Why put salt in your dishwasher?
Why put salt in the dishwasher?
Adding salt to the dishwasher is necessary when the water supplying the machine is "hard", i.e. it is highly concentrated in limestone and magnesium. In France, the water is, most of the time, hard. When hard water is heated to more than 60°C, layers of limestone and scale stick to the walls of the machine, but also to the glasses. These sediment deposits, in addition to being unpleasant to see, can deteriorate the dishes.
Salt in the dishwasher acts as a water softener that regulates limescale levels thanks to its sodium chloride content. It will soften the water in order to avoid scale deposits in the dishwasher. The harder the water supplied, the more frequently the softener or regenerating salt must be changed. Without salt, the built-in water softener of the dishwasher becomes saturated and will no longer do its job properly.
The steps to follow for using salt in the dishwasher
It is important to know how to correctly dose the salt in the dishwasher. The tank into which the salt will be poured must also be regularly replenished. Depending on the model of dishwasher used, a light or sound indicator comes on when this tank is empty. If there is no indicator, it is advisable to fill the tank at least once a month or when the dishes start showing white spots. Here are the steps to follow to properly use dishwasher salt:
Choosing the right type of salt
Favor the brand of dishwasher salt recommended by the manufacturer or the store where the machine was purchased. If you haven't had a recommendation, any regeneration salts sold at major grocery stores, chemical supply stores, or home improvement stores will do. Table salt or sea salt are not suitable for this purpose. Indeed, they contain additives that accentuate the hardness of the water. They may also clog the device due to their very fine texture. Salt in the dishwasher can have different textures and comes in powder, tablet, pod or liquid form. You just have to choose according to your needs.
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