Dishwasher not getting my dishes clean.

[minkajane]

Seems like no matter what I use, my dishes are always disgusting. Especially the glasses. They always have crud stuck to them, even when I clean out the trap at the bottom. I've tried liquid, powder, and those little capsules. I see frugal sites saying that you can fill the thing halfway with detergent and it will still get your dishes clean. I fill mine all the way, plus the prewash one and my dishes still aren't clean! I know it's not just the dishwasher because I had this problem in my old house and it had a brand new dishwasher.

What can I do? Is there a certain kind of detergent that works really really well? Would some vinegar help?

[macheetah]

I have the same problem. I have the low-grade builder's special dishwasher and boy does it do a bad job - I'm better off handwashing.

BUT, since I've started adding vinegar, it's helped quite a bit; it does rinse cleaner and there's no longer a smell at all (which there was somewhat before.) I add white vinegar to the rinse pocket and also kind of throw a splash into the soap section as I'm closing the door.

I love vinegar for cleaning almost anything in my house.

[lillydilly]

Just a suggestion. Have you checked the spray arms...two of our previous dishwashers used to get bits trapped in the holes, and it made a huge difference to how it cleaned... sometimes even a bit of eggshell of a fish bone was enough to block the sprayers, and that was from new, and I used to rinse too.
Our current DW doesn't do it.. just a different design.
DS recently picked up an almost new DW at a garage sale, because the owner said it didn't clean properly anymore. He bought it, cleaned out the clogged spray arms, and it's fine.
Just a thought.

[g&a]

Ya that! Ours was cleaning really badly, we tried every soap out there. One day DH took it apart and found broken bits so now it works perfectly.

g.

[JTA Mom]

Also, don't overload on too much soap! I fill mine only halfway. Any more and then there's residue everywhere.

Ami

[ctdoula]

I bet the filter and/or sprayer arm is clogged. I was having the same problem with my dishwasher (8yr old Kennmore Elite). My dh took it apart, cleaned it all out, pulled the filter off the motor (ewww...). Now it works just like new.

[joyluc]

I had the same problem and the people we rent from recommended Glass Magic that must help get the bits of food off because without it our dishes are disgusting. Good luck it is so frustrating to have something that is supposed to help cause more work.

[Carlyn]

I use the Melaleuca brand, and it seems to work pretty well. I had tried a couple other brands before that, with no success. Hope you can figure it out, the dishwasher is such a help!

[Petersmamma]

Originally Posted by macheetah

I have the same problem. I have the low-grade builder's special dishwasher and boy does it do a bad job - I'm better off handwashing.

BUT, since I've started adding vinegar, it's helped quite a bit; it does rinse cleaner and there's no longer a smell at all (which there was somewhat before.) I add white vinegar to the rinse pocket and also kind of throw a splash into the soap section as I'm closing the door.

I love vinegar for cleaning almost anything in my house.

Mine only has "prewash" and "wash" pockets for soap, and then that little place where you add Jet Dry.

Where would I add vinegar so that it is used during the rinse part of the cycle?

[BusyBeeMom]

You may need to rinse/scrape more before you put the dishes in... some dishwashers seem to handle heavy stuff, others don't. Other than that, not sure.

I go easy on the soap too.

[Alkenny]

Originally Posted by Petersmamma

Mine only has "prewash" and "wash" pockets for soap, and then that little place where you add Jet Dry.

Where would I add vinegar so that it is used during the rinse part of the cycle?

I put mine in the thing that you put Jet Dry in, and forget about the Jet Dry.

[wife&mommy]

Mine was doing this. I did run it once with the Jet Dry cleaning solution (not my favorite but it was driving nuts!) and once with a TON of vinegar in it because it started to hold water at the bottom and not full empty out. This seemed to help and now they are all sparkly clean again.

[wife&mommy]

Oh and we were using 7th generation detergent but switched to a mainstream one when we were having this problem. I am not sure if that made a difference or not, we are going to switch back when we are out of the one we bought.

[sunnysandiegan]

We generally refuse all extended warranties. The dishwasher is the ONLY one we have ever purchased and it was worth it's weight in gold! A technician came out every year for five years. They replaced something nearly every year! (No charge to us, not even when they replaced the motor.) Anyway, the best part of this service was I learned SO MUCH about dishwashers and how to care for them. Our dishwasher is nearly 7 years old now and works fabulously!

Here are some tips:

~ Run your garbage disposal right before you start your dishwasher.
~ Run your hot water right before you start your dishwasher to get it HOT. (Save the cold water in a pot or bucket for another use.)
~ Use a cup or two of white vinegar in the dishwasher regularly. (I do it once a month with the dishes on a regular cycle.) Just pour it directly in the bottom. You can fill the Jet Dry compartment, but that amount isn't enough to really do the job properly. This does wonders for the glasses, especially!
~ Use LESS soap! Too much soap causes all sorts of problems and then you get stuck in a vicious cycle, which sounds like what you are in now.
~ Clean out everything you can or call a serviceperson to do it and then start fresh with the above tips. (Not just mine. )
~ Powder detergent is said to work best. However, it depends on your water (minerals). Every technician who came to our house told me Electrosol worked the best around here and they were right. Maybe you can find out which detergents your neighbors are having success with???

BEST WISHES!!!

[wife&mommy]

what does running the disposal have to do with it? just curious.

[sunnysandiegan]

Originally Posted by wife&mommy

what does running the disposal have to do with it? just curious.

Something to do with the piping and the way the water flows to/from the dishwasher.

I was recently reminded of this tip. LOL I usually run the garbage disposal at the end of handwashing dishes and then set the dishwasher to run. I don't recall the circumstances, but I started the dishwasher earlier in the process one night last month. Ugh! The sink backed up (not to the point of flooding anything) and left a ring of ick. The dishes in the dishwasher had to be rewashed due extra "gunk" on them. It was a waste of time and water. We don't usually have THAT much in the garbage disposal, either, so I think it was in preparations for a large dinner party that all this occurred. Before or after, not during, thank goodness! LOL