The dishwasher has become an essential appliance in many homes. What can you do if a tablet does not dissolve during washing?
If your dishwasher tablets are not dissolving, then you should change the tablet manufacturer. The difference in product composition can be huge. Some tablets have more rinse aid than salt or detergent. Using 4in1 or 7in1 tablets will affect your dishwashing, as the extra ingredients can adversely affect the performance of the tablets.
It is also worth checking the expiration date of the tablets. If they are past their expiry date, this may be the reason for the problem with dissolving them. When buying tablets on promotion, it is worth paying attention to the expiry date – it may turn out to be too short and that is why the product is so cheap.
If the tablets do not dissolve, it is also worth examining the water. It may turn out that water is too hard and therefore the product is not dissolved. In such a case, the washing agents should be selected according to the hardness of the water, e.g. make sure that the device has the right level of salt. This will soften the water, extending the life of the dishwasher.
In order to keep a dishwasher running smoothly you should make sure to clean it regularly (preferably every two weeks and at least once a month). This way you can remove grease and grime that linger in the dishwasher after each wash. That is why it is so important to use special detergents and let the dishwasher run without a load on the highest possible temperature. Then clean all the nozzles and filters.
Every dishwasher has two or even three spray arms. If one of them is clogged and no water is coming out, the dishwasher may not be dissolving tablets. Sometimes the propeller is unclogged and water comes out sideways instead of flowing through the holes.
If the spray arm in your dishwasher has been damaged, replace it with a new one. You can fix this fault yourself.
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If the pressure in the pipes is too low, the dishwasher may not dissolve the tablet. The optimum pressure is 2 bars. If you see that the pressure in the pipes has decreased, it is a good idea to call the water company and ask when the fault will be corrected.
Most dishwasher manufacturers recommend a minimum pressure of 0.5 bar to a maximum of 10 bar. Sometimes low pressure is caused by limescale clogged strainers. If this is the case it is a good idea to clean them – the pressure will return to normal.
If the previous possible faults have been eliminated, it’s worth checking if the heater in the dishwasher is working properly. A defect in the heater may have caused it to go completely out of circuit, thus the water in the dishwasher is not heated.
You can check the heater yourself by removing it from the appliance and checking with a circuit continuity meter. The correct value of the heater resistance should be 25-30 Ohm on average. Be careful, however, because the ambient temperature also affects the measurement.
If, despite replacing the heater, the problem of undissolved tablets remains, one of the causes may be a defective heater relay, which is located in the control module. If this is the case, please contact a service technician for assistance.
The tablet flap opens automatically when washing dishes. If the dispenser is dirty or has limescale build-up, there will be a problem opening the flap and thus the tablet will not be picked up and dissolved.
Occasionally a tablet will stick to the dispenser and will not be ejected during the wash. If this happens, it is a good idea to wipe the dispenser dry with a cloth. If this does not help, the actuator in the dispenser should be replaced.
Heavier items, such as pots and plates, should be placed in the lower basket, and small plates and cups should be placed in the upper basket. If the washer arm is blocked, the dishwasher will not dissolve the tablet and the plates will not get washed.
Short wash programs have too low a temperature and too short a wash time, so the tablet will not be fully dissolved.
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