My Dishwasher Leaves A White Residue

If your dishwasher leaves a white residue behind on your dishes, it is usually down to only a handful of potential causes.

We'll address potential problems here, hopefully allowing you to identify the problem source.

Dishwasher Detergent

Too Little

Detergent and wash action are designed to break down food particles that are on the cutlery and crockery during the dishwasher cycle.  With the presence of salts that are naturally in our water a soluble compound is formed and suspended in the water ready to be pumped out at the end of the wash cycle.  If there is not enough detergent, for the length of cycle, then these compounds will not be held in suspension and will leave a white residue coating on the contents of the dishwasher.

Too Much

Although less likely, it is possible that using too much dishwasher detergent could lead to some of it failing to dissolve, clogging your dishwasher with white residue. If you find that you have been using too much detergent, you should check your dishwasher for blockages caused by too much detergent residue.

Too Cold

If your dishwasher isn't heating properly, your detergent might not be dissolving properly.

This could be due to a problem with the dishwasher's water heater, a problem with the connection between the control panel and water heater circuit, or a problem with the control panel itself.

Too Short

Using your dishwasher for a short wash cycle may cause the detergent to fail to properly dissolve.

In all these cases, you may want to check for blockages and run the dishwasher while empty to attempt to dissolve any remaining detergent residue.

Hard Water

Mineral deposits might be left in your dishwasher if you live in a hard water area. This can be fixed with dishwasher cleaning products in the short term, but you might want to take a longer-term solution.

If your dishwasher has an internal water softener, it may have broken down. Consider replacing the offending part.

Dishwasher Salt

If the white deposit has a salty taste then it could be a poorly fitting salt cap or perished seal.  Check that it is fitted correctly and that the seal is in good shape.