it's turning well.

We always use salt/rinse aid and we rinse any loose food off too.

[Comfortzone]

Run it on a hot cycle whilst empty?

[TipBoov]

are you using rinse aid and salt?

[user1474907171]

Check the inlet hose is not clogged or kinked. Check also the outlet in case 'stuff' has built up in there.

Scrub the filter in very hot water, check the salt is full. Run the hottest wash you have with a mug of soda crystals (washing soda), then run again with a cup of vinegar in the top rack.

Rinse plates and cutlery before putting them in, especially if they have mashed potato on them, it has a mind of it's own and clings to the stuff on the top rack, changing colour in the process. I always wash it off by hand as it saves washing the entire rack of mugs and small bowls on the top which need soaking to remove the brown gritty bits. Somehow the white potato turns brown in the wash. Even coffee grounds aren't as difficult as mash.

[Lelivre]

Is the top adjustable height wise? If so make sure it is straight and not up slightly one side and not the other. Mine did this when it kept dropping just the one side. Took an engineer to notice.

[jellyshoeswithdiamonds]

Might need to change the way you load the top shelf to allow enough water to reach eveything.

Are you over loading each load?

Put mine on twice some days.