- Why salt is needed?
- Types of salt used
- Why special salt called regenerating?
- How much salt to pour into the dishwasher?
Technical progress brought many useful inventions. Among them - a dishwasher. But having acquired it, a person invariably faces a number of questions, for example, which detergent to choose. Among their great variety, they also produce special salt for the dishwasher .Thanks to this salt, the water becomes softer and the machine lasts longer.
Why do you need salt?
Water from the aqueduct contains various impurities, including calcium and magnesium salts. It is they that are dangerous to our machines, because in hot water these salts decompose and form a deposit, well known as scum. And scum is dangerous for heating elements. Therefore, resorting to household chemicals containing special salt for a dishwasher, whose composition makes it possible to replace harmful elements harmless, is resorted to.
Types of salt used
Which salt is better? Here opinions differ considerably. Everyone agrees, you need to fill the salt. But is there a special salt to buy in tablets for the dishwasher? Or you can do the usual food salt? Here everyone decides for himself. It's all about cost: a special salt for dishwashers is much more expensive than the usual kitchen. In addition, other points should be considered.
Firstly, a special dishwasher salt is produced granulated so that the machine’s ducts are not blocked. Ordinary kitchen salt is usually better purified, but because of its fine-grained composition, difficulties arise. If you fill the salt compartment with it completely, it will not completely dissolve, and, accordingly, will stagnate.
See also - Why pour salt into the dishwasher
Secondly, even with the most thorough cleaning, some fine sand or pebbles still remain in the kitchen salt. And they very quickly clog the filter and do not allow the machine to continue working. Therefore, choosing the salt for the dishwasher should take into account that ordinary rock salt is not suitable here at all, except that “Extra”.
Thirdly, a special salt contains several salts that contribute to the ion exchanger. A long-term use of salt is not experimentally confirmed, so it is used at your own risk. On the other hand, although Kaiser, Miele or Kuppersberg branded salts are not cheap, they will more reliably protect important working elements of the machine, which will prolong its service life. Therefore, saving on salt poured into the dishwasher is a relative concept.
But, on the other hand, we pay for the car once, and the salt must be bought constantly. And naturally, everyone here needs to find his golden mean. Therefore, good advice is to take into account all the pros and cons before using ordinary kitchen salt or buying expensive special one.
Why is a special salt called regenerating?
The term “regenerating salt” for a dishwasher is often used for relatively special salt. It is associated with its composition and the principle of its action. Regeneration occurs in the ion exchanger: calcium, which forms scale, is replaced with sodium-harmless to the machine with special sodium resins. To restore the sodium washed out from the resin during the cycle, the ion exchanger is washed with a highly concentrated brine. After washing, the sodium content is restored in the resin, and our machine is ready to wash a new batch of dishes. Therefore, salt and called "regenerating."
How much salt to pour into the dishwasher?
A special compartment is provided for it and it is written in the instructions for each model how much it should be filled. Salt for the dishwasher fall asleep in accordance with these instructions. Periodically, of course, you need to check its quantity and, if necessary, replenish it in order to soften the water.
