PROBLEM |
POSSIBLE CAUSES |
ACTION |
White spots |
Water not hot enough |
Check temperature - should be 60-70C |
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Hard water or dissolved minerals |
Check rinse aid, check salt level |
White or yellow film |
Hard water |
Check salt level in softener |
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Food film |
Rinse off excess food before loading |
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Load properly |
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Insufficient detergent |
Increase dose |
Specks of food particles |
Clogged filter jets |
Remove and clean filter jets |
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Pre-rinse programme not used |
Use pre-rinse programme |
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Excess food on dishes |
Scrape off excess before loading |
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Caked detergent |
Discard old detergent, try tablets |
Reddish brown stains |
Iron deposits in water |
Increase detergent dosage |
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Reduce temperature to 60C |
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Iron from pans |
Do not wash iron items in machine |
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Hard water |
Check salt level in softener |
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Check rinse aid level |
Iridescence (‘rainbow’) on glasses |
Certain glasses with high silica content |
Test one glass, do not wash in machine if problem |
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Alkali in detergent combined with soft water |
Reduce detergent and increase rinse aid, load carefully |
Etching / scratches on glasses |
As above (silica film usually precedes etching) |
As above, reduce water temperature, use short cycle |
Bluish film on knives and glassware |
Too much rinse aid |
Reduce dosage if possible |
Black marks on china |
Metal marks from knives |
Check if dishwasher proof |
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Metal marks from metallic rims |
Use a mild bleach solution to remove |
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Avoid sliding metallic rims together |
Fading china pattern |
Over-glaze decoration, hand painted or poor glazing |
Wash by hand |
Tarnish on silverware |
Mixed silver and steel in load |
Avoid mixing |
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Food soiling |
Avoid prolonged contact with sulphide-rich foods such as eggs, mayonnaise and sea foods, also acidic fruits |
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Use pre-rinse programme |
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Worn plating / exposed base metal |
Wash by hand |
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Contact with dry detergent |
Avoid contact / fill dispenser carefully/ do not put tablets into cutlery basket |
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Salt taste or deposits on washed items |
Salt spilt in washing chamber |
Flush away any spillage after topping up reservoir |
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Salt from water softener getting into washing chamber |
Make sure lid is properly replaced after topping up |
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Sometimes the valve which directs water into the water softener can be blocked. Some machines have a 'regeneration' programme to clear this; otherwise maintenance is needed. |
Distorted plastics |
Not dishwasher safe |
Hand wash |
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Plastic not heat resistant |
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Too close to heating/drying element |
Place items in a higher tray, away from heating element |
Stained plastics |
Stains from tea, coffee, colourings |
Increase detergent dose, wash more regularly |
Staining and pitting on stainless steel |
Acidic food residues |
Scrape properly before loading |
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Load machine correctly - avoid items touching |
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Use pre-rinse programme |
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Storage in humid machine |
Remove as soon as possible after cycle |
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Mixed quality cutlery |
Separate carefully when stacking |
Caked detergent |
Moisture in dispenser |
Dry dispenser surface before dosing |
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Faulty cover on dispenser |
Check closure |
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Do not overload dispenser |
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Try tablets |
Machine leaks |
Worn or soiled gasket |
Check gasket / edge of door, clean gasket if necessary |
Machine does not empty properly |
Blocked food filter |
Remove and clean |
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Kinked hose |
Re-route hose. |
