Dishwashers are highly effective in cleaning your dishes and keeping them in rotation in your household. However, they can’t do all of that incredible work alone. In order to make the most of a dishwasher, you need to be sure to load it just right. But, it’s not just how you load the dishes themselves that matters. You also need to consider what detergents and other materials you’re loading.
For many years, people have been using dishwasher salts to help soften a hard water supply. This helps to prevent the accumulation of streaks and watermarks on dishes. But many people wonder whether they have any need for dishwasher salts if they’re also making use of all-in-one tablets.
All-in-one tablets promise to contain everything your dishwasher needs for a full clean. But does this also include water-softening properties? Do you still need to use dishwasher salts if you use all-in-one tablets? Today, our Reliant tech experts are going to find out once and for all!
Do You Need Salt In The Dishwasher If You Use All-In-One Tablets?
To find an answer to this question, we’d need to start by finding out what all-in-one tablets are used for. All-in-one dishwasher tablets are formulated to be a simple solution to cure your dishwashing woes. Instead of needing to load the dishwasher with individual detergents, you can simply buy a single tablet. Just one tablet is packed with all of the benefits you expect from your usual detergents. Just place the tablet into the correct section of the dishwasher, and start the cycle up.
If you live in an area with a hard water supply, then you will need to add dishwasher salts to the unit alongside any all-in-one tablets. If you don’t have a hard water supply, you won’t need any dishwasher salts!
Included within many popular all-in-one tablets are dishwasher salts. This means that, for the most part, you can forgo the need for dishwasher salts. However, there are some instances in which you may need to add some extra dishwasher salts alongside an all-in-one tablet.
When Should You Add Dishwasher Salts To Your Dishwasher?
Generally, you should add dishwasher salts to your dishwasher at all times if you live in an area with a particularly hard water supply. Hard water contains a large amount of calcium and magnesium. It’s important to note that these aren’t directly harmful, but they can have an impact on the function of your dishwasher. When hard water dries on your dishes, it will leave behind small traces of calcium and magnesium. This results in visible streaks that make your dishes look unwashed! This is also referred to as limescale!
More than simply leaving your dishes looking dirty, excess limescale can actually impact the function of your dishwasher. When limescale is left to build up on the inner surface of your dishwasher, it can run the risk of clogging the unit. It can also make it hard for components like the water sprayers to effectively move or spray your water!
Dishwasher salts are specially formulated to eliminate the calcium and magnesium from a hard water supply. Resulting in much softer water that doesn’t leave streaks. However, the amount of dishwasher salts you need to use will depend on the hardness of your water. If you live in an area with a very hard water supply, then the small amount of dishwasher salt in your all-in-one tablets may not be enough to do the job.
How Much Dishwasher Salt Should You Add To Your Dishwasher?
The amount of dishwasher salt you add to your dishwasher will depend on the hardness of your water. Luckily, it’s very difficult to end up adding too much dishwasher salt to your unit.
Dishwashers come with special dishwasher salt reservoirs that you can fill up as much as you need. Usually, they are filled up enough to last for a whole week’s worth of washes. This actually means that you won’t have to fill up the unit very often at all. The dishwasher will simply use as much of the stored-up salt as it deems necessary.
We recommend taking a look at your dishwasher’s user manual. This will be able to tell you how much salt is needed, and how much you should fill its salt reservoir.
Can You Use Table Salt In Place Of Dishwasher Salt?
It’s easy to assume that dishwasher salts can be substituted with regular salt. And it might be an attractive option if you don’t currently have access to dishwasher salt of your own. However, it must be noted that dishwasher salt is actually very different from regular table salt, and thus isn’t a suitable alternative.
If you run out of dishwasher salt, don’t substitute regular table salt in its place. Regular table salt often contains a number of additives that can damage your dishwasher. It’s also much too fine and thus dissolves too quickly.
Regular salts, especially those used for cooking, actually contain a number of additives that aren’t particularly kind to your dishwasher. These additives can then collect in your dishwasher and run the risk of blocking or otherwise hampering your dishwasher. Table salt is also far too fine when compared to dishwasher salt. This means it dissolves much quicker, and thus won’t be as effective.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need Salt In My Dishwasher If I Use All-In-One Tablets?
All-in-one tablets typically only have a small amount of dishwasher salt. This means that, if your water supply is particularly hard, you’ll need to add extra dishwasher salt on the side. Dishwasher salt helps to soften your water to reduce streaks. The harder your water is, the more salt will be needed to neutralise it!
What Happens If You Don’t Use Dishwasher Salt?
Going without dishwasher salt can have a very negative impact on the unit. This is because the calcium and magnesium found in hard water will gather on the interior of the dishwasher. Over time, the limescale can grow harder and harder, and may eventually cause numerous blockages, or otherwise keep certain components from working.
