Without dishwasher salt, the appliance and dishes suffer - but what is it for?

Cleaning tabs and rinse aids are a must in every dishwasher so that the dishes get really clean.

But the salt also fulfills an important function.

Dishwashers clean dirty dishes, pots and glasses in no time at all.

The useful devices not only save us a lot of work, they are also easy on the wallet: compared to washing dishes by hand, dishwashers consume an average of 28 percent less electricity and 50 percent less water, as a study by the University of Bonn from 2011 suggests .

In order for the device to work properly and clean the dishes satisfactorily, you need dishwasher salt in addition to dishwasher tabs or powder and rinse aid (which is also suitable for cleaning windows).

But what for?

This function is fulfilled by the salt in the dishwasher

Every dishwasher is equipped with an integrated water softener, a so-called ion exchanger.

However, at some point this ion exchanger will be full - and this is where the dishwasher salt comes into play.

The special salt ensures that the ion exchanger regenerates itself by binding the calcium and magnesium ions from the water and making the water soft.

Hence the name "regenerating salt".

If there is no regeneration salt or if the dosage is too low, these calcium and magnesium ions would form limescale residues on crockery, cutlery and glasses.

The dishwasher can no longer work properly.

The dosage of the dishwasher salt must therefore always be set according to the local water hardness on the dishwasher.

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Where do I refill regeneration salt?

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The compartment for the so-called regeneration salt is located on the bottom of the dishwasher.

But what is the salt for?

© Felix Schlikis/Imago

The dishwasher salt container is located at the bottom of the dishwasher.

It is equipped with a round lid that can be screwed on.

Here you fill in the salt according to the water hardness of your location.

If the regeneration salt needs to be refilled, most dishwashers give a signal.

What is the best way to clean the dishwasher?

What is the best way to clean the dishwasher?

Do I need regeneration salt if my dishwasher tabs already contain salt?

If you use dishwasher tabs that already contain salt (so-called “all-in-one”), you can theoretically do without dishwashing salt.

However, these are often not a good substitute for "real" regeneration salt: The dosage is then either too low or too high for the local water hardness.

If you discover whitish deposits on your dishes and glasses, it is better to dose salt separately from the cleaning agent.

List of rubrics: © Felix Schlikis/Imago