dishwasher destroying my dishes

[AuldAlliance]

Sorry, if this has been done before, haven't time to search archives with two and a half week old baby...
My dishwasher doesn't say I need more salt/rinse aid, but has left my dishes covered in a thick, nasty white layer.
More salt needed? Other problem?

You didn't put in a load of dishes covered in mashed potato or anything did you? That's the most obvious culprit.

Try upping the "dose" of rinse aid per cycle. Do you live in a hard water area? Is limescale a problem or is this a once-off thing that has happened?

Clear out the filters, use a dishwasher cleaner and see what happens.

Nope, not mash. Some kind of heavy duty limescale, I think. Area has very hard water, and limescale is a priblem, but usually the wee light on the machine lets me know when more salt/rinse aid is needed.
It did the same thing in a minor way last week and I ran it with a cleaner then. So this morning's horror was all the more unexpected.
Will clean filters, run with cleaner/vinegar, add rinse aid and maybe even salt...
Thanks!

That's weird, I bet something is in the filter. We live in a hard water area (it's category 5 but almost category 6 out of the 7 categories, where cat7 is the worst). And we don't use rinse aid at all, the glasses don't get spots, I use any ol' powder.

instead of rinse aid use white vinegar. cheap as chips and better

my dishwasher has just packed in so i am grieving its loss

I bet you spilled salt, or it's a hard water problem.

1. Take apart.
2. Wash removable parts and unblock any holes.
3. Wipe out carcass and trims.
4. Reassemble machine.
5. Top up salt and rinse aid without spilling any salt.
6. Run hot wash programme 2 or 3 times.

Should fix it.

Sorry, I am absolutely no help but I love the title, I had an image of a comedy dishwasher with arms systematically smashing up all of your plates... good grief I need a holiday!

Mine is like that if the filters need cleaning

Filter (cleaned last week) contained one small peanut, not sure it could have wreaked such damage.
Must have been the water, it smelt odd too yesterday, v chemical. Have cleaned, topped up and it washed fine this afternoon.
Thanks for your help.

P.S.
Boff - take apart? To what extent?

Check the rotary arm thingy that goes round under the pull out wire racks.

We had one that had a crack in it, which collects gunk all thru the was, then squirts it out in the rinse yuk.

You can buy replacements, but may find it's enough to take them off, flush thru with water and put back, until you can buy a replacement.

It must be simple to take it apart/put back together, as dh can do it (I.T. boffin, practical ignoramus).

I meant take the extending baskets out, the rotary arms and the filters, and wash them all in hot water and wshing up liquid. I do this about once a month. But I am indeed anal domestically.