Dishwasher not cleaning effectively - any ideas?

[doglover]

We've a Bosch dishwasher which I love! It hasn't been cleaning particularly well for the last couple of days though and wondered if any of you had any magical solutions?! (I have cleaned out all the usual bits, by the way!). TIA.

Have you checked the spray arms for pine nuts, bits of sweetcorn etc blocking the holes? If you tap them hard on the side of the sink it can be amazing what comes out. Frequent problem with our old Bosch.

No, that I didn't check! Will investigate in the morning - too much wine now! Many thanks.

We used to use the standard Fairy tablets in the plasticy pouch.... they stopped cleaning stuff that they used to - now moved on to the platinum ones - and guess what, everything sparkles again!!

Thanks, BTW. Tesco tomorrow!

Try using some dishwasher cleaner. I thought stuff like that was a bit of a gimmick, but it sorted out our dishwasher when it stopped working properly.

I don't find fairy dishwasher tablets work well (although, like bytheway, I used to find them fine. ). The best ones seem to be the quantum ones - also the most expensive (surprise, surprise).

Making sure you've not run out of salt and rinse-aid is another quick thing to check...

check the rinse aid and salt, and turn the rinse aid release up a bit.

I had this problem recently. I ran a dishwasher cleaner thingy through, topped up salt and rinse aid and switched from tablets to loose powder. The tablets just don't always fully dissolve.

When was the last time you cleaned it? I run a dishwasher cleaner through an empty hot cycle once a month.

open the door mid-cycle. Is the water fully hot? This will also show you if both the arms are spinning freely and squirting well.

Mine has three filters. You have to make sure they are all clean. The fine mesh one lifts out after you have taken out the big one. You may need to look at your instruction book.

Is it top shelf that is not properly clean, or everything?

Do you put much cooking fat or oil in it?

I use tesco daisy powder, tablets dont always clean that well ime.

ByTheWay1 That's really interesting!

My cutlery basket has got holes bodged in the bottom by years of putting knives in. Sometimes cutlery drops through and stops the lower arm from spinning. The crocks end up with horrible sand-like deposits on them when this happens.

My dishwasher is very old. But what has helped is not running the washing machine and DW at the same time. I noticed things weren't getting rinsed propery in the DW and changing to Fairy DW tablets. They are quite expensive but I always watch out and get them when they're reduced.

orlando

if yours is a major make, I bet you could pick up a spare cutlery basket on fleabay for a few quid. for example

This thread had me scurrying to my Bosch, which did a poor wash today.

Egg shell bits in the rotary arms. Even the tiniest bit can block.

I've got a Bosch (15 years old and still going strong!) and get the same problem.
It's almost always the spray arms either being blocked or being fouled by something.
I use cheapie powder and never have any problems - luckily live in a soft water area.