How Water Affects Your Dishwasher Get Water-Wise For Cleaner Dishes The whole point of having a dishwasher is getting things clean without having to wash them yourself, right? So it’s a real bummer when you find yourself scrubbing the crusty lasagna pan that’s supposed to be clean … or wiping spots off the water glasses five minutes before your dinner guests arrive. But don’t be too quick to blame the dishwasher when your water could be the culprit. Check out these water issues that could be affecting your dishwasher’s performance. Sure, it may take a few minutes now, but it could save a lifetime of rewashing — and frustration. Water Temperature: Feelin’ Hot, Hot, Hot A hundred degrees is too hot for doing Tae-Bo — not for doing dishes. The incoming water temperature needs to be between 120 and 140° F to melt greasy, stuck-on food and make the detergent do its job. Your water heater should be set at 140° F if water-heating options on your dishwasher are not available or not selected. If water-heating options are used, the water heater may be set to deliver a minimum of 120° F water to the dishwasher. (You can check the incoming water temperature by placing a thermometer in a glass and setting it in the sink below the faucet. Allow the water to run into the glass until the temperature stabilizes and take a reading.) Other tips to ensure the dishwasher is filling with the hottest water possible: • Let the kitchen sink faucet run until the water is hot before starting the dishwasher. This is especially important if the dishwasher is a long distance from the water heater. • Avoid running the dishwasher while hot water is being used for showers or laundry. Is Your Water Hard On Your Dishes? Hard water (now is that an oxymoron or what?) can affect how the detergent works, leave film on your dishes and build up deposits on mechanical parts of your dishwasher. So, how do you know when your water is too hard? Your local water utility can tell you the degree of water hardness in your area. The level is stated in terms of parts per million (ppm) or grains per gallon (gpg). If it’s stated in ppm, divide the number by 17.1 to determine the gpg (yes, you’re going to have to do math). The most commonly used table to describe water conditions is: 0–3 gpg — Soft Water 4 – 9 gpg — Average Water More than 10 gpg — Hard Water Here are a few problems and solutions based on water hardness: White spots or film on glasses and dishes. Increase detergent according to the degree of water hardness. As a general rule, one teaspoon of detergent is needed per grain of water hardness (with a minimum of three teaspoons). However, when using a concentrated detergent, decrease the amount by half. Soft Water (0–3 grains).............3 Teaspoons Average Water (4–9 grains)........4–9 Teaspoons Hard Water (10–12 grains)...... 10–12 Teaspoons *Note: When water is over 15 grains of hardness, it is difficult to achieve acceptable dishwashing results without mechanically softening the water. In addition, try using a rinse agent such as Jet-Dry or Cascade Rinse-Aid*. Use liquid rinse aid in the dispenser. If the dishwasher is not equipped with a dispenser, place a disc or basket in the back right corner of the lower rack. Glasses turn a blue, purple, pink or brown color. So, your glasses are doing the chameleon act? This could be etching. You can find out for sure — and save yourself from wasting time on trying the wrong solution — by soaking one of the filmy glasses for about 5 minutes in undiluted white vinegar. Rinse and dry, and if the film is still there, it’s etching (if film is removed, it’s probably hard-water filming — see above). Certain types of glassware will etch in any dishwasher with the combination of soft water (0–3 gpm), too much detergent and excess heat. There’s no way to remove the film it leaves behind, but you can prevent it from happening again by: – Adjusting the amount of detergent to the water hardness (see table above). – Lowering the water temperature so that it enters the dishwasher at approximately 130°-140°F. – Using water-heating options on your dishwasher when incoming hot water is 120°F or lower. – NOT manually prerinsing dishes before loading in the dishwasher (this aggravates etching). *Brand names are trademarks of the respective manufacturers.