AskGene.com

One of the most common complaints I get with any dishwasher is that it does not clean dishes like it did before or…it does not clean it at all! WHY?
There are two of the most important and most common things affecting a dishwashers performance (if it is not broken mechanically): water hardness and right detergent.
One of the most important parts of a detergent you are going to use is the amount of phosphorus. Phosphorus softens water and helps prevent water spots on dishes. It is always written somewhere on a box or a bottle of the detergent. Find out your water’s hardness by asking your local water department. If it is 8+ grains per gallon, you have very hard water and you have to use a detergent with at least 8.7% of phosphorus content. With 5 to 7 grains per gallon you can use a detergent with phosphorus content about 4% to 6%, and if it is 0 to 4 grains per gallon you have to use detergent with less than 2% of phosphorus. If you or a previous owner used detergent with the wrong amount of phosphorus, especially, if you see white film on the glasses and/or white staff inside your dishwasher (when it is dry inside) – you have calcium build up in your dishwasher. Do not panic. It does not mean you have to buy a new one. There are a lot of different dishwashers cleaning solutions out on the market. You can use Citric Acid, CLR, regular white vinegar and many others. I have learned from my experience, the best and most effiecient is the Dishwasher Magic.