Adding salt to dishwasher

[EleanorFarjeon]

Deathly dull, sorry.

Old dishwasher died after 11 years of abuse, new one coming tomorrow.

I was reading through specification for new model which mentioned salt dispenser.

We never once put salt in our old dishwasher. We always use 3in1 or some such tablets, do you still need to use salt if you use these all in one tablets?

(We have water softener but dishwasher doesn't use softened water.)

There is special dishwasher salt - do not use table salt.

I've a,so never used dishwasher salt, but was told two weeks ago, that I need to use it in order to make the detergent work properly. I've sine added it, and I have to say the difference is fab.

One tip though, you an just use ordinary rock salt - it doesn't have to be special dishwasher salt.

it does have to be special dishwasher salt so don't use any other kind of salt. I just buy cheap own make stuff. I use salt and rinse aid even when using all in one tablets as it gives a better wash result.

I think it depends on where you live, and whether you are in a hard water area or not. If you have soft water you probably don't need salt.

from online: Table, cooking, rock and sea salts may contain additives that can actually increase water hardness. Also, the fine consistency of some of these salts mean they are likely to clog when wet. Always use granular dishwasher salt because it is very pure and is the right consistency for use in your machine.

Where I live in NZ dishwasher salt does not exist. I spent ages looking for it in supermarkets and no one had heard of such a thing. The salt light on the dishwasher from the UK is permanently on. Three years later it is still working fine.

Thanks all. I think I'll go & get some today.

Ours doesn't need salt. We live in NE Scotland. Also, ours says not to use the tablets and it definitely works less well if we use tablets. We buy powder from Morrisons. (took me a while to find somewhere that sold it). We also use Rinse Aid. Dishes come out wet if we don't.

Tescos do dw powder too.

Most of the uk does need salt, your water board displays the hardiness rating for each area on its website.

The salt cleans limescale off the water softener inside the machine and re-generates it.

Maybe it's just our local Tesco that stopped selling iti, fluffy. I definitely got our first lot of powder there and then they no longer had it.

Was it daisy?

Yes. But I haven't looked in a wee while. Don't panic!

It's still on the website.

I've got a recipe for homemade dw powder somewhere.

If you use Fairy Platinum, don't use the dishwasher salt. Fairy Platinum and soft water = remove patterns/markings from items. For example my pyrex jug's measurement markings are now virtually nonexistent

water in NZ probably contains different minerals.

what works for me is salt, rinse aid and cheap tablets. Most dishwasher manufacturers recommend using salt as well as tablets, so expensive 3-in-1s are a waste of money.

don't buy branded dishwasher tabs, advertising costs. And the mumsnet tip of using half a tab for each wash works for me!

I currently use morrisons own make 'power burst' tablets and they work great. They are not their cheapest tablets but still a lot cheaper than branded tablets. I use own brand salt and rinse aid too.

Best thing to do is use salt and rinse aid and then use the powder that does not contain either. Crockery and glassware can get covered in too much silicate otherwise.

Or if you use tablets with the rinse aid and salt do not add more to dishwasher.

the salt in the tablets doesnt activate the water softener in the machine though which is why it is still advised to add salt to the dishwasher as well.

there should also be a way to adjust your dishwasher so it uses/dispenses salt and rinse aid according to how hard the water in your area is. I live in Scotland with soft water so have mine turned down to its lowest levels.

All this using expensive tablets as well as salt and rinse aid benefits only the manufacturers of these products. And believe me I love a cleaning product and would chuck everything in normally until we had an engineer out who explained the science to me.

You should also crack door of dishwasher when cycle finishes for best results.

MaryBS, I've had that as well; my Cath Kidston mugs are faded beyond recognition now. Dishwasher safe, my arse

We never add salt, just use 3-in-1 tablets, whatever is on offer at the time. My dishwasher is old and getting ineffectual though, will salt help?

tells you all about why you should use salt and rinse aid

I was thinking about this yesterday (I know I have an exciting life) What is the point of the 3 in 1 tablets, we still have to put in salt and rinse aid - I actually notice the difference in the wash when its getting low as everything gets grainy.

Cant use cheap tablets as the machine doesn't dissolve them, so I have to use the fairy ones with the granules and liquid in.

I dont use expensive tablets though

try the morrisons power burst ones as they are a dissolvable capsule with powdery stuff on the inside.