Help! New dishwasher and can't buy dishwasher salt for love nor money...

[gaelicsheep]

... because people have been out sprinkling it on the 6 inch deep ice on their driveways . All salt of any description sold out in the whole of the town, apparently. So my question is, how much does this matter? We have a private water supply so can't find out about water hardness, but the water seems pretty soft to me. Will I kill the dishwasher if I use it without until all the ice in town has thawed? (Please don't say yes!)

It's not for paths, it's for people like me!!

You can't be as far north as me then if you've got a Sainsbury's. Lucky you (although rumour has it there may be one coming soon).

gaelicsheep if you are in the highlands, as I think you may be, you almost certainly don't need salt - it's only necessary in hard water areas. We were advided by the water board (or whatever they are called) that our water was soft enough to do without it (we're glasgow) and I can't imagine that yours will be any harder if it comes from a loch.

Aberdeen? North? Nah Blardy cold though I imagine.

Midnightexpress - that might explain why there is only one brand of salt in Tescos and very small stocking levels. I'm pretty sure our water is soft. I'll probably get some to try when it comes back in and see if it makes a difference.

You can phone up the water people and they'll tell you, but if it's coming off a Scottish hillside, it's going to be soft. If you only have to use a wee bit of shampoo and don't get scale in your kettle then it's soft and you can do without it. Although most tabs seem to come with it built in these days. I never ever use it and have never had any problems. I really wouldn't bother.

I find the Sainsbos eco tabs good.

No Sainsburys yet I'll bear in mind for a year's time though.

You know, I automatically assumed that being on a private supply they wouldn't be able to tell me. But the next loch along is a SW reservoir! Duh!

Just spotted that you can get 60 Finish tablets at Co-op for £5 until the 19th Jan....bargain (usually £13 or something ridiculous)!

Ooh thanks Washersaurus. I'll go and have a look.

can't stand the finish tablets - used to use them all the time but got fed up with the numerous occasions when they wouldn't dissolve and then I ended up with a dishwasher full of dishes with everything baked on by the drying cycle - then having to soak dishes in the sink to wash again - Now use Fairy ones (stock up when on offer) all the time with cheapest salt and rinse aid from tescos or wherever I tend to be shopping that week. Our Zanussi dishwasher has a light which comes on which tells you when to add salt and rinseaid, and although I've occasionally ignored it - the dishes are always better when I remember to add it

Use 5 in 1 (Lidl/Aldi are fine) and you won't need salt etc.
Do not use Fairy thingies, they are useless.

Well I've used three brands now. The Finish 5 in 1 tablet that came with the dishwasher, the Fairy 3 in 1 and the Tesco Value powder only tablet. Rinse aid is in as standard and still can't get salt.

I can't say I've noticed any difference between them. In all cases any food residue that I haven't rinsed off has sometimes still be there. I'm sure I need to work on my stacking but on this basis all tablets seem much of a muchness.

I am still very pleased with the dishwasher though. It gets stainless steel and glass items sparkling which is lovely. It's also great being able to have a clear kitchen worktop straight away after cooking and just have to put away in the morning. I don't mind having to compromise by rinsing off first - on the performance of all three tablets I wouldn't be risking putting very dirty dishes in there!

P.S. I never bother with rinse aid, use value vinegar instead, just as good.

why do glasses come out of the dishwasher cloudy? It's not on all of them but some have this sort of bloom that won't wash off.

Well I haven't a clue being a complete dishwasher numpty. All my glass stuff has been just fine so far.