To throw my dishwasher out of the window?

[KenAdams]

Physically, I understand I may struggle.

I've been trying for about a month to get my dishwasher to start washing stuff properly. Salt and rinse aid are full, I've tried various different dishwasher tablets, the food trap thing inside is clean yet everything comes out either dirty or with a horrible coating on it. I've tried all the different wash cycles too but it's still the same, I'm getting increasingly frustrated with loading and unloading a dishwasher then having to wash it all by hand anyway!

Has anyone else had this or am I not doing something glaringly obvious? Or am I going to have to get someone out to look at it? I realise I sound irrational about this but it's been a month.

I had this problem and must have used a years' worth of dishwasher cleaner before I solved it! If you lift the filter basket out there should be a little contraption underneath that clicks out with a large steel ball bearing in it. You might find that there is something jamming it like a small splinter of glass or a piece of food. You should be able to take it apart and give it a good wash and replace. It might cure the problem.

Our brand new dishwasher did this when we moved into our house and it turns out the plumbing on it wasn't right - something to do with the siphon - easy and cheap job for someone who knows what they're doing.

Open the machine mid cycle, check that the arms are actually spinning. Pop them off and pour some water, or vinegar, in the top, then shake. Make sure all the little holes are clear, do this for both arms. Run a cleaner through, plus empty maintenance washes.

Another vote for cleaning the spray arm holes out and the whole arm a good flush through - it's where our grit seems to come from. I also spent hours re-washing all the dishes, cleaning filter, food trap etc to no avail.

Incidentally - if something comes out of the dishwasher dirty, the correct thing to do is to wash it manually rather than just put it back to go around again, isn't it? Subject of multiple arguments in our household.

Try a tablet that actually cleans the pipes of the dishwasher....that may be the issue possibly...you are supposed to put a wash through it monthly also...

The finish powerballs are all in one. No need for extra rinse aid/salt. You are most likely overloading it with them.

Yep I have had this recently..some glasses come out with a hazy film, also on the cutlery. Plates feel like they have been stripped. I've topped up the salt and glass cleaner as I wasn't hot on these...I've also used a cleaner.

It seems to of been happening since we had a new heater element. I'm at a loss as to what causing it.

I like to use soda crystals for cleaning but tend to find it leaves the dishwasher with the same funny bloom

Mine was doing this. I found that once I opened up the filter and unscrewed it from inside there was a cardamom pod caught up in the drain bit. You wouldn't have seen it without removing the filter and unscrewing it.

You still need extra salt and rinse aid even with the power balls. Unless you live in a very soft water area.

Yes check the salt (as well as all other things suggested).

If you live in a very hard water area, the all in one tabs will not contain enough salt in them to soften the water properly.

If you're in a very soft water area, you normally don't need salt, my dishwasher specifically states if your water is above a certain softness, don't use salt (I am in an extremely soft water area) so always have to check this on new machines.

Rinse aid is a matter of choice, and as PP mentioned, there is usually a setting (either a manual dial or electronic in the settings on the display) where you set the guage to how much rinse aid it doses on a cycle.

But YY definitely detach the spray arms and give them a good soak.

Then run through with dishwasher cleaner.

Also some detergents work better with certain machines than others, had machines where a store detergent worked fine, then other machines they couldn't use anything other than Finish etc.

When you take the filter out to rinse it is there any excess water left in the drain?

Have you pulled out the drain plug to release any contents?

Where do you put the salt??

Serious question. I've never used salt - had no idea you were supposed to. (Mine's a Bosch 'Active Water', just went and looked at it and I can't see where salt would go!)

Where do you put the salt??

Yes, that photo shows it well! I need to put in loads, like half the carton , much more than you think.

Not cheaper then Tesco own brand

don't bother with salt or rinse aids.
Obviously in a soft water area that is OK but anywhere else salt is an essential but rinse-aid isn't.

My latest power balls by finish were rubbish. I thought the dishwasher was broken and cleaned it out well etc. Changed to finish quantum and all is fine again. Do you think they've changed the mix?

When you open it, is it hot?

Ours was like this, turned out the heating element had gone. At first stuff was just a bit dirty, then towards the end the heat went completely and the cycle would just run and run for hours as the water never got hot enough to move it on.

Incidentally - if something comes out of the dishwasher dirty, the correct thing to do is to wash it manually rather than just put it back to go around again, isn't it? Subject of multiple arguments in our household.

Likeachickenwithfaceofamonkey I believe you have to hand wash it - because a second DW clean never seems to get it off after it has been baked on by the fist failed clean.

DP will put it back in the DW as many times as it takes to get it clean -until I take it out and clean it-

Koala are you actually Down Under or in the UK? Perhaps hard water isn't a problem in Australia so you missed out on this crucial education. That said, we used salt in ours even growing up in Scotland with lovely soft water.

you should start using it asap, it will make a difference. You should be able to google the manual for your model (am assuming you never had one?).

OMG. PersianCatLady, thank you! I thought that thing was some kind of filter/ drain.

Jessie, I'm actually Down Under. I did get a manual with the dishwasher, just never read it.

I feel like a right plonker now! Thanks all.

Yes to dishwasher cleaner... Morrisons do a cheap own brand one that has done the trick for me... But also do get the spinning arms off and check them out for blockages, we have suffered from melon seeds and similar blockages in the past... A menace to get out. Requires a lot of patience!!

Mine left nasty taste in my dishes and a sandy substance in cups. Tried everything suggested then in the end just needed to get a new one.