What does Dishwasher salt do?
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What Does Dishwasher Salt Do? The Complete Guide
Dishwasher salt is specially designed to help your dishwasher deliver sparkling results—especially if you live in a hard water area. Here’s how it works and why it’s crucial for your appliance:
What Is Dishwasher Salt?
Dishwasher salt is a coarse-grained pure sodium chloride that goes into a dedicated compartment—not with your dishes or detergent. It is different from table salt in both texture and function; using regular table salt can actually damage your appliance.
What Does Dishwasher Salt Do?
- Softens Hard Water: Many regions have hard water, containing minerals like calcium and magnesium. Dishwasher salt replenishes the dishwasher’s water softener system, which uses ion exchange to remove these minerals from the incoming water.
- Prevents Limescale Build-up: By softening the water, dishwasher salt stops calcium deposits (limescale) from forming on internal parts, like heating elements and spray arms. This reduces maintenance issues and extends your machine’s lifespan.
- Improves Cleaning Performance: Soft water allows dishwasher detergent to dissolve better and wash more effectively. This means cleaner dishes, shinier glassware, and no cloudy residues or streaks.
- Protects Your Appliance: Without dishwasher salt, hard water can clog pipes, create limescale, and lead to repairs or a shortened dishwasher life.
How to Use Dishwasher Salt
- Add dishwasher salt to the special salt compartment, usually at the bottom of the machine.
- Only use dedicated dishwasher salt, not table, sea, or other culinary salts.
- Refill when the indicator light comes on—the frequency depends on your water’s hardness and usage.
Quick Facts
- If you live in a soft water region, your dishwasher may not need salt—check your user manual.
- Never put dishwasher salt directly into the main wash or detergent compartment!
In summary:
Dishwasher salt is vital for softening water, stopping limescale, maximizing cleaning, and protecting your dishwasher’s key components. Keeping the salt topped up guarantees sparkling results and a longer-lasting, trouble-free machine.
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