Dishwasher Help Career Guide and Counseling

Question: Dishwasher help? Why is my dishwasher tinting my plastics an orange color? It also leaves water spots on the other plastics.

Answer: try cleaning it by running it a cycle or 2 empty.. it could have some rust build up in it... but some dishwasher cleaning agent in the cycle.. or clean the drain.

Question: What would cause a dishwasher to stop working halfway through a cycle? Whirlpool Dishwasher approximately 10+ years old. Water laying inside the dishwasher. Was midway through the first wash cycle. Dishwasher does have power to it, but when you move the dial to different settings, it does not turn on. Just had a new drain (for sink and dishwasher) installed by a plumber. Could the drain be plugged/not hooked up? Could the motor just have gone? dishwasher drains directly into pipe, not through garbage disposal. connections between dishwasher and electric are tight (not a loose wire)

Answer: If the water level is too high the water level shut off switch could have cut the unit off. If you had a garbage disposal installed there is a knock-out in the garbage disposal where the d/w drain hose installs that must be removed or the d/w won't drain. If the unit was moved, it's possible the wire nuts came loose in the junction box of the d/w.

Question: What is better for the dishwasher and/or better for cleaning dishes: powdered or liquid dishwasher soap? Is powdered or liquid dishwasher detergent better for the good functioning and maintenance of a dishwasher? Specific brands of dishwashers or not? If I use one or the other for the good of my dishwasher, will I have to sacrifice clean dishes? Does one or the other clean dishes better?

Answer: I prefer the gel dishwasher detergent as to liquids, packs, or powders. I find it dispenses more thoroughly, cleans and leaves little to no residue, and my dishwasher does not pick up a dirty water odor. I don't even buy namebrand gel either. I also make sure I use a disposal cleaner at least once a week, which also helps keeps the lines clean and the standing water in the dishwasher fresh. I run my dishwasher empty about once a month just to give a fresh cycle of standing water in the filtration system.

Question: Can i put the dishwasher tablet in the bottom of my dishwasher? Hi I have a dishwasher that I have had for a few years and the lid of where you put the tablets in has came off. (it wasnt actually new when i got it) so I was wondering if i can just put the dishwasher tables in the bottom of the dishwasher or would it not work properly.

Answer: Sure. When the wash cycle starts it just opens the door and does the same thing. Washer starts right out filling the tub anyway.

Question: What is the best type of dishwasher soap to use? Ok I'm going grocery shopping tomorrow and I need to get a new dishwasher soap (either liquid or gel packs, doesn't matter) and I need to know what the best kind is, because everytime I wash my dishes in the dishwasher the dishes (mostly glasses/cups) on the top rack never get clean, they usually have a dirty film on the outside or dirt (like from the other dishes below) stuck on the inside of them! How can I get ALL my dishes clean? And do dishwasher cleaners (the cleaner you can buy and run in your dishwasher to clean your dishwasher not dishes) really work or are they pointless? Oh yeah, I use jet dry, so it's not from hard water stains. It's not water spots I have a problem with, I have a problem with food and other "mush" from the dishes on the bottom rack coming up and getting on the dishes above....I could care less about water spots or water film....

Answer: There's only one thing to look at when it comes to buying dishwasher detergent... On the back of every box or bottle you will see number with a % sign... This is an indicator of what the phosphate level is in the detergent... The higher the level, the better the soap... I would recommend a powder soap, cause liquid soaps are diluted, and have a lower phosphate percentage... Buy a soap that is 7% or higher... If you have problems with spotting, you can also buy a product called Glass Magic... This soap has a phosphate level of around 21%, but you don't want to use it directly, cause it might etch your glassware.. I recommend you mix it with a powder detergent, thus increasing the phosphate levels, but not enough that it will etch your glassware...As for your problem with your dishes not getting clean on the upper rack, That's a classic indicator that your not getting enough water in the dishwasher.. Here's a simple way to check that... After the dishwasher is done filling, open the door and see where the water level is in the tub... It should be no less than a 1/4'' below the heating element that's at the bottom of the tub... Also make sure that your upper and lower wash arms are spinning and that the holes in the wash arms are free of obstructions...

Question: Can you use dishwasher tablets in a dish-draw dishwasher? The little compartment where you put the powder has a couple of prongs in it, so I couldn't put a dishwasher tablet in there. Is it ok to just drop it in the dishwasher? I've had the dish-draws for ages but have never been game to try.. silly hey !

Answer: what you do is put the tablet in a hair net and hang the hair net from the compartment trap door......works just fine.

Question: I removed my dishwasher to install new floors, and when I reinstalled it, no power gets to the inlet valve? It is a G.E. dishwasher. I never disconnected anything electrical besides unplugging the dishwasher. That seems like a strange coincidence if this went bad right after I removed and reinstalled the dishwasher, but I don't know what I would have done to cause this. It is definitely not the copper pipe as water flows through this fine when disconnected. Is there any easy way to verify that it is a damaged solenoid. If so is this an easy/inexpensive fix?

Answer: im assuming ur not getting water through the inlet valve. check to see if while moving the dishwasher the 3/8 copper supply got kinked or bent

Question: My dishwasher is leaving dishes with a white film. How can I make them come out clean? I just got a new dishwasher. I'm from the US, and I'm not used to the hard water here in Europe. I cannot get my dishes clean no matter what I do. They have a white film all over them. I've made sure that the dishwasher has salt and rinse agent, and that it is maintained correctly. When the dishwasher was brand new, the dishes came out clean, and after a few washes, they don't come out clean anymore. I need some help from someone who knows about dishwashers in Europe. I must point out to any of you stupid americans that think you know everything there is to know about the world, that in Europe, the dishwashers are much different from dishwashers in the US, and if you have never used a dishwasher in Europe, you are not really in a place to answer this question.

Answer: Maybe it has a blockage in the water pipes, where grease and gunk can build up, they sell dishwasher cleaner in most supermarkets, you just put it in your cutlery drawer when the dishwasher is empty and put it on a cycle. Hope this helps.

Question: My hotpoint dishwasher is not filling up with water through the whole cycle. What could be wrong? I have a Hotpoint dishwasher that isnt installed in the counter. The model # is HDB720-01. My dishwasher works and makes the noise and sounds like the water is running through it but none of the dishes are wet when it is finished. What could be wrong?

Answer: is it getting the dishes clean ? is the soap gone ? is the heat cycle on ? if so there dry when its done you need to give all the info you can

Question: How much dishwasher powder do you put in a laundry? I read that chefs keep their white coats white by washing them with dishwasher powder instead of laundry detergent. The article said that this would work on all "whites" but did not say how much to use. Does anyone know how much dishwasher powder to use in an average size washing machine?

Answer: Try using a half a cup and see if that works. If not, add a little more the next time. Why not ask a chef?