Detergents
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Active ingredients
Damage caused by using unsuit-
able detergents.
Detergents that are not suitable for
domestic dishwashers can cause
damage to the dishwasher or to the
wash items.
Only use detergents formulated for
domestic dishwashers.
Modern detergents contain various ac-
tive ingredients, the most important of
which are:
- Water softening complexing agents
to prevent calcification.
- Alkalis to aid removal of dried-on
soiling.
- Enzymes to break down starch and
loosen protein.
- Oxygen-based bleaching agents to
remove colored stains (e.g., tea, cof-
fee, tomato sauce).
Most dishwasher detergents are mildly
alkaline and contain enzymes and oxy-
gen-based bleaching agents.
There are different types of detergent:
- Powder and liquid gel detergents.
These detergents allow you to adjust
the amount dispensed according to
the amount of wash items and the
level of soiling.
- Tab detergents. These are suitable for
most levels of soiling.
As well as the usual detergents, combi-
nation products are also available.
These contain rinse aid and water soft-
ener (reactivation salt).
Only use these combination detergents
for the water hardness levels recom-
mended by the manufacturer on the
packaging.
The cleaning and drying performance of
these combination detergents can vary
greatly.
For optimum cleaning and drying re-
sults, use dishwasher detergent and
add salt and rinse aid separately.