How to Choose and Use the Right Detergent
Use only powder or liquid detergent specifically
made for use in dishwashers. Other types will cause
How much detergent should you use? That depends.
Is your water “hard” or “soft”? With hard water, you
need extra detergent to get dishes clean. With soft water,
you need less detergent.
Your water department can tell you how hard your
water is. So can your county extension agent or your
area’s water softener company. Just call and ask them
how many “grains” of hardness there are in your water.
Too much detergent with soft water not only wastes
money, it can be harmful. It
cause a permanent
cloudiness of glassware,
“etching.” An outside
of glass is etched away! Of course, this takes some
time. But why take a chance when it’s easy to find out the
hardness of your water.
Keep your detergent fresh and dry. Under the sink
isn’t a good place to store detergent because there is too
much moisture. Don’t put powder detergent into the
dispenser until you’re ready to wash dishes, either. (It
won’t be fresh OR dry.)
If your powder detergent gets old or lumpy, throw it
away. Old detergent often won’t dissolve. If you use a
liquid dishwasher detergent, these precautions are not
necessary because liquid detergents don’t “lump” as
they age or come in contact with moisture.
Detergent Dispensers
You’ll find two detergent dispensers on the inside
Close the main cup.
NOTE:
open detergent cup after it has been
closed, unlatch the door and rotate the Cycle
Indicator Dial a fill turn to the OFF position.
When the closed cup contains soap it is
Grasp handle,
best that the door be in a partially open
rotate and
position before rotating the Cycle
close tightly
Indicator Dial. This will help reduce the amount of
detergent and rinse aid agent spillage into the tub.
Detergent Usage Guide
(powder or liquid)
WATER (O-3 grains hardness)
MEDIUM WATER (3-7 grains)
HARD WATER (7- grains*)
CYCLES
Main Cup
Open Cup
Main Cup
Open Cup
Main
Open
POTSCRUBBER
Half Full
Half Full
Completely
NORMAL WASH
Half Full
Completely
Completely
Full
Full
Full
LIGHT WASH
Half Full
None
Half Full
None
SHORT WASH
Completely
None
Full
I
I
I
RINSE & HOLD
Use no detergent
Use no detergent
Use no detergent
* 12 grains and up is extremely hard water. A water softener is recommended. Without it, lime
Main Cup holds 3 tablespoons;
build up in the water valve. The water valve may stick while open and cause flooding.
Filled Open Cup holds 2 tablespoons.
How to Prepare the Dishes for Washing
If this is your first dishwasher, or if you’re replacing
NOTE: You may also want to consider removing
a much older model, you may wonder how much
foods such as mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon
preparation your dishes need. Actually very little.
juice and other foods that can cause discoloration of
Scrape off bones, seeds, skins, toothpicks and
stainless steel if allowed to remain on dishes for a
other hard solids. Remove excessive quantities
long period of time.
of oil or grease.
The POTSCRUBBER cycle can wash heavily soiled
dishes and remove dried-on and baked-on soils from
pots, pans and casseroles. Items with burned-on
soils need extra preparation.
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