# Dishwasher tabs 5/4 in one . still need salt put in for hard water areas



## suedulux (May 27, 2006)

Hi ya  

Have had a visit  from a Hotpoint service  engineer. As  my  dishes  we're  not  squeaky  clean ,  the tablet  was not dissolving and I had  fault lights coming up  at the end of the  wash cycle........

It  was  caused  by a furred up  heater ,  the  4or5 in one tablets have  salt in them , but its  for  breaking down protein in the food,  NOT nearly enough  to keep the  heater  lime scale  free in hard  water  areas!
It  seems  the  finish tablet  manufacturers, refuse  to  recognise this problem for  hard  water  areas, and  wont print  this requirement on the  box!  

By  topping up ya  dish washer  salt  once a week,  it  will keep the element clear. 
We've  got  some  sachets  from hotpoint £10  for a years  worth , ( use  every 5 weeks) . But I'm gonna be topping up the  salt religiously from now on ! 




Hope this  is  helpful  to  those of us , lie  me  who live  for their  dish washer


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## professor waffle (Apr 23, 2005)

We also use salt as well as the tablets in the dishwasher because if it runs out of salt the dishes don't get as clean! I love the Fairy tablets, they are the best but we still need salt


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## professor waffle (Apr 23, 2005)

Most of the dishwashers I know have a box at the bottom which you fill with salt, the old one you had to put salt in the seperate drawer with rinsing agent & the soap!


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## Shellebell (Dec 31, 2004)

My DH works for hotpoint and I used to work for Electrolux  

We both always advise customers to put some salt in the dishwashers as the tablets are only enough as a top up (or perfect in soft water areas)

The science bit   the salt is only used to clean small balls that are in a chamber that the water passes through. These balls attract/collect the particles in the water and the salt then keeps the balls clean/free flowing. If no salt these balls clog up and the water doesn;t get cleaned properly. You will usually notice smears or grit on your washed items esp glass.


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## suedulux (May 27, 2006)

professor waffle  thanks jill,  might try the fairy ones  

Loopyone  -  I tried to look up ya  model online  to  find the  salt  dispencer,  but its almost impossible, unless ya sign up to a site, or  wait  3  weeks    Hope ya still hav ya manual. if not ,  pop into a  electrical shop and look at ya model in there , or ask an assistant maybe  


Luv  sue


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## Shellebell (Dec 31, 2004)

Loopy ~ Sorry hun, didn't see you post about manuals etc Most appliances have the salt compartment at the bottom in the inside of the appliance, to the side of where the spray arm is.

If you are looking for a manual for an Electolux/Zannusi/AEG appliances you can download them on the Service force website (they don't have their own engineers, they contract them out to this company)
This is the link to the manual for your model.
http://www.serviceforce.co.uk/pdf_results.asp

/links


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## ~ S ~ (Oct 27, 2003)

We've very hard water here and if I don't keep our salt topped up the dishes, glass in particular, come out with a white film all over them.

S x


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## AmandaB1971 (Feb 19, 2006)

Thanks Sue - I've found this thread a revelation!!  I got my new dishwasher with new kitchen last year, we are a soft water area and I use Fairy but even so I have noticed the odd thing not gleaming - I'm gonna buy some salt on way home tonight! 

Thanks again

Axxx


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2009)

We live in a hard water area too and have put salt in.  We can usually tell if it's running out before the light comes on as the dishes aren't as clean.  We've also had problems with the tablet not always dissolving (Finish) and I never realised this could be a salt issue until I read this so thanks!
I usually use Tesco own brand salt or Wilkos as it's soooo much cheaper than Finish.  I'm of the opinion that salt is salt and not like the difference you may get between Finish and Fairy for example.


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## sallywags (Jun 27, 2005)

OOh that's interesting - i stopped using salt when i started using the 5 in one tabs - think i might get some now. I have a brand spanking new dishwasher too, so should probably start now!


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## professor waffle (Apr 23, 2005)

We use the Fairy tabs as the Finish ones don't dissolve properly in our machine, the Fairy ones are a far better clean too IMO.


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## ~ S ~ (Oct 27, 2003)

This is really interesting re the Finish tablets. I regularly lose my rag with them as they often don't dissolve (esp the ones with that kind of plastic film around them which you have to keep on) but I've been blaming them on the 'door' not releasing them at the right time or the 'door'  being jammed. I've just a few left before I have a lovely box of Fairy ones to start on....and now have high hopes  

S xx


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2009)

We thought it was us with the Finish Quantum tablets - luckily we didn't pay for them anyway but it was very annoying having to put the dishwasher on a rinse to get rid of the mess left behind.


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## suedulux (May 27, 2006)

worth  checking the  box  for the  quantum ones.  Are they the ones  with the plastic on ?  

I took a pack back to the shop for a refund. as it  says  something like 'not  suitable  for quick wash' ?

Deffo  woth  checking  too 

Luv  sue


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## DizziSquirrel (Feb 15, 2005)

Thanks Sue for the thread 

I have always added salt regardless of the tablets I use & tesco salt/rinse aid 
I always buy the fairy tablets when they are on offer but DH got tesco ones this month - and so far they are OK 

I just need to replace all the wheels/plastic bits inside mine as its falling apart!
( Shelley Ive just clicked your link to see if they can help )

~Dizzi~
_Dishwashers - Last appliance you buy - First you replace _


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## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

Thank you for raising this point. We reccently had to call an engineer to fix our dishwasher (turned out to be furred up inlet pipe) and he also said you still need to use salt and rinse aid in your machine which we, of course, stupidly haven't been doing for some time. I've reverted back to cheapie sdishwasher tablets, salt ans rinse aid and they get the dishes just as clean as the expensive all in one tablets did. 
He also advised to get proper salt for the washing machine and not use water softener tablets as they are next to useless too. By happy coincidence I'd already switched from a leading brand of water softener tablets to soda crystals because I found they not only help with stains better but work out about a tenth the price of tablets. 

C~x


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## Bels (Aug 21, 2004)

oh no ... I haven't been using salt or rinse aid since getting the fancy Finish thingies!

Sounds like it's better to use all the own brand stuff with salt and rinse aid ...


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