Dishwasher 101

[Bribie G]

After some decades as a dishwasher agnostic, I've finally got a Fusher and Paykel. I can't believe how well it restores my beer glasses to virginal amongst other benefits.

I've been using the three-layer dishwashing lollies but they are a bit exxie per wash and wondering what the best stuff is to use in the beast. One thing that confuses me, you put the lolly in the little compartment in the door and then click its cover into place and shut the door, then start the cycle. At the end of the wash the compartment cover is open so I guess there's some mechanism that releases the cover at some stage.

Now on the odd occasion I've put some CLR into that compartment to do a dummy wash cycle to clean the machine, when I close the compartment cover it seems to dribble out anyway.

So if using a liquid dishwasher detergent should you just initially squirt a dose of the stuff into the pit of the machine? What's the purpose of that little compartment on the door?

Finally, I guess that pure Perc would be a good cleaner-outer and I have heaps of it in the brewery. Is it suitable for doing a cleaning cycle and should I put some into that compartment or just chuck half a cup into the bowels of the machine?

 

[earle]

We use the tablets and just throw one in the bottom even though we have the compartment in the door. A few times we used the compartment and even though it had opened most of the tablet was still in the compartment at the end of the wash. Do you have an aldi near where you at now, we use the ones in the light blue box and thy work fine.

 

[dougsbrew]

no need 4 compartment door unless u do a rinse first, with out the opening rinse(an option on most machines) it opens door straight away so just dropping in bottom doesnt matter. as 4 virginal clean glasses. mmm oops side tracked 4 a minute..its the rinse cycle that does the good part.
hard water = lots rinse aid, one of my dish washers had a salt compartment to soften water, it did work..rinse aid is your friend..

 

[Bribie G]

Aha a trip to Aldi is on the cards.
Last time they were out of the lollies.

Now with the rinse aid, where exactly do you put it, and at what stage of the cycle, or do you just put it in with the lolly?

 

[barls]

i use white vinegar in mine as the rinse aid

 

[Bada Bing Brewery]

i use white vinegar in mine as the rinse aid

+1 works a treat.
BBB

 

[dougsbrew]

usually there is a dial measuring 1 to 6 near the detergent department. that dial usually unscrews and thats where you tip it in.
and that dial is where you work out the g spot for your virginal clean glass..

 

[Bribie G]

Rice wine vinegar it is

 

[citizensnips]

use finish liquid over the lollies, cleans twice as good. The lollies are actually quite bad for the machine believe it or not as well.

 

[komodo]

I believe thats only the ones with the disolvable wrapper?

 

[citizensnips]

look im not gonna lie I have no idea, I have just heard many a time they're bad and every time I have used them they don't generally disolve and even when they do they don't come close to the liquid goo.

 

[Truman42]

My missus brought a box of Finish tablets with the ball in the middle on Groupon and they were very very cheap and will last for years.

I often put beer bottles in my dishwasher and do a full cycle with some sodium percarbonate. It cleans the dishwasher and gives the bottles a good clean.

 

[pk.sax]

^ Carnie can learn from your above post T, to the point, non-judgemental and experiential with results clearly stated.

 

[stux]

Bribie, have you got the F&P dish drawers?

Anyway, we use the powder in ours. In another lifetime we worked out that the tablets were more effective than powder in an older model dishwasher, but our 7 yr old dish drawers don't really have a good place for tablets. Powder is cheaper anyway.

Used to use finish, but then th double concentrated which means you use 50% more because who can accurately measure 25% of a pour... So now just use the yellow one.

 

[Fourstar]

the aldi powder in the blue bottle. cheap as chips and cleans like a dream.

 

[drsmurto]

Magic all in one powerballs gizmos but only due to the sister in law working for the company. Beer glasses come up super clean.

I clean the dishwasher with homemade PBW (2/3 sodium percarbonate, 1/3 sodium metasiliciate). I use the same stuff to backflush the coffee machine. Wonderful stuff.

 

[WarmBeer]

I clean the dishwasher with homemade PBW (2/3 sodium percarbonate, 1/3 sodium metasiliciate). I use the same stuff to backflush the coffee machine. Wonderful stuff.

With hot water or cold?
I find that sodium perc activates best in hot water, but I guess it would heat up going though a standard heat block?

 

[komodo]

This is why I need to get my hands on sodium metasilicate!
Where can I buy it say 20kgs?

 

[Truman42]

This is why I need to get my hands on sodium metasilicate!
Where can I buy it say 20kgs?

Hucon ph 9720-4744. $1.05 per kg for 25 Kg bag but may be more as I got it at a bulk discount price. They are in Basywater.

 

[komodo]

Thanks Truman I'll give them a buzz