Salt is essential to the functioning of your dishwasher if you want to keep your dishes immaculate. Although you might not give it much thought, adding salt to your dishwasher keeps limescale buildup at bay and keeps it operating smoothly.
However, how frequently should you really add salt? Many people wonder about this, particularly if they wish to steer clear of problems like streaky dishes or cloudy glasses. How often you add salt will depend on how hard your water is and how often you use the dishwasher.
This post will discuss the telltale signs that it’s time to add more salt to your dishwasher and offer advice on how to keep the proper ratio for best outcomes. Knowing this easy routine can have a significant impact on the cleanliness of your dishes and the effectiveness of your dishwasher.
| Dishwasher Usage | Recommended Salt Addition Frequency |
| Daily Use | Every 1-2 weeks |
| 2-3 times a week | Every 3-4 weeks |
| Once a week | Every 6-8 weeks |
How long does one load of salt last?
As there are as many people as there are details regarding using a dishwasher, it is impossible to pinpoint with absolute precision when you should add salt once more. Frequently, after just five to ten operating cycles following the initial load, the machine already needs the salt tank refilled. This might occur if the dishwasher’s owner added salt "by eye" the first time, adding too little and failing to get the salt solution to the correct concentration. In this instance, future updates to the salt granules may occur at different intervals, contingent upon several factors.
- Water hardness and dishwasher settings. If the water in the water supply is hard, then you should set the hardness settings in the PMM to maximum values in order to save the ion exchanger, which needs to constantly restore the spent resin. Therefore, salt consumption varies in conditions of hard and soft tap water – the better the water, the less salt granules are consumed. For example, in conditions of medium hardness, salt can be added only once every 4-6 months.
Visit the local water utility’s official website to obtain precise information about the water quality and make necessary adjustments to the salt consumption in order to properly adjust the machine’s hardness.
- Frequency of use of the device. It is logical that if you use the "home assistant" every day, it will consume much more salt than if it were turned on once a week. Absolutely every working cycle consumes a salt solution, so from time to time it is necessary to add salt to the dishwasher. With daily use, salt crystals may last only a quarter, and with rare use, you can forget about renewing the salt for six months or even a year.
- Salt quality. A special salt was created for dishwashers, which not only has regenerating properties and is better purified from impurities, but its crystals are also much larger than the crystals of ordinary table salt. For minimum consumption, buy only brands with large crystal sizes, such as Finish, EONIT and Mister DEZ.
It is wise to keep an eye on all three of the previously mentioned parameters as they are all significant for salt consumption. Finally, when the last bit of salt starts to run out, add more.
Usually when the salt indicator light illuminates, or approximately once a month if your machine lacks one, you should add salt to your dishwasher on a regular basis. This guarantees that the water softener that is integrated into the dishwasher works effectively, avoiding the accumulation of limescale and keeping your dishes pristine.
The machine will tell you when to add salt
Modern machines come with a separate salt indicator, which is very handy and is situated on the control panel of the dishwasher. An icon with two curved arrows designates the indicator, which illuminates only when salt needs to be added. You must pay close attention to the signal indicating that a new salt needs to be added in dishwashers as some will have a bright red indicator and others will have a dim yellow one.
This signal is generated by a unique sensor that is integrated into the ion exchanger. This is what keeps an eye on the salt solution’s saturation and kicks in when the salt content drops below average. The salt indicator on the panel should always be closely observed as it will provide you with precise instructions on when to add salt to the dishwasher.
To make sure your dishwasher operates well and your dishes come out spotless, you must regularly add salt to it. The frequency is determined by the hardness of your water and how frequently you use the dishwasher. For most households, checking the salt level once a month should be sufficient.
A low salt level may be indicated if you find that your dishes aren’t as clean or if there’s a white residue left behind. Preventing these problems and prolonging the lifespan of your dishwasher can be achieved by keeping the salt reservoir filled.
In addition to keeping your dishwasher operating efficiently, maintaining the proper salt levels will help you avoid costly long-term repairs and replacements.
