Dishwashers. Possibly the most boring thread ever, BUT....

[britishbakeoffblues]

I inherited a dishwasher in my new kitchen. It was new but I didn't choose it.
My OH is not really interested in kitchen gadgets but call me Nigella so would have bought it because it was the right price and would not have read reviews etc like I do
I get rejects all the time - cups with crap in the bottom of them, larger items of cutlery with food still attached, plastic pots with food all over them.
I top it up with salt and use finish quantum tablets. I don't over fill it (in fact, I usually run it half empty to try and make sure nothing is overlapping to cause a problem).
I've never had a dishwasher before and am wondering, is it worth upgrading it? Am I missing something?

Are you using the top and bottom tray for correct items?
Cutlery upside down and sharp stabby end up?
Is it mashed potatoes getting stuck?

Have you cleaned the arms out? Usually when ours stops cleaning properly it's because the hole son the arms are blocked, lemon pips seem to be a big offender. Also have you cleaned the filter?
Sluice it and the arms out under the tap and see if it helps.

That sounds like a rubbish dishwasher. I overfill it all the time and have no problem.

I put plates (big and small) in the racks at the bottom, sometimes saucepans.
I put the little cutlery in the cutlery rack and bigger items like serving spoons and spatulas in the top racks.
Glasses, mugs and plastic storage pots in the top too.
Keep the filter clean but haven't done the arms (but there is always water spraying everywhere if I open it when it's going!)

noodles, vegetables, spaghetti bolognaise remnants.....anything and everything!!

Sounds odd, my DP 'helps' by filling it randomly but apart from his loads I fill mine the same as you and don't have probes, mine is ancient too
Mash potatoes are it's Achilles heel though.
It sulks for a week after mash.

I have a few suggestions for you...

You do need to scrape left over food off before you put things in the dishwasher. I use Aldi Magnum tablets - fraction of the cost of Finish and they don't take the pattern off your plates either.

Are you using an economy programme when there's lots of heavily soiled stuff in it?

Try putting the tablet in the cutlery basket or loose in the machine instead of the powder compartment.

Is the water softener correctly set for the water in your area? If not the detergent won't be working correctly.

Can the arms above the lower basket turn completely or are they catching on plates and pans in the basket?

A few more things for you to try there!

If you are in a hard water area, run a de scaler product through. Not just a cleaner or degreaser but one for lime scale.

I don't have a dishwasher but aren't you supposed to put it in after scraping actual noodles, vegetables etc off?

thank you for the suggestions. I do scrape most of the food off, but if there is a bit of mince left on a spoon etc, I leave it, expecting the dishwasher to remove little bits!!
I don't want to buy a "better" one to discover I am expecting miracles!!

hahahahaha, there is rarely anything left on plates in this house, but do I have to get every single item off a plate or saucepan before I put it in the dishwasher?? :D :D :D

Clean the arm nozzles - you can remove the spinny arm and poke out the holes with cocktail sticks to remove debris. We're in a hard water area and the holes get clogged with scale. Clean the filter and run it through empty on the hottest wash with soda crystals. This will degrease it.

Does it get hot and steamy when you open the door mid-cycle? If it's not heating properly the element might have gone.

Have you got the instruction book? If not, download it from the maker's website.

You have to clean out all the filters. There may be three. The instructions will tell you how many and how to remove and refit them. If any are damaged or misplaced (especially the fine gauze one) food particles will not be trapped.

Also remove the arms and wash out any peas or grains of rice.

Open the door mid-wash to verify that both arms are spinning.

p.s.

If the salt reservoir is filled and never left empty, and the water hardness setting is adjusted to suit your area, there should never be any limescale.

5 in 1 tablets are not as good as real salt and real rinse-aid.

yes, it streams up my glasses if I open the door mid-cycle. I don't think it is broken in any way, as it was new when it was put into the kitchen, it was just purchased prior to me living in the house! :)

I have the same problem and have tried everything suggested above! Still the bloody same. It is so frustrating.

exciting times!!!

I second pigletjohn's advice - I followed it 2 years ago and the dishwasher I was set to throw away started washing perfectly. My dishwasher has two ways to set the water hardness etc and I'd only done the obvious which didn't involve reading the manual. I use tesco or aldi economy tablets now, salt, rinse aid and it's like a new machine (and I cram it full every wash and only ever run a 30 minute economy run).

Thank you. I shall get to work on it tomorrow!
I put salt and rinse aid in it as well as using the all in one dishwasher tablets.

Clean the filter!

Run it on the highest temperature & if that works move one down...and keep going until you find the 'right' setting that works for your pots & pans. Sometimes the lower temperatures do a bad job!

And ofcourse all the stuff said above about maintenance!

Did you clean the basket/food scrap container which sits at the bottom of the dishwasher?
It needs emptying and often needs a good scrub.

Sounds like a crap dishwasher. I have a crap dishwasher like that (free with new kitchen). 5 in 1 tabs plus salt plus odd cleaning cycle and still stuff can come out with sauce splodges. Used to have a Miele that performed beautifully for 10 years in the same house. Next dishwasher will be a Miele. They cost more but will have double the lifespan.