What is dishwasher salt and why is it needed

When buying a dishwasher, people think that they only need a special detergent to wash the dishes. But when they read the instructions, they begin to understand that not everything is so simple. It turns out that some kind of dishwasher salt is needed to wash the dishes. What is this salt, what is it for and where to get it? You will learn about all this after reading our review. In it we will tell:

• What is dishwasher salt?
• what does salt do in the dishwasher;
• how to choose the right salt;
• how much and where to pour it.

After reading this material, you will receive answers to all questions regarding the selection and use of salt in dishwashers.

Why do you need salt in the dishwasher

We all understand that the dishwasher does not clean each plate individually. And she does this not with her hands with a sponge for washing dishes, but with the help of flowing water, to which detergent is mixed. Under the action of surfactants contained in the detergent, dirt is slowly removed from the surface of plates, spoons, forks and other objects.

The washing qualities of soap and other products are well manifested only in soft water.. The same soap foams in it literally immediately, giving a rich and powerful foam.After all, it is the foam that contributes to the active removal of contaminants from the surface of the dishes. And it is very easy to wash off with plain water. If the water is very hard, then the soap will simply dissolve in it, practically without giving the foam we need. Dependence is revealed - the less rigidity, the more foam.

In the dishwasher, the quality of washing dishes directly depends on foaming. Water in most regions of Russia is quite hard. And if this hardness is not so noticeable when washing dishes by hand, then in the dishwasher the hardness of the water will be critical. And what about those who have very hard water flowing from the tap, literally saturated with insoluble salts? In such conditions, the quality of washing dishes in a dishwasher will be far from ideal. And in order to remedy the situation, you need dishwasher salt. What is it for?

• Dishwasher salt removes calcium and magnesium ions from the water, replacing them with sodium ions - as a result, harmless and soluble salts are formed, the water becomes soft.
• Salt improves the cleaning properties of the detergents used in dishwashers.
• Salt significantly improves the quality of washing dishes - this is achieved due to better foaming.
• Salt prevents the formation of scale on the elements and parts of dishwashers - thereby prolonging the life of household appliances.

Thus, dishwasher salt is a very important component of successful dishwashing. And it is almost impossible to do without it. And the harder the water, the more salt you need.

Is it possible to do without dishwasher salt at all? Of course, you can - for this you need to connect the dishwasher to a source of soft water.For example, you can install a special filter containing resin with sodium ions in your home plumbing.

What is dishwasher salt

What is the composition of dishwasher salt? When we hear the word "salt", we involuntarily recall the most common table salt used in cooking. In fact, there are a lot of salts in nature - detailed information on this issue should have been obtained at school. That's why do not confuse salt or dishwasher salt substitute and common table salt, in most cases these are two different chemicals (or specially refined table or sea salt).

As for the composition of salt for dishwashers, in many cases it is fundamentally different from the chemical composition of table salt. It contains sodium salts of various acids, such as sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate and many other types of salts. The term "dishwasher salt" should be understood as a special salt composition designed to soften water in dishwashers. Also, dishwasher salt can be created on the basis of refined table salt.

Each manufacturer of salt for dishwashers comes up with its own composition. After all, good salt should not only soften water, but also help remove other salts formed as a result of a chemical reaction. And some of the manufacturers simply achieve complete purification of ordinary salt without using additional components. As for measuring the level of hardness, special test strips for manual determination of hardness or sensors built into the dishwasher are responsible for this (they are available only in expensive models equipped with automatic hardness detection).

Let's now look at some types of salts sold in departments with household chemicals. There are really a lot of salts, and the price range is quite large - it’s time to get confused which is better.

How much salt to put in the dishwasher

Freshly baked dishwasher owners are tormented by the question - how much salt should be poured into the dishwasher? The answer to this question is very simple - exactly as much salt is poured into the machine as it enters the compartment specially designated for this. The capacity of salt compartments in dishwashers is different, so it all depends on the specific model.

Dishwashers automatically take the right amount of salt for one washing cycle. They measure the amount either independently or in accordance with the water hardness value set by users. Weighing salt on a pharmacy scale and measuring the exact amount is not required from you - entrust this process to the dishwasher. The main thing is to pour salt into the correct compartment, and not add it to the detergent.

Where to put salt in the dishwasher

So we come to the main question - where, in fact, pour salt into the dishwasher? Everything is simple here, since the salt compartment in most cases is located at the bottom of the dishwasher. To add salt, open the door, remove all trays from the machine, find a container and pour salt into it using a special funnel. That's the whole procedure, after which you will have to determine the level of hardness of tap water and enter the indicator into the memory of the machine. If your machine can determine the level of hardness itself, just start washing.