Dishwasher Driving Me Nuts

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 5:19 am

I was using basic Cascade powder but I was getting this wet dog type smell and it was driving me nuts trying to figure out where it was coming from. It was bad enough I could smell it when I opened the cabinet with dishes.....mmmmmm yummy. I switched to Cascade original gel and yippee the wet dog smell ceased. Problem now is I'm seeing cloudy glasses....

I used multiple temperature settings using both products to no affect. Other recommendations are to use rinse aids like finish etc. Another thing I came across was use vinegar wash to remove hard water deposits. All this seems a bit ridiculous to get clean dishes.

One sure fire method appears to be Cascade Boil Out which apparently is just old cascade with the phosphates. This however is very expensive and looks like I can only get it online.

Anybody have any better solutions? I was considering trying home brew method I see mentioned quite a bit. Vinegar, baking soda and a few drops of hand washing dish detergent.


 
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Post by johnjoseph » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 6:09 am

My mom gave me this recipe for homemade dishwasher detergent 30 years ago. Growing up, we had a portable dishwasher and this is what she used. Works great, especially if you have hard water. A rounded teaspoon does the job well for each wash.

1/2 cup borax, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup citric acid and a 1/4 cup pickling salt.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 6:16 am

We had similar issues when we got a new dishwasher a few years ago. The new dishwashers use very little water, and are picky about the detergent. We tried multiple brands of detergent, and settled on this one: https://www.seventhgeneration.com/dishwasher-powd ... -detergent

If you have soft water, you should also reduce the amount of detergent you use by about half. Otherwise it creates too much suds and the dishwasher can't rinse all of it off. A rinse aid helps a lot.

Lastly - see if your dishwasher has a filter or screen in the bottom of it. Those need to be cleaned once in a while.

 
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Post by coaledsweat » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 6:53 am

Use a rinsing agent. I use it with Cascade gel and everything sparkles.

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 7:01 am

I may have found the source of my problem. This is an under the counter dishwasher I installed temporarily until the kitchen is built for it. I never leveled it, appears the top rack is moving forward from the water pressure and providing little to no water for the top two spinners. The middle spinner looks like it's getting some but not the top one.

Leveled it and it doesn't look like it's moving forward now when you turn it on. I'm guessing I have coincidence where the rubber rings got wore enough when I switched the detergent. I'll see what happens.
Rob R. wrote:
Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 6:16 am
Lastly - see if your dishwasher has a filter or screen in the bottom of it. Those need to be cleaned once in a while.
When the dog smell started that was first thing I looked at. There is a screen under the main screen that is way to fine but I have been cleaning it. At one point every wash.

 
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Post by Holdencoal » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 9:34 am

I tried the dollar store dishwasher tabs once and never stopped everything’s is clean, clear and spot free, and it’s cheaper.

 
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Post by Richard S. » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 2:30 pm

The top rack may have been contributing to it but that wasn't the problem. I'm going to try reducing the detergent and water temp. They are getting clean, it's just that film on the glasses which you can't really see on everything else.
Holdencoal wrote:
Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 9:34 am
I tried the dollar store dishwasher tabs once and never stopped everything’s is clean, clear and spot free, and it’s cheaper.
I know I have used the dollar store cleaner Awesome which is probably best cleaner I'm aware of. Don't let it sit on the paint on radiant baseboards, it will take it right off. It will also etch glass...

The one issue I have with buying off brands is what is in it? I'm fairly confident the national brands are testing these products they are importing, to protect their brand if anything. These fly by night companies don't have anything to protect. I'm not so paranoid I won't use the surface cleaner but I rinse all the surfaces I use that on. Something used for my dishes is another story.


 
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Post by EarthWindandFire » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 2:47 pm

TV dinners will solve any dishwasher problem!

 
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Post by Lightning » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 4:01 pm

I have to add a cup of bleach to my dish washer once a week or it stinks.. lol

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 4:44 pm

EarthWindandFire wrote:
Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 2:47 pm
TV dinners will solve any dishwasher problem!
Actually I haven't had a lot of dirty dishes lately. I have been working 6 or 7 days a week. One hour drive back and forth with 9 1/2 hours day, you don't really feeling like cooking at that point. That's getting old though. Funny thing about that drive is for 16 years I made the drive from my house in West Pittston to here. Now I'm driving from here to West Pittston within three blocks of where the old house was. :roll:
Lightning wrote:
Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 4:01 pm
I have to add a cup of bleach to my dish washer once a week or it stinks.. lol
I haven't had any problem with the smell since switching from the powder, makes no sense why it would make stuff smell.

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 4:54 pm

Richard S. wrote:
Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 2:30 pm
I'm going to try reducing the detergent and water temp.
This helped but they still don't look right. I'll try higher temp next.

 
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Post by Holdencoal » Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 6:16 pm

Dollar tree has there own brand which is made in Canada.

 
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Post by titleist1 » Wed. Sep. 30, 2020 12:46 pm

EarthWindandFire wrote:
Tue. Sep. 29, 2020 2:47 pm
TV dinners will solve any dishwasher problem!
Only if he stops washing his socks in the dishwasher!! :lol:

 
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Post by johnjoseph » Wed. Sep. 30, 2020 1:37 pm

Every dinner is a TV dinner.🙂

 
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Post by plumberman » Thu. Oct. 01, 2020 5:46 am

:lol: :clap: true


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