# Dishwasher not washing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 10, 2010, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809 "2010-08-10T11:47:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809/1 "2010-08-10T11:47:38Z")
A couple of weeks ago, very suddenly, dishes started coming out covered in white crap. You can scrub it off but they still look really dull. The rinse agent reservoir is full. I also tried one of those combined detergent/rinse packets and that was even worse. I use powder detergent and run the hot water in the sink before starting the dishwasher, as was recommended to me by a repairman once upon a time. What do I need to check? ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809/2 "2010-08-10T12:06:48Z")
How’s the salt reservoir? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809/3 "2010-08-10T13:14:45Z")
> [@GHO57](#): > > How’s the salt reservoir? We don’t have a water softener, if that’s what you’re referring to. Our city water is not that hard. ---
**Author:** ![bahimes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@bahimes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bahimes)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809/4 "2010-08-10T13:22:11Z")
GHO57 may be in Europe, most dishwashers there have a salt deposit which really does help in the rinse. It seems that you have a build up the same chemicals that cause hard water. You might check with an appliance store to see if you should cycle something through it, like vinegar through a coffee maker. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809/5 "2010-08-10T13:37:18Z")
> [@bahimes](#): > > GHO57 may be in Europe, most dishwashers there have a salt deposit which really does help in the rinse. It seems that you have a build up the same chemicals that cause hard water. You might check with an appliance store to see if you should cycle something through it, like vinegar through a coffee maker. Yes, he is. And yes, they do. And yes, that’s what it sounds like. …wow, I’m really agreeable today. Also, a small amount of ordinary table salt might do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809/6 "2010-08-10T13:49:15Z")
Is there a trap or filter you can check to make sure it’s not blocked up with washed-off food particles? Our dishwasher occasionally needs the trap checked and cleaned, even though we rinse the dishes before putting them in. In our, it’s accessible by taking out the bottom rack and unlocking a little lever next to the pylon (vertical spindle?) that the rotating arms are mounted on. Here’s some quick [dishwasher maintenance basics](http://www.diynetwork.com/kitchen/dishwasher-maintenance-basics/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809/7 "2010-08-10T13:53:44Z")
> [@GHO57](#): > > > [@bahimes](#): > > > > GHO57 may be in Europe, most dishwashers there have a salt deposit which really does help in the rinse. It seems that you have a build up the same chemicals that cause hard water. You might check with an appliance store to see if you should cycle something through it, like vinegar through a coffee maker. > > Yes, he is. And yes, they do. And yes, that’s what it sounds like. …wow, I’m really agreeable today. > > Also, a small amount of ordinary table salt might do the trick. Where and when do I put in the salt? ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809/8 "2010-08-10T13:57:16Z")
> [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](#): > > A couple of weeks ago, very suddenly, dishes started coming out covered in white crap. Stop crapping in the dishwasher. More seriously, if your dishwasher has a “protruding obelisk” (obviously, I’m not a dishwasher repair guy) that rises with water pressure during the wash cycle, verify that it actually telescopes it’s way to do the washing. My first thought to verify this would be to use a (new and unused) mousetrap to see if it triggers when touched by the rising tube. Actually, before that I thought about rice paper before realizing it would likely dissolve. And after that, I started thinking about building complicated designs. Now I want to start performing tests on my own dishwasher, even though it works… You’ve driven me mad!!! And I suppose none of this matters, if you don’t have a telescoping tube in your dishwasher. If not, sorry for wasting your time. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809/9 "2010-08-10T14:02:40Z")
> [@GiantRat](#): > > Actually, before that I thought about rice paper before realizing it would likely dissolve. And after that, I started thinking about building complicated designs. Now I want to start performing tests on my own dishwasher, even though it works… You’ve driven me mad!!! > > And I suppose none of this matters, if you don’t have a telescoping tube in your dishwasher. If not, sorry for wasting your time. you should fabricate a window in your dishwasher door ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809/10 "2010-08-10T14:28:21Z")
> [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](#): > > > [@GHO57](#): > > > > Yes, he is. And yes, they do. And yes, that’s what it sounds like. …wow, I’m really agreeable today. > > > > Also, a small amount of ordinary table salt might do the trick. > > Where and when do I put in the salt? Ah, did some checking… apparently it’s not a good idea, to the extent that some sites throw out terms like “never” and “under any circumstances, don’t”.:smack: My bad. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dishwasher-not-washing/549809/11 "2010-08-10T15:22:58Z")
From a related thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12584739#post12584739](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12584739#post12584739)