White Residue on Dishes After Dishwashing
A chalky white residue on glasses and dishes is one of the most common dishwasher complaints. It is usually limescale from hard water rather than a machine fault.
Common Causes
Low Dishwasher Salt
Dishwasher salt feeds the built-in water softener. If salt is low, hard water flows through the machine untreated and deposits limescale on dishes. Top up the salt reservoir and run a cycle.
Low Rinse Aid
Low rinse aid allows water droplets to dry on dishes rather than sheeting off, leaving white spots. Top up the rinse aid dispenser.
Hard Water Area
In areas with very hard water you may need to increase the salt dosage setting. Check your machine manual for water hardness settings.
Blocked or Faulty Water Softener
If topping up salt and rinse aid does not resolve the issue, the water softener unit inside the machine may be faulty. This is an engineer repair costing £100–£180.
Quick Fix
Run a hot 65°C cycle with a dishwasher cleaner/descaler product to remove existing limescale buildup from the machine internals.
Still Got a Problem?
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