Dishwasher salt: what is it for, how to use it + manufacturer rating

Beginner Tips

What dishwasher salt do you use?

Granular Tableted

For people who are new to the dishwasher, adding salt will seem like one of the hardest things to do.

To avoid unpleasant surprises during operation, it is advisable to know the basics of working with this component:

1. Before using salt, make sure the dishwasher is equipped with a water softener. You can find out about this using the instructions or calling the manufacturer. If there is no such device, salt cannot be poured.
2. Watch the salt indicator. Dishwashers themselves determine the lack of salt and report this to the owner through indicators. When the indicator turns red, you need to add the product.
3. Fill container monthly. If the machine is not equipped with an indicator, set to apply salt once a month. In addition, it happens that the signal lights do not respond to a lack of salt.
4. Learn the composition of detergents. If you buy a generic product with salt already included, you won't need the salt separately. An excess of this remedy is just as dangerous as its deficiency.
5. Monitor the condition of the dishes after washing. Whitish stains report a salt deficiency. They are visible on glasses and other transparent kitchen utensils.
6. Do not allow foreign substances to enter the salt container. This tank must not be filled with cleaning products.

The best dishwasher tablets

Tablets are more expensive than powders, they are more convenient to use. You won’t spill them and you won’t accidentally inhale the dust. The composition most often already includes salt and rinse aid, so the buyer saves on additional funds for the dishwasher.

Finish All in 1 Tablets (Lemon)

5

★★★★★
editorial score

100%
buyers recommend this product

The popular dishwasher tablets effectively remove dirt, including grease, food residues and tea stains.The composition replaces salt and rinse aid. It also includes additives to protect the filter and machine from scale.

Tablets gently clean glass, safe for other fragile materials. The composition dissolves quickly, making it convenient to use the product for short wash cycles. Each tablet is packed in a water-soluble film.

Pros:

• available in all stores;
• quickly dissolve;
• soften water;
• protect the machine from scale;
• water-soluble packaging;
• safe for fragile dishes.

Minuses:

the price is above average - 25 rubles apiece.

There are often discounts on manufacturer's products. If you track stocks, you can buy pills at a bargain price.

Ecover Essential

5

★★★★★
editorial score

98%
buyers recommend this product

Eco-friendly dishwasher tablets remove stains and grease and make dishes shine. Based on fully degradable plant components - the tablets do not harm the environment. They are flavored with lemon essential oil. And due to the low pH level, the product can be used even in houses with autonomous sewerage and septic tanks.

The composition is more effective than many other eco-tablets for dishwashers. The tablets contain water-softening components and rinse aid substitutes - no additional products are needed. Ecover Essential is sold in cartons of 25 or 70 pieces. Each item is individually packaged.

Pros:

• does not leave a smell on the dishes;
• softens water;
• safe for all types of sewage;
• biodegradable plant composition;
• removes most contaminants.

Minuses:

• the packaging of the tablets themselves is sometimes not completely dissolved;
• expensive (700 rubles for 25 pieces).

Customers recommend splitting an Ecover tablet in half to reduce consumption.The quality of washing even when the machine is fully loaded with not too dirty dishes practically does not change.

Frosch tablets (soda)

4.9

★★★★★
editorial score

94%
buyers recommend this product

Dishwasher tablets from the German manufacturer Frosch are designed for intensive cycles and heavy soiling. A special formula based on natural soda cleans even dried food. The composition does not allow the glass to become cloudy, it gives shine. The product contains additives that prevent the appearance of limescale on dishes and in the machine.

Due to the enzymes, the tablets are no less effective at low water temperatures and short cycles. The product is consumed depending on the degree of contamination of the dishes. The composition is environmentally friendly and completely decomposes. Each tablet is packaged in a water-soluble film - it does not need to be removed.

Pros:

• environmentally friendly composition;
• copes with difficult pollution;
• efficiency at any water temperature;
• water soluble packaging.

Minuses:

• not every store has them;
• aggressive effect on dishes;
• expensive (700 rubles for 30 pieces).

Frosch tablets contain soda, so you can’t wash capricious materials with them. They can also scratch stainless steel and fragile utensils.

GraSS Colorit 5 in 1

4.8

★★★★★
editorial score

90%
buyers recommend this product

Multifunctional Grass Colorit tablets replace detergent, rinse aid and salt. The composition is safe for silver, gives glass and steel a pronounced shine. Anti-scale and water softening additives prolong the life of the dishwasher.

Active oxygen is responsible for removing stains and stains in the composition. Enzymes dissolve fats, starches and protein contaminants. Tablets are sold in convenient transparent barques of 35 pieces.They are dense, do not crumble, packed in individual bags.

Pros:

• unexpressed smell;
• does not require salt and rinse aid;
• suitable for fragile dishes;
• convenient bank;
• limescale additives.

Minuses:

• glass becomes cloudy with regular use of tablets;
• insoluble individual packaging.

Experienced housewives cut the tablet into 2 parts and thus save on funds. It hardly affects the quality of the wash.

What absolutely can not replace special salt?

So, what can not be replaced?

Coarsely ground salt, but dirty - definitely cannot be used.

Pure salt, but too small fraction "Extra" - also can not be used, as it will clog the filter of the ion exchanger.

Maybe sea salt? No, you can't either. Since, sea salt is even less refined than ordinary table salt, gray in color. Sea salt contains an incredible amount of iodine and other minerals that are very useful for the human body, but not for the iron parts of technology.

Soda - all the more impossible! In general, throw this idea out of your head, since they are completely different things. And the fact that soda softens water has nothing to do with the ion exchanger. Which will surely fail from such experiments.

And replacing the ion exchanger is an expensive thing and not economical at all. Can you imagine how many years it would be possible to buy special salt, instead of replacing the ion exchanger? That is the same.

Comparison with closest competitors

What is in the assortment of domestic and Russian manufacturers? Each of them is trying to distinguish itself from competitors by some know-how.

Some offer a low price, others offer auxiliary functionality, others build marketing on packaging and appearance.Let's take for comparison the 3 most popular products on the Russian market: Finish, Fairy, Frosch.

Competitor #1 - High Potency Finish Tablets

Finish leads in positive reviews. But sometimes it does not cope with tea and coffee raid.

With these tablets you can wash silver and glass items without fear that this will lead to corrosion. Fragrances, components for glass, metal, antimicrobial additives are added to their composition.

With most positive reviews, some users still complain about streaks after washing with Finish tablets. Another downside is the high price.

A powerful selection of components allows you to get an excellent result - the dishes are mostly washed clean and do not cause any complaints during visual inspection. We reviewed more information about the tablets of this brand here.

But the manufacturer invests a lot of money in advertising, so the tool has recently risen in price and users have begun to look for a replacement.

As an inexpensive alternative, Somat can be used, which, quite possibly, will eliminate some of the shortcomings of the promoted product.

Competitor #2 - Easy-to-Use Fairy Pods

Funds from Fairy do not resemble a pill, but a pillow. According to the manufacturer’s idea, such powerdrops wash dishes with high quality and care without leaving streaks, remove old dirt, and cope with grease. The composition also includes components that protect the dishwasher.

Fairy is larger than Somat, so it can get stuck in the small compartment of the machine and not dissolve. Another drawback - do not cut the capsule in half

The shell of the capsules is self-dissolving, so they do not need to be opened before use, but should be stored in a dry place. We talked more about the features of Fairy tablets in this publication.

The instructions say that Fairy is placed in the compartment of the machine, but if it is small, you can throw a tablet into the cutlery compartment. In the latter case, you must select a program without prewash.

Fairies are easier to use, but the best washing quality with their help has not been proven, special comparative testing with Somat dishwasher tablets has not been carried out.

Competitor #3 - Frosch skin-friendly tablets

Frosch combines a relatively high price with excellent wash quality. Ingredients: Surfactants of plant origin, no phosphates, formaldehydes, borates.

The formulas are skin-friendly and dermatologically tested. Frosch can safely wash children's dishes, rubber, plastic, silicone toys of good quality.

Natural substitutes for the chemical components in these tablets affect the quality of the "work" - the dishes are clean, but as after hand washing. More cons: rough packaging that needs to be cut, plus the product often crumbles

Users note flawless washing even when using half a tablet. But with such a load, the product may not wash very dirty dishes. The only negative is the high cost, but it is also the lowest when compared with other tablets of the eco series.

Somat is cheaper, but filled with chemicals - the buyer chooses what he considers safer.

A comparative table of products by form, manufacturers, cost of one tablet, expiration dates, the presence of a soluble film and other parameters will help you make the right choice.

	Somat	Finish	Fairy	Frosch
The form	Rectangular	Rectangular	square capsule	Rectangular, rounded
customized film	Does not dissolve, removes by hand	Soluble	Soluble	Does not dissolve, remove with scissors
Manufacturer	Germany	Poland	Russia	Germany
Best before date	2 years	2 years	2 years	2 years
Package	Cardboard box	Package, carton	Package	Cardboard box
Eco-friendly	Yes	Not	Not	Yes
Average price of one tablet	20 rub.	25 rub.	19 rub.	30 rub.

The table shows that Frosch is the most expensive and environmentally friendly product, and Finish has taken care of ease of use by providing customers with a choice of cardboard packaging or bags, as well as a soluble tablet shell.

But Somat remained optimal in terms of the classic consumer price-quality ratio.

Do you want to use pills that are safe for health, the cost of which would be minimal? In this case, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the recipes for home-made dishwasher tablets, for the manufacture of which you will need inexpensive tools that are available to almost every housewife.

Regenerating dishwasher salt

It is also important to pay attention to the regenerating properties of salt. Many manufacturers use the term "regenerating salt". This term explains the softening properties of water.

Calcium is usually heavy and settles on the walls of the device. To rid it of this property, it must be converted into harmless sodium.This is where a special ion exchanger comes into play, which is in the dishwasher. There are peculiar resins in it that change magnesium and calcium ions for sodium. In order to restore this lack of sodium in resins, the exchanger is washed with salt water at the end of the cycle and after that it will again be ready for a new process of replacing such elements at the next load of dishes. This is the function of regeneration.

This term explains the softening properties of water. Calcium is usually heavy and settles on the walls of the device. To rid it of this property, it must be converted into harmless sodium. This is where a special ion exchanger comes into play, which is in the dishwasher. There are peculiar resins in it that change magnesium and calcium ions for sodium. In order to restore this lack of sodium in resins, the exchanger is washed with salt water at the end of the cycle and after that it will again be ready for a new process of replacing such elements at the next load of dishes. This is the function of regeneration.

Many manufacturers use the term "regenerating salt". This term explains the softening properties of water. Calcium is usually heavy and settles on the walls of the device. To rid it of this property, it must be converted into harmless sodium. This is where a special ion exchanger comes into play, which is in the dishwasher. There are peculiar resins in it that change magnesium and calcium ions for sodium.In order to restore this lack of sodium in resins, the exchanger is washed with salt water at the end of the cycle and after that it will again be ready for a new process of replacing such elements at the next load of dishes. This is the function of regeneration.

In addition, pay attention to what the documentation for such a device tells you. The thing is that the instructions for the dishwasher just contain information about the possibility of using one or another dishwashing detergent.

So be sure to ask the experts when buying, if such data is not there.

Thus, it is impossible to unequivocally state that one or another option will be better. Approach the solution of such an issue individually and then you can count on a positive result.

How does water hardness affect salt consumption?

Here the dependence is direct: the harder the water, the more chloride ions are needed to soften it in the ion exchanger. Therefore, before using the dishwasher, you need to find out how hard the tap water you are using is.

In Russia, the level of water hardness is measured in degrees (°F). One degree corresponds to a concentration of magnesium and calcium salts equal to 0.5 millimoles in a liquid volume of 1 liter, or 1 meq / l. It should be noted that water hardness is measured differently in different countries. For example, one Russian °F is equal to 2.8 German degrees (dH).

A schematic representation of the water cycle in nature shows at what stage magnesium and calcium salts enter the liquid

In different regions of Russia, water can vary greatly in terms of the content of Mg and Ca compounds.It all depends on the soils in which the beds of streams, rivers and lakes are located. According to the level of hardness, water is divided into:

• for soft - the salt content does not exceed 3 ° W;
• for medium-hard - from 3 to 6 ° W;
• for hard - 6–10°F;
• to very hard - more than 10 ° W.

Hard liquid causes irreparable damage to both household appliances and plumbing systems. To calculate this indicator, you can use specially made test strips. You can buy them at any pharmacy. In some models of dishwashers, such strips are included with the appliance.

Test strips for measuring the level of water softness

Based on the test result and the recommendations of the instructions attached to the technique, it is necessary to set the level of sodium chloride consumption to soften the liquid. For example, some models of Bosch dishwashers allow you to set up to 7 different values ​​​​on the control panel, depending on the amount of Ca and Mg compounds in the liquid.

3-in-1 dishwashing tablets containing detergent, rinse aid and water softener

In conclusion, I would like to give advice to novice users: do not pay attention to the advertising tricks of the manufacturers of 3-in-1 or 7-in-1 tablets used in PMM. They contain a softener, but it is not enough for the normal operation of the dishwasher. Salt composition must be poured into the ion exchanger hopper to maintain its performance, regardless of what kind of detergent is used to wash dishes.

How to make your own dishwasher detergent

A homemade dishwasher detergent is a good option to save money. The main thing is not to use homemade mixtures too often. Purchased products should be used regularly; it will not work to completely protect the parts of the unit from scale with a combination of gentle home components.

The easiest option is to use apple cider vinegar. It is enough to pour acidic liquid into the compartment of the unit and select the program - the culinary ingredient will easily cope with the task.

It is important to observe the proportions - 25 ml of vinegar is enough for 5-6 sets

Another recipe is with the content of essential oil, which will leave a light pleasant aroma on the surface of your favorite cups and plates. Cooking:

1. Squeeze the juice from several lemon slices into a container.
2. Add essential oil (3-5 drops).
3. Pour in glass cleaner (5 ml).

Use like regular dishwashing liquid. For 7 sets of dishes, 25 ml of the prepared mixture is enough.

You can prepare your own dishwasher detergents not only liquid, but also tableted. The most common recipe is a combination of borax, baking soda, sodium bicarbonate. Cooking:

1. Combine bulk components (take in equal parts), mix thoroughly.
2. Squeeze juice from citrus slices in small portions, stirring the mass.
3. Follow the consistency - the mixture should be quite thick.
4. Arrange the prepared mass in small molds (it is recommended to use molds for freezing ice).
5. Leave at room temperature until completely dry.

Another option for preparing tablets is a combination of ordinary washing powder, sodium bicarbonate.If the family has children or people suffering from regular allergies, it is recommended to use baby powder or an eco product - this will significantly reduce the risk of irritation.

Cooking:

1. Mix 70 gr. washing powder, 30 gr. baking soda.
2. Add warm water in small portions, mix gently, make sure that the powder does not turn into foam.
3. Pour the thick mass into molds, leave to dry.
4. Store finished cubes at room temperature in a container that closes tightly.

If baby powder is used in the preparation, the properties of the product should be taken into account. It works most effectively at a low temperature - 40 degrees. When washing dishes with the unit, you will have to select a cycle with a low temperature. This can affect the effectiveness of cleaning the surface of dishes, so it is better for heavy soiling, dried food, old fat to load the dishwasher with more aggressive mixtures prepared by yourself.

As practice shows, housewives have learned to make even a gel on their own, which is almost as good as purchased drugs. The product is especially useful for owners of outdated models that do not require the use of capsules or tablets.

Cooking:

1. Take a small soap bar (about 50 gr.), Turn it into small chips (rub or chop with a sharp knife).
2. Boil a liter of water, add soap chips, stir until completely dissolved.
3. Add soda ash (45 gr.).
4. Keep the container on low heat for several minutes, stirring vigorously.
5. After removing from the stove, pour in a little ether (5-10 drops).
6. To enhance the whiteness of the surfaces of dishes, it is recommended to add blue ink (a few drops are enough).

You can even use the prepared gel for washing dishes by hand - the active particles perfectly clean without harming your hands.

Frequently Asked Questions About Salt

Where to put salt before putting it in the dishwasher

Along with the equipment, there is always a special compartment for falling asleep salt. To load sodium chloride, you need to unscrew the cap and pour the agent into the tank before starting the program, so you will avoid the corrosion process. Be sure to read the instructions carefully before using the dishwasher for the first time.

How much salt to pour into the tank in the dishwasher

So, how to measure the required amount of salt in the dishwasher? Before using the machine for the first time, fill the salt compartment with about a liter of water. Then add enough product to completely fill the reservoir (approximately 101.3 kg). Then close the hole, removing the excessive amount of material. By the way, it is more convenient to use sodium chloride tablets, because in one dose there is the necessary amount of funds for a one-time wash.

Why put salt in the dishwasher

The main advantages of using sodium chloride for the dishwasher:

• helps soften hard tap water, which is saturated with various impurities and particles;
• promotes the recovery of sodium that was used during the washing process from the ion exchanger;
• favors the washing out of difficult contaminants from dishes;
• prevents wear of parts of the dishwasher, because it prevents the appearance of scale, which leads to various breakdowns;
• prevents the formation of limescale inside the dishwasher;
• increases the service life of the ion exchanger.

In addition, most often it is thanks to the use of a special salt substance for the dishwasher that you can extend its service life and forget about repairing it. And also sodium chloride, thanks to the purification of water and the dishes themselves, helps to protect the human body from various harmful substances, which are full in dirty tap water. Treatment of dishes with sodium chloride helps to remove scale, which can adversely affect the human body. So, scale can contribute to the formation of stones in the urinary system, from which it will be very difficult to recover in the future.

What kind of salt to use

First of all, it is important to understand that you need to use sodium chloride, which is designed specifically for dishwashers, and not a cooking mixture. After all, an ordinary kitchen contains particles and impurities that can clog parts of the dishwasher and lead to its breakdown.

Finding salt for dishwashers is not difficult, it is made by the same manufacturers as chemical products. It looks like a large crystal. In addition, there is a fairly large selection of different brands of sodium chloride on the Internet. Here everyone can find a remedy to their taste and according to their wallet.

What is the best detergent to use for a Bosch dishwasher?

In fact, the dishwasher of this German manufacturer requires the same tool as other models. Here are some tips from the manufacturer:

• ask the water utility for information on the degree of water hardness;
• in accordance with the instructions, set the operation of the softener, according to the water hardness parameters according to the table;
• in general, the consumption of liquid for one cycle of washing dishes consumes 0-4 liters of water.

What to replace salt

Sometimes people, in order to save money, try to replace a specialized salt substance with a regular cooking, kitchen mixture. However, this way you will not only not save money, but, on the contrary, you can even provide yourself with an additional expense item, since kitchen salt contains impurities that, when settling, can clog the internal mechanisms and parts of the dishwasher, which will further lead to its breakdown. Compared to repairs, sodium chloride for dishwashers is not that expensive. The dishwasher detergent goes through several stages of cleaning, and its large particles are easy to use. Finely ground table salt does not have the properties that are so necessary when using a dishwasher.

Assigning salt to the dishwasher

Regardless of the composition of the water, the dishwasher must not be operated without salt. In any case, the equipment will turn on and work, but it will not last long in this mode. Lime deposits will not immediately, but will inevitably lead to failure of the heating element inside. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with dishwasher operating instructions.

Do not confuse salt with detergent in tablets "2 in 1", "3 in 1", "5 in 1", etc. Often the first is already contained in the second. However, this is far from a fact. Not all manufacturers add salt to their dishwasher soaps.

Many of them make separate formulations - one for washing dishes, and the other for softening water. Everything is described in the labeling of the funds and in the PMM instructions, it is worth studying this extremely important information.

Manufacturers recommend adding salt to dishwashers, even if the water from the tap is not hard.Salt solution in most machines is contained in a special container, but is gradually consumed

Salt intended for dishwashers performs several functions:

• softens the water used for washing;
• restores the stock of sodium in the ion exchanger;
• relieves metal elements of washing equipment from scale (plaque);
• improves the quality of washing;
• protects the dishes, and therefore the person using it, from lime deposits.

All the reasons for the need to use salt are somehow aimed at softening the water entering the machine. Filters can also be used for this purpose. However, they are expensive to install and operate, and do not always give the desired effect.

Salt tablets and powders have been specially formulated for dishwashers to protect dishwashers from excess calcium and/or magnesium in the water supply.

To fully understand why you need to use salt in the dishwasher, you have to familiarize yourself with the design and principle of operation of the dishwasher, as well as delve a little into chemistry. So, in tap and well water contains a certain amount of ions of various metals and calcium. When heated, they precipitate in the form of a precipitate, which is gradually compressed and creates scale.

The biggest problem from such “lime” is its growth on the heating element heating the water. Such growths form on the tubes of electric heaters not only in dishwashers, but also in washing machines and boilers. As a result of the buildup of scale, the heating element first begins to spend more electricity to heat the water, and then at some point the spiral burns out in it due to too high a temperature.

If you have a Bosch brand dishwasher and you have to replace the heating element, we recommend that you look at the detailed instructions for choosing and replacing.

To avoid such problems, manufacturers of household dishwashers began to install a special ion exchanger in them. The resin contained in it, consisting of sodium chloride, binds metal ions and prevents them from combining with each other to precipitate in the form of limescale. In this way, all unnecessary is discharged into the sewer, and the water softens.

Sodium also leaves the ion exchanger during the exchange taking place in the water. It has to be forcibly replenished, otherwise at some point NaCl will be completely consumed

In order to replenish the contents of the ion exchanger in the "dishwasher" and add sodium salt. It is not for nothing that such salt compositions are also called regenerating or restoring. In fact, they are one of the mechanisms for extending the life of the heating element and the dishwasher as a whole.

Dishwasher Rating

Based on the effectiveness of dishwasher preparations, you can make a rating that will allow you to accurately choose the best product for your assistant. The following tools have gained considerable popularity among housewives:

1. Liquid detergent for dishwashers Finish. It cleans well, leaves behind shine and squeak. Among the advantages - cost-effectiveness, ease of use. Even if you use daily, the bottle will last almost six months.
2. Minel Total. You can wash dishes at any temperature - even in cold water, the more active components contained in the tablets will ensure impeccable cleanliness and shine.The composition contains salt, rinse aid, so the formation of scale on the parts of the unit, stains on the surface of the dishes are completely excluded.
3. Claro. A distinctive feature of the powder is the impact in three directions at once. The active ingredients effectively clean, rinse and protect the dishwasher. Pre-soaking is not required - even dried-on food particles are completely removed.
4. Finish, dishwasher capsules. They quickly remove even old grease, dried stains, return shine to dishes. Rinses off completely without leaving behind ugly stains.
5. Frosch Soda. An environmentally friendly product that does not contain harmful additives that can provoke allergies or irritation. It acts instantly, washes, does not allow the formation of limescale.
6. feed back. Among the advantages - affordable cost, easy application, active cleansing. Among the shortcomings - it does not always cope with a touch of coffee on cups.
7. Eonite. Tablets that do not contain harmful elements. Differs in efficiency (removes even plaque from tea or coffee), pleasant cost. The composition contains salt, rinse aid.
8. Paclan Brileo. Capsules contain elements that can cope with grease and dirt even at low water temperatures. The drug dissolves almost instantly, so you can safely wash dishes on the shortest cycles. The composition contains a conditioner that will not allow the appearance of stains. You also don’t have to worry about the appearance of scale - the soda content will not allow lime to accumulate.
9. Drift. The peculiarity of the capsules is that the shell is divided into several compartments, which contain rinse aid and detergent particles.Under the influence of water, each component is released from the shell at intervals, providing intensive dishwashing, rinsing, protection against lime build-up.
10. BioMio. The advantage of the drug is environmentally friendly components that are completely safe for humans and do not cause irritation even with hypersensitivity. The composition contains eucalyptus oil, which provides the dishes with a light fresh aroma, while helping to cleanse. Additionally, you do not have to use special salt or rinse aid - the product will easily prevent the formation of water stains and protect all parts of the unit. Recommended for delicate materials - crystal, glass, porcelain.

When buying, you should also take into account the brand of the kitchen unit, the material of the dishes that will be washed. To clean delicate porcelain or crystal, products made of cupronickel, silver, it is better to choose products without abrasive particles or chlorine. For more resistant materials, it is recommended to choose powerful compounds that will do an excellent job even with severe pollution.

Salt compartment

The question of where to pour salt in the dishwasher should not cause difficulties. In all dishwashers, the salt compartment is located at the bottom of the dishwasher under the bottom tray. To pour granulated salt into it, you need to use a funnel.

As for the 3-in-1 tablets containing salt, a special compartment is provided for them. It is located on the inside of the door.

Water hardness and salt consumption

To soften the water in the dishwasher, there is a special device in the form of a reservoir called an ion exchanger. Inside the ion exchanger is a resin with negatively charged chloride ions.These ions attract the impurities of magnesium and calcium contained in the water, the water becomes softer. If this is not done, then at high temperatures magnesium and calcium form scale that settles on the heating element, in addition, dishes are washed worse in hard water

But if the water in the dishwasher, passing through the ion exchanger, becomes soft anyway, then why do we need special salt? And then, in order to restore the amount of chlorine ions in the resin, that is why such a salt is called regenerating. And the more hard water, the more salt will be consumed.

To determine the hardness of water, you can use one of the following methods.

The “by eye” method, that is, you take laundry soap, lather or lather some kind of rag with it. If it does not lather well and does not rinse well, then the water is hard.

Also, pay attention to how quickly limescale builds up on faucets, toilets, and other surfaces. The faster, the harder the water.
The second method involves the use of a special device or test strip.

The most accurate and simple option.
And the last way invites us to look at the stiffness in the table by region, compiled by experts.

According to hardness, water is classified into:

• soft;
• medium hardness;
• hard;
• very tough.

How to properly adjust the salt intake in the dishwasher for water hardness? To get started, study the instructions, usually it describes the entire process. So, for example, in dishwashers of the Bosch brand, you can set 7 levels of water hardness. When the salt runs out, the indicator on the panel will light up, which means that you need to add salt again. If tablets containing salt are used, the salt-free indicator can be turned off by setting the water hardness to 0.

But we note that even among Bosch machine models, when the hardness is set to 0, water can pass not bypassing the ion exchanger, but through it. And if you do not add salt, but put only tablets containing salt, then this can lead to the fact that the ion exchanger will clog, and water will not flow at all, as a result, you will need to change the unit. Therefore, salt is needed not only to soften water and improve the quality of washing, but also to maintain the dishwasher's ion exchanger in working order.

Thus, it is not so important how much salt is poured into the dishwasher compartment, it is important that it is always there. And how often you have to do this will depend on the hardness of the water in the region and whether the hardness parameters on the dishwasher itself are set correctly.

We hope that this article was useful to you.