Dishwasher - what am I doing wrong?

[hovely]

I think the results from my new-ish dishwasher are rubbish, and I don't know if I am doing something wrong or if something is wrong with the machine or if they are just all like this.

Basically everything from the top shelf comes out covered in little particles and debris from the bottom, so for example all cups and glasses come out spattered with little bits of mashed potato or soapy bits which has then been dried on.

I have cleaned the filter, added maximum amounts of salt ( we are in v hardwater area), and I rinse dirty stuff before it goes in.
At the moment I'm using tesco's 3-in-one tablets.

Any hints or tips please?

Someone once suggested to run a complete cycle with an empty dishwasher.

Did you clear the holes on the jets? Blocked jets account for a huge percentage of dishwashwer problems, apparently. Rice and little bits can get stuck in them.

Do you use separate rinse aid? can't think what it is- it's obviously not rinsing properly though. if you're doing everything as per instruction manual and all pipes etc are ok then I'd phone the helpline/manufacturer

YES YES YES .. it's a p*sser, isn't it! I just put the offending articles back in again and run it on (another) HOT HOT HOT wash. Can you tell I've been watching too much Cbeebies

I get a load of crud in the top basket if I've overloaded it or have non-standard shaped pots/pans in the bottom that prevents the water getting up to the top iyswim !!
I just wish that I was organised enough to do it all by hand ready for the next day and I would ditch it all together!!

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Are you sure the rotating arms are turning properly? When we have this problem it's usually because something extra large has jammed the arm and prevented it from moving.

hovely, I do all that stuff suggested, but still end up with all that stuff in glasses and mugs. And it's only on the top rack. You haven't, perchance, got a Zanussi, have you???

Although you are using 3 in 1 tablets, do you still add separate salt and rinse aid?
I rinse everything except for tea and coffee mugs as otherwise some things just don't come out clean.

CP man came out and told us not to use 3in1 but to add salt and rinse aid ... still no use

I have found any dishwasher tablets but finish are rubbish.

we had this with other powders etc and like lou finish are the only ones that do a decent job - they are expensive but I don't use salt or rinse aid - just the tablets.

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Tescos 3-in-1 are USELESS for a start. I started using them to save money last year when things were really tight, and I just found I was running the dishwasher twice some days with the same stuff in - hardly a saving!

We now use Finish 3-in-1 and still use rinse aid (although don't bother with salt) and that seems to get the best results.

Ecover tabs are good too and environmentally friendly of course (given the strength of dishwasher tabs this seems like a good place to go eco!). They are expensive though.

I have a 9 yr old Zanussi dishwaher, which usually gives excellent results.
We use salt, rinse aid and 3 in 1 tablets - usually Finish, but have recently tried Tescos and they seem just as good.
We usually cram loads of stuff into the dishwasher including saucepans, but rinse off any large clumps of food.
I have noticed that mashed potato can cause problems - (especially when you put the saucepan used in), so tend to ensure none of that goes in.

I use tesco 3 in 1 WITH rinse aid and find them really good ....

We have cheapo indesit d/w and use Tescos 3in1 tabs, and have not had any probs at all in 2.5 yrs. (Very soft water here - don't know if that makes a difference?)

and I do use the Finish Dishwasher cleaner thing on a hot wash every couple of months.

I rang Whirlpool to question the 3-in-1 thing and was told I still needed to use rinse-aid and salt. I use Finish but do end up with bits of crud occasionally. Also have problems with glass acquiring a "milky" look. Any tips on how to prevent this?

Wow, thanks for so many helpful responses. I will try all tips suggested, and hopefully this is the start of a sparkling future...
PS carla it's a hotpoint slimline, but I did read on another thread that several brands are made by the same manufacturer, so you never know.

Jura - is it available in shops? Seems to affect new glasses pretty quickly - would water hardness speed up the process?

Hi yoyo, we talked about those marks here . Didn't get rid of mine unfortunately