To think the dishwasher should clean my coffee cups should?

[bygummed]

My dishwasher is about 3 years old and driving me up the wall. It was fine at first but for the last few months it has frequently (but not every time) left many of my dishes with debris glued on, for example my coffee cups are coming out like in this picture.

I do run the self-cleaning cycle periodically. It sometimes helps, sometimes doesn't. Is this fixable or do I need a new dishwasher?

Urgh, apologies for title edit fail.

You put salt and rinse aid I the dishwasher?

(If you live in a hard water area)

Do you clean the filter and rotating arms regularly too?

This bowl had yoghurt in it! Now solidified yoghurt render!

Clean the drain trap as well.

Do you clean out the filter? Do you take the arm off periodically to rinse that out? Sounds like there is some gunk stuck somewhere and the dishwasher is not able to do its best job.

@DealWithTheDevilAtTheCrossroad

You put salt and rinse aid I the dishwasher?

(If you live in a hard water area)

I was going to say this. So many people just think using the tablets alone is enough but you need salt and rinse aid as well especially in hard water areas.

And use a dishwasher cleaner every month or so.

This happened to us and it turned out a pipe behind it had become a bit squished, affecting the water pressure.

Are you putting trays or dishes in the top rack that might be blocking the rotation of the upper spray arm?

@DealWithTheDevilAtTheCrossroad

Clean the drain trap as well.

Would it need to be pulled out for that? It's an integrated dishwasher.

@RedDiamond

Do you clean out the filter? Do you take the arm off periodically to rinse that out? Sounds like there is some gunk stuck somewhere and the dishwasher is not able to do its best job.

Yes, I do this regularly

looks to me like the arm isn't rotating properly, it should easily move at slight push?

@DealWithTheDevilAtTheCrossroad

Are you putting trays or dishes in the top rack that might be blocking the rotation of the upper spray arm?

No

@Ifailed

looks to me like the arm isn't rotating properly, it should easily move at slight push?

It does

You need to make sure all the filters and arms are clean and free of debris first. I find that doing the arms under a running tap is the best way to get food particles out (I use a cocktail stick for bits of rice etc). Before you start the dishwasher turn on your hot tap first till the water runs hot which will mean you get hot water not cold immediately into the dishwasher. And finally, buy Wilkos own dishwasher tabs for 3 quid per box - they are brilliant and I've not had a single marked item since I started using them.

That's what works for me 😁

@GoIntoTheLight

This happened to us and it turned out a pipe behind it had become a bit squished, affecting the water pressure.

A water pressure problem tallies with the symptoms.

Are you putting anything in the bottom of the Dishwasher in the middle? If anyone in our house house does this it blocks the jets of water coming up and everything ends up like this.

Check the position of the inlet pipe, it needs to be the right height, should be in the instruction/installation leaflet and check it isn't bent or kinked. Clean the filter although probably not that. Check pipes for any blockages. Check the inlet tap is fully turned on, there should be a little tap under the sink where the pipe is fitted.

Does it have one of those places to put the tablet that ping out after 20 mins? With another small place to put powder for the pre-wash?

Alot of these dishwashers actually do a pre-wash, and that's when most of the solids are removed/loosened and if there is no detergent in there, it wont work properly.

I bought a small tub of dishwasher powder, and put a teaspoon into the machine just before I turned it on, and it improved the wash immediately.

Does the filter need cleaning out? In ours (an old Miele) there’s a filter basket type thing just under the bottom spray arm, which needs a thorough clear and wash every so often. It’s a bit of a grim job as bits of old food and grease collect in there. 🤢

Echoing @Cervinia we have the same thing except it's baking trays. They don't block the movement of the arm, but somehow things above them come out with crud inside.

@Magpiecomplex that’s to do with where the water inlets are in your machine. Sometimes water flow gets blocked by large items. It’s a bigger problem with so-called efficient machines that use less water per wash.

I often have to remind DH that treating dishwasher loading like a competitive game of impossible 3D Tetris is not the best way to get the dishes clean.

@ThomasinaGallico I have a similar DH!

Do you actually put a dishwasher cleaner through it , we use the finish ones once a month .