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Original poster

WHY is my dishwasher being a prick?

71 replies

Eggproducer · 03/08/2019 17:36

We have a 4 year old Zanussi integrated dishwasher.

Suddenly it has stopped cleaning stuff very well. Plates are left with bits of dried food stuck on. Cups still have ring marks.

I have added salt.

I have cleaned out the revolting filters.

I have wiped down the disgusting door seals.

I have tried cleaning out the rotor arms (lots of sweetcorn stuck inside), but the bastard instructions say I can't remove the bastard rotor arms, so I'm limited about how much I can do here. I spent an hour with two pins and a pair of tweezers and I can tell you I regret my life choices.

I have just slung a load of caustic soda down the filter hole.

It is getting hot. It is filling with water and it is draining.

SO WHY IS IT BEING A PRICK?

OP posts:

DearTeddyRobinson · 03/08/2019 19:15

Yup Zanussis are useless pricks. If you do manage to break the fucker it's a good excuse to get rid and upgrade. Miele are the dogs bollocks, we have a Bosch which is about 15 years old and going strong but I'm
Not sure the new models are as good. I'd also consider risking a Samsung as our new washing machine is fab.
Sorry this doesn't solve your immediate problem but even our Bosch needs constant salt and rinse aid. Good luck!

Original poster

Eggproducer · 03/08/2019 19:19

@Fluffycloudland77 Well what the buggery bollocks is the purpose of caustic soda as a drain cleaner if it can dissolve your fucking drains?

I bet that was a man's idea.

The dishwasher is currently on a cycle with a Fairy Platinum 3-in-1, Which? recommended tablet. No rinse aid as yet, but I'll get some in the next couple of days, and update you all. I'm sure you're hanging on my every word.

I am definitely not telling my husband about the caustic soda if it starts leaking over our kitchen floor.

We bought a new build so didn't get a choice of appliance, although it was supposed to be "gold standard". Our Zanussi washing machine is an utter cunt, now I come to think of it too. Washer-dryer my lying arse.

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 03/08/2019 19:28

Sinks are usually stainless steel, not aluminium.

Our Electrolux dw that came with our new build was shocking, I bought a Miele, it meant no holiday that year.

The fairy tabs are tested on animals, if that sort of thing bothers you. The cheap Aldi ones can be broken in half and should be sufficient if the machine is good.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Home improvement

ProfessorofPerspective · 03/08/2019 19:39

I don't have a zanussi but when ours plays up and bakes on grit, it is always mustard seeds or bits of rice etc in the rotor arms, which we have to pick out with a cake tester.

Pineapplesgrowonbushes · 03/08/2019 19:39

You sure you used caustic soda? I thought it was meant to be soda crystals? That's what I use

Windygate · 03/08/2019 19:41

This might help

Marigold101 · 03/08/2019 19:47

Mine was doing all of the things yours is doing and I tried everything that you have tried with no success. So I've been using a cooler wash and oddly getting better results. I think it was baking the stains on!

Original poster

Eggproducer · 03/08/2019 19:48

@Pineapplesgrowonbushes Yes - definitely caustic soda. I mixed 100g with 1 litre of water and lobbed it down the filter, waited 30 minutes and ran a rinse cycle.

Nothing's exploded yet.

It's doing it's first proper cycle at the moment. It should be done in a mere 6 hours or so.

Thanks for all the help so far. I thought about getting an engineer over, but they're always useless pricks too. And patronising.

When I complained about our washing machine not getting stuff clean, the engineer tried to tell me that different people perceive "white" differently, so really it was fine.

Pricks.

OP posts:

FaithInfinity · 03/08/2019 20:54

Try running it empty on the hottest cycle with a bowl of white vinegar in the top and bottom. We live in a very hard water area and we do this at least once a fortnight and it is works well. I also bung a bowl in with a normal load once a week too. Also we only use Fairy tablets because the cheaper ones were useless.

Original poster

Eggproducer · 04/08/2019 10:17

Right, the caustic soda doesn't appear to have destroyed the dishwasher.

I tell you @FaithInfinity that that dishwasher has had more white vinegar in it than a chip shop. It gives zero fucks about vinegar, that dishwasher.

It is still not cleaning properly. I have it on a 70 degree hot cycle at the moment with a Fairy Platinum tablet.

This is exciting, eh?

Awaiting supermarket run for rinse aid.

OP posts:

Simonfromharlow · 04/08/2019 12:59

I've never had much success with fairy tablets. I like the mail order smol ones. You can get a trial for £1!

Quellium · 04/08/2019 13:01

When mine did this, it was because the filter and the metal cover had been put back in the wrong order. I was losing my mind with it.

ilovemydogandmrobama2 · 04/08/2019 13:02

Had this happen - turned out there was a blockage in the waste pipe...

Quellium · 04/08/2019 13:02

Not saying you haven't checked this. I thought it was all fine because it looked fine. It was not.

coffeeturner · 04/08/2019 13:16

I don't know why, but I am really gripped with this thread and really wish to know the outcome of the rinse aid

Oblomov19 · 04/08/2019 14:15

Blimey. I've never cleaned my rotar arms, or taken them off. Didn't know I was supposed to!

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 04/08/2019 15:23

Our Zanussi integrated dishwasher only lasted three years. It came with the house. Other neighbours have changed theirs too.

RezCowgirl · 04/08/2019 15:30

Is the arm actually spinning round properly? If you've cleaned it of all the trapped bits of gunk and grease it sounds more like a mechanical malfunction not the soap/water issue.

Original poster

Eggproducer · 05/08/2019 15:34

@RezCowgirl The arm spins round fine when you twizzle it manually, but obviously I can't check during the wash.

BREAKING NEWS: I bought rinse aid today. I got really excited about tipping a whole bottle in it, but it took barely 15 ml, so I'm not sure it's going to make much of a difference.

@ilovemydogandmrobama2 If there were a blockage in the waste pipe, how would I sort this out? (Caustic soda hasn't helped, and might have rotted the prick.)

@Quellium Off to check the filter now.

OP posts:

janj2301 · 05/08/2019 16:28

With ours it's always CORN in the arms so we make sure we scrape off corn before loading and we remove the arms regularly. Ours is a Hotpoint

CottonSock · 05/08/2019 16:30

Mine had a split in spray arm.

Original poster

Eggproducer · 05/08/2019 17:39

@janj2301 YES. Bastard corn. I fished out about 8 pieces from the rotor arms with two pins and a pair of tweezers.

We are never eating corn again. (Or we will scrape plates better).

OP posts:

Original poster

Eggproducer · 05/08/2019 17:41

@Quellium Right, I'm not 100% sure the filter was locked into place. It was in the right position but not sure it was clicked in.

I'm grasping at straws.

Will update you after tonight's load, featuring rinse aid and a definitely-in-place filter.

Stay tuned, Dishwashers are Pricks fans!

OP posts:

triptrapdollydumpling · 05/08/2019 17:45

Am heavily invested in this thread!

glitterbiscuits · 06/08/2019 08:20

Tell me you have sparkling clean dishes today OP!

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