Dishwasher tablets

[Electric_Andy]

Hi all. I'm fairly new to dishwashers.

I was bought a pack of Fairy Platinum Plus tablets to use; they clean very well but leave a funny taste on everything. The worst being on plastic/silicone things like strainers etc.

Just wondered if there is any way around this, other than use something else, and what do you all use? I've heard of dishwasher salt but don't know what it does (I'm guessing it aids rinsing and might also prevent sopay taste?).

Or am I just being fussy with my £7.50/pack Fairy, and should use supermarket own brand stuff, or maybe just Great Auntie Nora's bi-carb?

 

[vickster]

Hi all. I'm fairly new to dishwashers.

I was bought a pack of Fairy Platinum Plus tablets to use; they clean very well but leave a funny taste on everything. The worst being on plastic/silicone things like strainers etc.

Just wondered if there is any way around this, other than use something else, and what do you all use? I've heard of dishwasher salt but don't know what it does (I'm guessing it aids rinsing and might also prevent sopay taste?).

Or am I just being fussy with my £7.50/pack Fairy, and should use supermarket own brand stuff, or maybe just Great Auntie Nora's bi-carb?

I avoid the lemon ones like the plague (original only)! Fairy non platinum first choice, followed by fairly basic Finish ones, I buy whichever of the two is on special, XL Bags. e.g.
https://groceries.asda.com/product/...her-tablets-regular-60-capsules/1000383163142
or https://groceries.asda.com/product/...her-tablets-original-75-tablets/1000383162726

I don't bother with anything that says platinum, ultimate, quantum or similar nonsense. Rinse stuff first if mucky

You also need dishwasher salt for water softening (and rinse aid)

 

[PaulSB]

Aldi tablets. One-third of the price of branded products and gives the same result. Don't get sucked in by the marketing.

 

[wonderloaf]

Aldi tablets. One-third of the price of branded products and gives the same result. Don't get sucked in by the marketing.

+1 for the Aldi tabs, we also find the Tesco tabs work well. We also just throw the tab in the bottom of dishwasher, as recommended by a dishwasher engineer on the Internet, he said the trapdoor mechanism on the door was designed for powders so sometimes doesn't work properly for tabs.
Agree with the comment about the Lemon tabs, avoid at all costs!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Aldi tablets. One-third of the price of branded products and gives the same result. Don't get sucked in by the marketing.

And another vote for Aldi.

Great cleaning power and great price too.

We've tried all the platinum etc products over the years and they are simply over-hyped and over-priced.

 

[dicko]

Fairy tablets every time but where is all the dishwasher salt gone? Can’t find any anywhere

 

[lazybloke]

The cheapy german supermarket tablets are mostly alright but i find the big brands are better, so i opt for those when on offer.

If you're in a hard water area and the softener salt runs out, you'll see/feel the difference and it wont clean as well.

edit: I buy 25kg bags of salt tablets both for my whole-house water softener AND the dishwasher (which annoyingly is fed from the unsoftened supply).

 

[vickster]

Fairy tablets every time but where is all the dishwasher salt gone? Can’t find any anywhere

Tesco sell it
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/262984608

 

[T4tomo]

Fairy tablets every time but where is all the dishwasher salt gone? Can’t find any anywhere

usually stored in the cupboard under the sink....

 

[I like Skol]

Re; dishwasher salt. Many of the tablets are 3 in 1 or 4 in 1 and have their own salt/rinse aid 'built in' so if you put additional additives into your machine you are effectively paying twice and throwing excess chemicals down the drain.

 

[Electric_Andy]

Thanks everyone. I don't have an Aldi near me but will try the Lidl ones, or Tescos own (avoiding the lemon variety). I used the Fairy ones becasue they had a Which? award on the front, so I guess I have been a slave to marketing. Also because a plumber friend said they were the best, but I'm sure own brands work just as well, and yes I do rinse the worst of the muck off first if it's ground in. But I do not go "full Monica" on them, like my sister does, and pretty much washes them clean before they go in the dishwasher!

I don't think I'll bother with salt.

The trapdoor mechanism has always worked fine for me, but I remember my ex had trouble with hers where the tablet would not eject properly and you ended up with half digested tablet gunk in there.

 

[vickster]

Re; dishwasher salt. Many of the tablets are 3 in 1 or 4 in 1 and have their own salt/rinse aid 'built in' so if you put additional additives into your machine you are effectively paying twice and throwing excess chemicals down the drain.

Except if you live in a hard water area it’s often needed for an adequate quantity

 

[vickster]

Thanks everyone. I don't have an Aldi near me but will try the Lidl ones, or Tescos own (avoiding the lemon variety). I used the Fairy ones becasue they had a Which? award on the front, so I guess I have been a slave to marketing. Also because a plumber friend said they were the best, but I'm sure own brands work just as well, and yes I do rinse the worst of the muck off first if it's ground in. But I do not go "full Monica" on them, like my sister does, and pretty much washes them clean before they go in the dishwasher!

I don't think I'll bother with salt.

The trapdoor mechanism has always worked fine for me, but I remember my ex had trouble with hers where the tablet would not eject properly and you ended up with half digested tablet gunk in there.

I also run a cleaner through every so often. Also get rid of the nasty slime that forms below the cover around the filter!

 

[Electric_Andy]

I also run a cleaner through every so often. Also get rid of the nasty slime that forms below the cover around the filter!

cheers, is that the Dr Beckman stuff?

 

[vickster]

cheers, is that the Dr Beckman stuff?

I just use an own brand e.g. https://groceries.asda.com/product/1000383118631?