Dishwasher not cleaning properly...any suggestions?

[patchesmcp]

My dishwasher isn't cleaning properly. It seems to leave a sandy residue on the dishes. I've cleaned the filter and run it through on the hottest setting which has helped a little but not completely.

Any suggestions what it could be?

Thanks

Rinse aid and salt dispensers topped up fully?

Our dishwasher does not clean properly when there is anything at all sticking up too high or down below the basket thing. This stops the wizzy thing going round pumping the water upwards and stuff can't get clean. Its an issue at the moment as the cutlery basket has got gaps on the bottom caused by knives being dropped into it blade first. If I don't put cutlery in very carefully, knives drop down so they are half in the basket and half underneath.

Also when dp overloads it the thing doesn't clean properly, the detergent can only do so much!

First I would try adding salt and rinse agent (do you have any warning lights saying these are low?)

Also check your filter, do you have food debris at the bottom of the machine?

Are the jet holes in the bits that go round blocked?

If you do all that and it still fails it may be worth getting one of those bottles of dishwasher cleaner and giving it a run through with that.

sandy residue is food particles. Take out all the filters (there may be three) and the spinning arms and scrub them in the sink. You may need to refer to the instructions. Look in the sump where the filters go.

The other causes can be holloware not pointing downwards, and excessive scraps on the plates.

Use of salt is very important, even if you have 37-in-one tablets. What tablet or powder do you use?

btw you can buy new cutlery baskets on ebay for about £8

or less

My Mum recently told me to check the sprayer for rice when I had similar trouble. It can get in the 'oles apparently. Wasn't the case for mine, but she did tell me she used some household device for picking it out - can't remember what though!

often you can easily screw open the spray arms. then depending on the gunck in there soak over night in water + some soda crystals and scrub them clean.

if you take the arms off, you can usually shake small loose objects so they fall out of the big hole in the middle. The instructions will say how.

Easier than using a toothpick...

Thanks everyone. I've cleaned the spinning arms and the filter. Only found one filter at the bottom. Not sure if there are any more - it's a Bosch, in case anyone else knows?

Salt and rinse aid lights are both on, so I'll get some and fill them up and see if that helps. We use the finish tablets, all in one.

I normally load the dishwasher dh is incapable and seems to think it not only washes dishes but is a bin too and I do put quite a lot in, so I'll watch that as well.

I had this problem and googled it and got some good suggestions. Along with cleaning all parts that can be removed, you can also do a deep clean by running dishwasher empty on the hottest setting with a cup full off white wine vinegar. Really helped mine. I find that i still need to add salt and rinse aid even with the all in one tablets.

I've got a Bosch too. I use a sachet of washing machine/dishwasher cleaner once every few months, but the most regular maintenance I have to do is taking arms off and somehow getting scraps of crud out of the little holes. That usually solves any problem. I've cleaned right down to the filter twice. The first time it was vile, it hadn't occurred to me to do it for 18 months . It's now on a check every three months list. I found only two filters, one big obvious one on the floor and a second cylindrical one underneath the lower rotor arm.

Stop using the tablets that are 3 in. 1 and use normal powder without salt and liquid added. But always make sure these are added in the salt reservoir and the rinsing aid reservoir.

Also when your dishwasher beeps at the end of the cycle crack open the door.

It's something to do with too many silicates.

Bosch DWs sometimes get grease build-up in the U bend at the back of the machine. After you've eliminated any simpler possibility then that's the next thing to check.

My Bosches have a flat metal filter held in with a big plastic basket-widget, and once you've removed that there's a cylindrical metal mesh underneath it. But if you've never cleaned the filter before then I think we've found the source of your problem.

All the above.

And

Avoid outting mashed potato saucepan in the dishwasher it clogs all the holes up.

Putting

RT F M

If you have lost the instructions you can download from the maker's website. The E nr. and FD date code are engraved on the top edge of the door.

Might help to do one cycle on empty, possibly with one of the dishwasher cleaner things you can get - like this one. I've used them occasionally when I've been having the gritty-residue problem, and it does seem to help, along with cleaning filters and making sure salt and rinse aid are topped up.