How to Choose and Use the Right Detergent
Use only powder or liquid detergent specifically
made for use in dishwashers. Other
will
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 can cause a permanent
cloudiness of glassware, called “etching.” An outside
layer 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.)
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
because liquid detergents don’t “lump” as
they age or come in contact with moisture.
Detergent Dispensers
You’ll
two detergent dispensers on the inside
Close the
cup.
NOTE: To open detergent cup
it
has been closed, unlatch the door and
rotate the
Indicator Dial
turn
to the
When the closed cup
Grasp handle,
contains soap it is best that the door be in
rotate and
close tightly
a partially open position before rotating the
Cycle 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- 12 grains*)
CYCLES
Main Cup
Open Cup
Main Cup
Open Cup
Main
Open
HEAVY WASH
Half Full
+ Half Full
Completely
NORMAL WASH
+ Half Full
Completely
+ Completely
Full
Full
WATER SAVER
Half Full
None
Full
None
Completely
None
Full
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;
can
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 other
stainless steel if allowed to remain on dishes for a long
hard solids. Remove excessive quantities of oil or grease.
period of time.
The HEAVY WASH 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.
7
Summary of Contents for HDA150
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