Help a dishwasher newbie? What salt??

[tootiredtothink]

About to finally get my much longed for dishwasher but reading the instructions it says I have to fill salt container and rinse aid dispenser.

Normal table salt, sea salt or is there special d/washer salt? Same question with rinse aid. Couldnt see anything but dishwasher tablets in supermarket.

TIA for your help. I want to be prepared when it's plumbed in on Monday.

Dishwasher salt will be in the supermarket down the same aisle as the tablets and rinse aid.

It does have to be dishwasher salt. Most machines you can do without and use 3 in 1 tablets but you have to change settings and I find it cleans better with everything seperate.

If you live in a hard water area, then you'll need to add salt and rinse aid separately for the best results.

you get dishwasher salt - I usually use supermarket own brand stuff. I do the same with rinse aid. They are found with the other dishwasher stuff in the supermarket. Salt normally comes in a bag and rinse aid in a plastic bottle similar to a washing up liquid one

If you live in a soft water area, you can do without. I never put any in my dishwasher.

Thank you . Will have a proper look in supermarket.

How often do you put them in?

I have bought Finish 3 in 1. I assume I can
Still use that even with salt and dish washer aid added to machine?

Sooo many questions!

yes I still use salt and rinse aid as well as all in one tablets. My machine tells me when the salt needs refilled and it normally lasts a few weeks once filled. Also tells me when the rinse aid needs refilling.

as others note, must be proper dishwasher salt.

3 in 1 tablets are a waste as you still need to add salt (the ads lie, dishwashers can be damaged without it), and probably rinse aid too. Use them up, then my recommendation is to get to Wilkinsons and buy a set of their cheapo tablets, dishwasher salt and rinse aid, the lot will be under a fiver. Don't buy anything that is advertised, same thing, multiple of the price.

use half a tablet per wash. Only run the dishwasher when full. Don't do pre-wash or soak programmes - I run mine every other day and it still works happily like this. Scrape off food but don't pre-rinse dishes (you've bought a dog, don't bark!)

BTW dishwasher tabs are caustic and poisonous, keep out of reach of anyone likely to eat them.

read the manual and use the programme that uses the least water and electricity. This may not be the quickest one but who is in that much of a hurry?

if you have economy 7 and run the dishwasher overnight, make sure there is a smoke alarm in range. If the switch is accessible, turn off the power after use as modern dishwashers use standby power.

otherwise it is a 'magic cupboard' and one of the miracles of modern life! A full dishwasher uses less water (and energy to heat it) than washing up.

You will never look back!
I recommend Fairy platinum dishwasher gel tablets,fairy rinse aid & finish salt.

Waitrose own brand all in one tablets and Lidl own brand all in one tablets, both of which are entirely effective and easy to cut in half, look suspiciously alike to me!

no way would I buy branded rinse aid and salt as they are extortionate! I sometimes buy finish/fairy, etc tablets if they are on offer but am currently getting good results with morrisons own brand tablets.

as for "how often do you refill the salt" your instructions will tell you more, but it has probably been pre-set to average water hardness. You can adjust it if yours is more or less hard than average (google "water uk hardness map") or look on your local water company's website.

The machine will have an indicator or some kind telling you when it needs refilling.

If you ever see the bright shiny stainless inside the cabinet go dull, that will be limescale building up, so you need to increase the hardness setting or fill the salt reservoir more often. It is easiest to see on the machines wil have a visible heating element at the bottom of the cabinet. Salt and rinse aid are both very cheap so no need to scrimp, and use them both, you will get better results, but brand is very unimportant.

In recent Which tests, Fairy Platinum tablets, and Finish Classic powder came out top. Lidl 5 in 1 tablets, and Morrisons Powder were almost as good.

Asda Citrus Burst and Waitrose Essential were the worst. Finish Powerball (Quantum, and all in 1) are expensive and not much good.

I'd avoid lemon-scented as the artificial scent is very persistent and clings to plates and dishes.