What Is Wrong with My Dishwasher?

It's probably not the dishwasher's fault, but you may have hard water or something. Have you used a product like Jet Dry? If you've already tried that, try putting about 1/2-1 cup of vinegar directly into the dishwasher (I just sort of toss it in before I shut the door...LOL). It is amazing at helping with things like this. You might also try switching detergents. Hope this helps!

You may need a water softener. It sounds like hard water deposits to me. You can try a rinse agent in the dishwasher also, but I bet you need a softener.

To those suggesting vinegar, I use to put that in my dishwasher as well to clean it. Then my dishwasher went out. It was still under warranty. After the repairman came to visit he asked "Do you put vinegar in the dishwasher" when I said yes he told me to NEVER put it the dishwasher again.

He said using it was meant for occasional use only. Vinegar is an acid and using it too often could damage your dishwasher. (even whirpool's website said not to use it) we ended up having to replace our dishwasher because it was cheaper for a replacement than a repair.

It just needs a rinse aide added to it. Try Jet Dry. There is probably a place in the door that you unscrew and squirt it in or if not you can buy the little baskets of Jet Dry that cliip to the top rack of the dishwasher. You probably have hard water or well water? Either way that will work for you.

It's not your dishwasher. It's the detergent. New government regulations require manufacturers to remove tri-sodium-phoshphates from detergents and other cleaning products, which was the most effective ingredient for automatic dishwashers. The regulations began summer 2010. I think I'll try the vinegar,but maybe someone has another idea. E., from Lincoln, NE on January 20, 2010

Our new dishwasher was "designed to work best" with a rinse aid like Jet Dry, which is really annoying because if we only run it with detergent, our dishes are covered with white residue. I've run it with liquid Cascade Complete (comes with rinse aid already in it) and no problem. It just annoys me that they DESIGN the machines to require you to spend more on cleaning products; like they've come to some contractual agreement with the producers or something.

Are you scraping and rinsing your dishes first? Despite being called a dish washer, there are very few made powerful enough to actually "wash" a dish!It sounds like your dishwasher may be getting stopped up with extra debris! You'll need to look at the bottom of the dish washer and remove the debris, and then either get manufactured dishwasher cleaner, or run it empty with vinegar.Otherwise, contact the manufacturer, if it's not under warranty, maybe at least they can trouble shoot!

Try not putting in as much detergent in it. Maybe it is not rinsing all the soap off.

I work at a apliance repair shope and we recommend using powdered detergent as it seems to not stick to dishes as much also doesnt stop up your drains. We recommend the same for washers. Try using some jet dry. Also most manufactors cover there appliances full for the first year even if it is a display.

We rent and have an extremlly old dishwasher. Enid had really hard water and all my dishes came out with white residue too... run your dishwaster with a cap full of CLR then run it with 1/4 a cup of vinigar. The vinigar works so well that I pour some in for every wash and depending on how often I've used my dishwasher this week, I'll run an empty washer with just vinigar. and vinigar is cheap!! Try it out, when the plumber told me I only had the Apple vinigar but it worked just as well... the vinigar doesn't leave a smell either, even right after the washer starts. Good luck! I know how frustrating it is! = )

Regardless of wether or not it was a display, it should still carry the manufacturer's warranty, and you should've received all the paperwork with it. Aside from that, it sounds like exactly what mine was doing when it wasn't draining properly. Check the bottom of the dishwasher for standing water. And you should be able to see the water flow thru your garbage disposal when it drains. (We had a napkin caught in our drain pipe and wound up tearing the whole pump apart looking for it.) If everything's hooked up properly and it seems to be draining all the water when its suppose to, then I would contact the manufacturer. Even if you didnt get the paperwork with the unit, there will be a label on it somewhere that has the serial and model #'s, the manufacture date, and a contact number. That will be enough info to get a service tech out to look at it. :}

I would think your dishwasher would come with a built in warranty of some type- even if you got it as a display. My daughter had that white stuff going on in her dishwasher (on the dishes) when she rented an apartment. Found out her dishwasher had always left a little standing water in the bottom and it wasnt draining properly. Might make sure thats not the problem. Also- online- there's a website you can google -troubleshooting your appliances. I have read about my wash machine problems on it anyway. Good luck!
J.

The only advice I can give you is to check the owner's book and see if it tells you what is wrong when this happens. Then call the maker and ask them if the book does not tell you.

Im glad you wrote something about that. And hopefully someone will know whats going on! I too am having the same problem. It seems that no matter what soap or cycle I use it still the same white mess on all the dishes. Ive had the dish washer for 6 months and never had a problem until 2 or 3 weeks ago. Sorry that I dont have any advice, but I do know how you feel! :)

It may be the detergent. I use Cascade powder and don't have any problems. I also use Jet Dry to help keep spots off dishes. Hope this helps!

it is most likely a combination of water and detergent. I would change brands, always use jet'dry and use the vinegar. This should take care of it, but its not the diswasher. good luck

My dishwasher isn't the greatest, so I always use liquid soap and a small splash of bleach into the bottom. it works great and also keeps inside of washer white.