Dishwasher leaves residue on dishes after wash

Faults and possible solutions of residue on dishes, depends on the type of residue. Here we review 3 types of residue on dishes and how to get rid of the different types of residue.

1. Greasy or slimy residue
2. White chalky residue
3. Food debris

1. Greasy or slimy residue

Greasy or slimy residue are typically due to the rinse aid dosage being set too high. Read the section on rinse aid under ‘Dishwasher maintenance’.

2. White chalky residue

White chalky residue on the dishes may be due to overdose of soap or lack of salt.

Overdose of soap is often seen when using washing tablets – read the section on soap under ‘Dishwasher Maintenance’.

Lack of salt is typically due to the fact that there is either no salt in the salt container – in which case, add salt – or that the salt setting does not suit the hardness of the water. If you are in doubt about how to set the salt level according to the hardness of the water, see the operating instructions for your dishwasher. If you do not have the instructions manual, you should start in the middle of the scale and try your hand until you hit an acceptable result. However, you should wait 2-3 cycles before changing the setting.

However, a lack of salt can also be due to the salt system being clogged. Before using the dishwasher for the first time, water must be poured into the salt container – unless otherwise stated in your user manual. Failure to do so may result in a clogged salt container. Also check if the salt valve is blocked by clumped salt. If it is, you can try to solve the problem by emptying the salt container, filling it with water and leaving the container for 24 hours. If this does not solve your problem, you should remove the salt valve which is located on the salt container and subsequently clean the container by the piston.

3. Food debris

If the dishwasher does not clean the dishes, you may find food debris on the dishes after wash. You can read more about this fault here.