How to Use Dishwasher Salt
Remove the bottom rack to expose the salt reservoir., Unscrew the cap and check for water., Use only dishwasher salt in your softener unit., Pour salt into the funnel until the reservoir is full., Clean excess salt with a wet cloth., Screw the cap...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remove the bottom rack to expose the salt reservoir.
Pull the bottom rack out completely and set it on your kitchen counter.
You may need to lift it up slightly to unclip it from its rollers.
Your reservoir will be on the bottom of the dishwasher, probably off to one side.
If you don’t see a reservoir, your dishwasher may not have a built-in water softener., Water softener units have caps that need to be tightly secured after each use.
Unscrew this cap and set it to the side.
If this is the first time you’re using your unit, it needs to be filled with water.
Pour enough in to fill it to the top of the opening.After the first time you use it, your softener unit should always have a bit of water in it.
You won’t need to refill it. , You can find specially made dishwasher salt at grocery stores, hardware stores, or online.
It doesn’t matter which brand of you choose, but you cannot use table salt, sea salt, or kosher salt as a replacement for dishwasher salt.
These cooking salts contain additives that might actually increase the hardness of your water.
They may also be too fine, which could clog the unit., Different dishwashers will have differently sized units that take various amounts of salt, so there’s no precise measurement for this process.
Pour salt into the unit until it’s completely filled up.
Since you also have water in the unit, you’re creating a saltwater brine that will refresh the chemical processes that occur in the built-in softener.Using a funnel to pour your salt will help you avoid spills.
Hold the funnel above the reservoir instead of plunging it into the unit.
If the funnel gets wet, the salt won’t pour through it properly. , If you’ve spilled any salt in the dishwasher around the unit, wipe it up with a wet cloth.
The salt you pour in the softener unit never actually touches your dishes, as it just stays in the unit itself.
If you leave loose salt in the dishwasher, however, it will get mixed in with the water that cleans your dishes.
This won’t hurt them, but it may give you slightly dirty (or salty) dishes for one cycle.You can also run a rinse cycle without dishes to clean any spilled salt out of the dishwasher. , Replace the cap securely and check to make sure it’s tight.
If the cap gets loose during a cycle and detergent gets into the unit, it could break.
You certainly don’t want to pay for a new dishwasher just because your cap wasn’t tight enough!, Once you’ve checked your cap, you can put the bottom rack back into the dishwasher.
Fill your dishwasher with dishes and run it like you always do.
There’s no need for an empty rinse or clean cycle after you refill the salt. -
Step 2: Unscrew the cap and check for water.
-
Step 3: Use only dishwasher salt in your softener unit.
-
Step 4: Pour salt into the funnel until the reservoir is full.
-
Step 5: Clean excess salt with a wet cloth.
-
Step 6: Screw the cap on tightly.
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Step 7: Replace the bottom rack and run the dishwasher normally.
Detailed Guide
Pull the bottom rack out completely and set it on your kitchen counter.
You may need to lift it up slightly to unclip it from its rollers.
Your reservoir will be on the bottom of the dishwasher, probably off to one side.
If you don’t see a reservoir, your dishwasher may not have a built-in water softener., Water softener units have caps that need to be tightly secured after each use.
Unscrew this cap and set it to the side.
If this is the first time you’re using your unit, it needs to be filled with water.
Pour enough in to fill it to the top of the opening.After the first time you use it, your softener unit should always have a bit of water in it.
You won’t need to refill it. , You can find specially made dishwasher salt at grocery stores, hardware stores, or online.
It doesn’t matter which brand of you choose, but you cannot use table salt, sea salt, or kosher salt as a replacement for dishwasher salt.
These cooking salts contain additives that might actually increase the hardness of your water.
They may also be too fine, which could clog the unit., Different dishwashers will have differently sized units that take various amounts of salt, so there’s no precise measurement for this process.
Pour salt into the unit until it’s completely filled up.
Since you also have water in the unit, you’re creating a saltwater brine that will refresh the chemical processes that occur in the built-in softener.Using a funnel to pour your salt will help you avoid spills.
Hold the funnel above the reservoir instead of plunging it into the unit.
If the funnel gets wet, the salt won’t pour through it properly. , If you’ve spilled any salt in the dishwasher around the unit, wipe it up with a wet cloth.
The salt you pour in the softener unit never actually touches your dishes, as it just stays in the unit itself.
If you leave loose salt in the dishwasher, however, it will get mixed in with the water that cleans your dishes.
This won’t hurt them, but it may give you slightly dirty (or salty) dishes for one cycle.You can also run a rinse cycle without dishes to clean any spilled salt out of the dishwasher. , Replace the cap securely and check to make sure it’s tight.
If the cap gets loose during a cycle and detergent gets into the unit, it could break.
You certainly don’t want to pay for a new dishwasher just because your cap wasn’t tight enough!, Once you’ve checked your cap, you can put the bottom rack back into the dishwasher.
Fill your dishwasher with dishes and run it like you always do.
There’s no need for an empty rinse or clean cycle after you refill the salt.
About the Author
Adam Brown
Writer and educator with a focus on practical practical skills knowledge.
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