What does dishwasher salt do?

Dishwasher salt enhances the cleaning performance of your appliance by minimising water streaks on glasses and dishes. If your machine lacks dishwasher salt, you may notice a cloudy film on your glassware and cutlery.

dishwasher

What is dishwasher salt?

Dishwasher salt is a particular type of granulated sodium chloride that helps prevent limescale from building up in your machine. Dishwasher salt is specifically designed for your dishwasher and can be purchased in most supermarkets. It is important to only use dishwasher salt in your appliance. Please do not use table salt or sea salt as a replacement as this can damage your appliance.

What does dishwasher salt do?

Dishwasher salt improves cleaning by softening water as it enters your appliance. This softening action helps the detergent dissolve, helping to reduce water streaks on glasses and crockery.

Using rinse aid is also important. Rinse aid prevents water from forming droplets during drying, ensuring dishes and glasses are thoroughly rinsed and cleaned. To find out how to add rinse aid to your machine, please click here.

What is a 'hard water area'?

The geology of your local area will determine the water hardness of your area. Hard water contains a high mineral content and can contribute to the inefficient operation of household appliances. As such, it is important to frequently check the salt levels of your machine, especially if you live in a hard water area.

Dishwasher salt softens the water entering your appliance, helping dishwasher detergent to dissolve during a wash cycle. Without dishwasher salt, the pipes and valves in your appliance can become clogged with limescale, leading to leaks and reduced water flow.

It is generally known that the south and east of England have the hardest water. However, you can find out how hard the water is in your local area by looking online. Alternatively, you can contact your water supplier.

The map on the right shows water hardness levels across the country. Darker shades indicate harder water levels.

Dishwasher cycle length

How to use dishwasher salt?

Dishwasher cycle length

If you are using your dishwasher for the first time, you will need to add one litre of water to your appliance's salt reservoir. You will then need to restock the salt reservoir as often as needed. Make sure to replenish salt before starting a wash programme. This is important as any spilled salt left unattended can lead to corrosion; running a wash program effectively washes away the spilled salt, minimising the risk. To add dishwasher salt to your appliance, please follow the below instructions:

  1. Locate the large cap on the base of your dishwasher. The location of this cap will depend on the specific Beko model you own. This may be located at the bottom of your dishwasher. If this is the case, you will need to remove the bottom rack from your dishwasher.
  2. Turn the cap anti-clockwise to open.
  3. Using a funnel, pour dishwasher salt into the reservoir until full.
  4. Replace the lid securely.

If you have any problems locating the salt reservoir on your Beko dishwasher, please refer to your appliance manual. Can't find yours? No problem, you can access the manual by clicking here.

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