Kitchen

[Ibby114]

On 1/9/2015 65and fabulous said:

I have 2 Miele dishwashers, and my dealer suggested Finish detergent. We have very hard water, and my plumber is now installing a water softener; I had no idea hard water was so bad for appliances.

I pour white vinegar inside sometimes; mostly I try to keep my drains clean by pouring white vinegar; then, ten minutes after, pour some boiling water and a small box of baking soda. Wow! Cleans whatever gunk in in the drains.

The problem you have with your dishwasher is my curse with refrigerators! I can never make one last more that 5 years! I now buy the cheap ones, because I've had such bad luck with the expensive ones.

I think this is part of the success with my machine. Every month or so I pour a cup of vinegar in a container and sit it in the middle of my top rack - and run the dishwasher empty with this 'vinegar wash'. It makes such a difference!

[suzyQ3]

On 1/9/2015 customerQ--V--C said:

My appliance repair man told me that in Colorado where we have hard water that I should fill the rinse agent well with half Jet Dry and half vinegar. I also use the Finish detergent with the little orange ball. Every few months, I run a cycle in my dishwasher with a dishwasher cleaner in an empty dishwasher to remove any residue that I don't see (like inside the drains and such). I think 10 years is probably the life of most dishwashers today.

We have very hard water but don't plan on installing a water softener. We are careful always to keep the rinse aid dispenser full, and we some *Lemi-Shine (see details below) with every wash. Our dishes and glassware come out very nicely, and the stainless interior of the dishwasher looks good. If we ever need to, we can the interior by running it with just Lemi-Shine. Kitchen Aid recommends the pacs instead of powder, and that's what we use.

*Lemi Shine® Detergent Booster helps to remove the toughest hard water spots and film from dishes and glassware.

Lemi Shine® Booster is phosphate-free and septic system-friendly. Lemi Shine® is Super Concentrated and is available in a 12-oz bottle, 24oz Family size and in easy-to-use pre-measured pacs.

• Phosphate free
• Septic system friendly
• Sparkling dishes and glassware
• Removes tough hard water spots and film

[house_cat]

I only have a minute for an update, so here goes -

Appliance man said the reason that the pods are harmful is because they provide much more soap than is needed. He said I can use them when I have an unusually large or difficult load, but otherwise ONE TEASPOON of the powder is all I should need.

I have it running now for the first time. It's so quiet I had to check that it was working. Our old one was so loud that we couldn't watch t.v. in the adjoining room when it was running.

Here's the irony.. having said all that, it came with a free package of Finish Gel Pacs.

[Q4u]

After ten years, I don't think you killed your dishwasher, I think it probably died a natural death. Don't know of many lasting longer than that... some do of course.

We moved to well water four years ago and the dishwasher that came with the house is a brand new lower end brand but it works well enough. I do use Platinum Cascade and I put Lemi-Shine in the booster area. I used to use powder but had too many loads with the powder hard in the cup (even tho it opened) and I've had to chip it out, so I find the gel packs handy and efficient.

Good luck with your brand new, quiet dishwasher....

[suzyQ3]

On 1/9/2015 Q4U said:

After ten years, I don't think you killed your dishwasher, I think it probably died a natural death. Don't know of many lasting longer than that... some do of course.

We moved to well water four years ago and the dishwasher that came with the house is a brand new lower end brand but it works well enough. I do use Platinum Cascade and I put Lemi-Shine in the booster area. I used to use powder but had too many loads with the powder hard in the cup (even tho it opened) and I've had to chip it out, so I find the gel packs handy and efficient.

Good luck with your brand new, quiet dishwasher....

Yes, I forgot to add that in my posts. I can't count how many times that happened with my previous dishwasher. When it happened with our new one, that's when I decided to heed the manufacturer's recommendation to use the gel packs. Hand and efficient, indeed.

[Mary in MO]

A few yrs ago the detergent manufacturers took phosphates out of the detergents both laundry and dishwasher due to enviromental laws in some states. Apparently, they did not do this in conservative calif - go figure. Anyway, I am on a well, and have a softener (water is pretty good anyway), but I was having problems getting the dishes clean and streak-free. I ran into a product called Bubble Bandit. It is awesome. My dishes are so very clean including the glassware. The dishwasher even smells and looks cleaner. I use less product that the directions state, as the first time I used it I had bubbles galore. Check out the reviews online about this product. A lot of people thought they were having mechanical problems with their machines, but it was really the phosphates missing. I even heard of people driving from washinto state to idaho to get their laundry detergent.

[brandiwine]

On 1/9/2015 kitty60 said:

Sorry to say I have replaced more dishwashers in 42 years of marriage than any other appliance. My first mistake was to replace my original Kitchen Aid when doing a remodel in the early years. Gave it to a friend that used it for another twenty years. Since then I have had Waste King, Bosch, Whirlpool, Frigidare, and Lord knows what else. I now buy the cheapest one I can find with the interior I like. If it stops working I'll just replace it.

My first dishwasher was a Kitchen aid as well. Couldn't kill it. I always tell people if they ask, stainless steel interior if at all possible. You will pay more at the time, but you won't be replacing them every 5 years.

[chickenbutt]

On 1/9/2015 suzyQ3 said:

On 1/9/2015 Q4U said:

After ten years, I don't think you killed your dishwasher, I think it probably died a natural death. Don't know of many lasting longer than that... some do of course.

We moved to well water four years ago and the dishwasher that came with the house is a brand new lower end brand but it works well enough. I do use Platinum Cascade and I put Lemi-Shine in the booster area. I used to use powder but had too many loads with the powder hard in the cup (even tho it opened) and I've had to chip it out, so I find the gel packs handy and efficient.

Good luck with your brand new, quiet dishwasher....

Yes, I forgot to add that in my posts. I can't count how many times that happened with my previous dishwasher. When it happened with our new one, that's when I decided to heed the manufacturer's recommendation to use the gel packs. Hand and efficient, indeed.

Hey Suz! I just got back from having two teeth extracted so I'm behind on the convo. But what is interesting is that some people are told NOT to use the gelpacks and some people are told TO use them. I wonder what differentiates the advice. Is it about whether you have hard or soft water? I was told it was not a good idea, like some others. Or is it about what kind/age of plumbing you have?

I'm just curious.

[suzyQ3]

On 1/9/2015 Mary in MO said:

A few yrs ago the detergent manufacturers took phosphates out of the detergents both laundry and dishwasher due to enviromental laws in some states. Apparently, they did not do this in conservative calif - go figure. Anyway, I am on a well, and have a softener (water is pretty good anyway), but I was having problems getting the dishes clean and streak-free. I ran into a product called Bubble Bandit. It is awesome. My dishes are so very clean including the glassware. The dishwasher even smells and looks cleaner. I use less product that the directions state, as the first time I used it I had bubbles galore. Check out the reviews online about this product. A lot of people thought they were having mechanical problems with their machines, but it was really the phosphates missing. I even heard of people driving from washinto state to idaho to get their laundry detergent.

I live in California and am disappointed that the state has not banned phosphates. But the dishwasher detergents and other cleaning products available at my supermarket all seem to be phosphate-free anyway. I'm satisfied with the job they do on my dishes and prefer knowing that I'm not exacerbating an environmental problem, as described here by the EPA:

<h1 class="page-title">The Problem</h1>

Nutrient pollution explained

Too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the water can have diverse and far-reaching impacts on public health, the environment and the economy. Photo credit: Bill Yates.

Excess nitrogen in the air can impair our ability to breathe, limit visibility and alter plant growth.

Nutrient pollution is one of America's most widespread, costly and challenging environmental problems, and is caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the air and water.

Nitrogen and phosphorus are nutrients that are natural parts of aquatic ecosystems. Nitrogen is also the most abundant element in the air we breathe. Nitrogen and phosphorus support the growth of algae and aquatic plants, which provide food and habitat for fish, shellfish and smaller organisms that live in water.

But when too much nitrogen and phosphorus enter the environment - usually from a wide range of human activities - the air and water can become polluted. Nutrient pollution has impacted many streams, rivers, lakes, bays and coastal waters for the past several decades, resulting in serious environmental and human health issues, and impacting the economy.

Too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the water causes algae to grow faster than ecosystems can handle. Significant increases in algae harm water quality, food resources and habitats, and decrease the oxygen that fish and other aquatic life need to survive. Large growths of algae are called algal blooms and they can severely reduce or eliminate oxygen in the water, leading to illnesses in fish and the death of large numbers of fish. Some algal blooms are harmful to humans because they produce elevated toxins and bacterial growth that can make people sick if they come into contact with polluted water, consume tainted fish or shellfish, or drink contaminated water.

Nutrient pollution in ground water - which millions of people in the United States use as their drinking water source - can be harmful, even at low levels. Infants are vulnerable to a nitrogen-based compound called nitrates in drinking water. Excess nitrogen in the atmosphere can produce pollutants such as ammonia and ozone, which can impair our ability to breathe, limit visibility and alter plant growth. When excess nitrogen comes back to earth from the atmosphere, it can harm the health of forests, soils and waterways.

[suzyQ3]

On 1/9/2015 chickenbutt said:

On 1/9/2015 suzyQ3 said:

On 1/9/2015 Q4U said:

After ten years, I don't think you killed your dishwasher, I think it probably died a natural death. Don't know of many lasting longer than that... some do of course.

We moved to well water four years ago and the dishwasher that came with the house is a brand new lower end brand but it works well enough. I do use Platinum Cascade and I put Lemi-Shine in the booster area. I used to use powder but had too many loads with the powder hard in the cup (even tho it opened) and I've had to chip it out, so I find the gel packs handy and efficient.

Good luck with your brand new, quiet dishwasher....

Yes, I forgot to add that in my posts. I can't count how many times that happened with my previous dishwasher. When it happened with our new one, that's when I decided to heed the manufacturer's recommendation to use the gel packs. Hand and efficient, indeed.

Hey Suz! I just got back from having two teeth extracted so I'm behind on the convo. But what is interesting is that some people are told NOT to use the gelpacks and some people are told TO use them. I wonder what differentiates the advice. Is it about whether you have hard or soft water? I was told it was not a good idea, like some others. Or is it about what kind/age of plumbing you have?

I'm just curious.

Who knows? Hahaha...seriously, I can't answer your question. I can say that I was sick of that chunk of hard powder that would so often be left in my dishwasher cup.

And to confuse things even further, I've heard that liquid dishwashing detergent can be problematic -- something about clogging. I've never used it, though.