My dishwasher stopped cleaning my dishes when it was just under 2 years old. I hadn't changed the type of detergent, or how I loaded/ran it. We have since tried different detergents and different wash cycles to no avail. If I want to use the dishwasher, I must first completely rinse off any food--and I cannot load dishes as tightly as I used to be able to. Yesterday I noticed that a dish in the back left corner--bottom rack was completely untouched---the residue was as if I had put it in the dishwasher and not run it at all. I have tried to clean the dishwasher with vinegar and also with a cleaner I bought at the store.

Hello

There are some things you can try, however, if your Maytag dishwasher is not getting your dishes as clean as you would like. Maytag recommends several processes for fixing this issue with your dishwasher.


Do not run your Maytag dishwasher while hot water is being used in other parts of your home, such as washing clothes or showering. Hot water is needed for your Maytag dishwasher to properly clean dishes.


Run water in the sink in your kitchen until it gets very hot. Then, turn on your Maytag dishwasher. This will ensure that the water cleaning your dishes is the hottest possible temperature.


Clean your Maytag dishwasher to improve the cleaning results for dishes. Run your dishwasher on a short wash cycle and wait for it to fill up with water. Stop the cycle and add about 1/3 of a cup of rust remover to the dishwasher and finish the cycle. Run your Maytag dishwasher through one normal cycle with regular detergent to finish the cleaning process.


Check your detergent. Old detergent or those that have been exposed to moisture can be clumpy. This detergent will not clean your dishes as well when loaded into your Maytag dishwasher. Purchase fresh detergent.


Use extra detergent when washing dishes that have a lot of built-up grease or food particles. The extra amount of detergent is needed to get your dishes clean. Choose a long cleaning cycle to clean these dishes.


Fill your Maytag dishwasher properly. Dishes should not be stacked on top of each other or excessively crammed into your dishwasher. This will keep the dishwasher from adequately cleaning all areas of your dishes and from rinsing them thoroughly.

Hello,
The most typical thing that will cause BOTH problems is going to be the filter is clogged,i do not know if you have checked/cleaned it.To clean the filter remove the lower rack and turn the wash arm to the 6/12 o'clock position and pull off wash arm,unscrew the round part in the center of the tub and pull it out,then you can remove the stainless steel mesh plate,and in the center on the outside of where the center unscrewed will also be a fine mesh fitler.Check/clean all 3 parts of the filter espically the fine mesh one and reinstall.
The user manual written by non engineers says to use a certain amount of detergent, the techinal support (engineers)says rightfully so to use appx. 2 tablespoons of detergent per load and can be adjusted upward based on your water hardness, a coffee scoop is just about 2 tablespoons and is perfect to measure and add detergent.

I hope this has helped,
Gene

before loading the dishes rinse it first outside then wash the complete cycle and instead of powder use the liquid one

What detergent are you currently using?

Hi,

The scum, film and white residue problems have started since the reduction of phosphates in dishwasher detergents.

Here is a tip that will help you to solve the problem of films, residue, and scum in your dishwasher.

Dishwasher Residue and Film on Dishes

heatman101

;[;[;

Go buy a product called Lemi-shine and run it thru your dishwasher empty to clean out any hard water and soap deposits. If you can try using only about 2 table spoons of detergent and stay clear of the premeasured tablets. Most of the dishwashers being sold are low water usage units and it is very easy to overwhelm them with soap. It also helps if the oils from the foods are still on the dishes. People tend to clean the dishes to much before loading them and then the enzymes in the detergent have nothing to attach to. Basically this leaves the soap nothing to attach to except the dishes and hence you get cloudy dishes with soap stuck all over them.

Quit using the new Cascade. The formula change is what is causing the problem. No research from Cascade before releasing the product

Try a different detergent such as the electrosol tablets. Also might add vinegar to an empty cycle to clean dishwasher, or with dishes.

Well the 2nd part of your question is probably the the reason it doesn't clean. If the soap door doesn't open then the dishes will probably not be cleaned. So.. I would focus on why the door doesn't open first.. is it sticking from old soap residue? If so, clean the dispenser with white vinegar and cycle it a few times without detergent and use the hottest/sanitary setting.. Then make sure you are using an approved dishwashing detergent for yuour wash cycle. Add some detergent to the dispenser and try cycling it without any dishes .. does the door open? If no, then you need to resolve that first.. If it does open, try running a cycle with about 1/2 the normal dish load and see if the door opened and the dishes came out clean.. Routinely, check and clean the drain filter so you aren't redistributing the food sediment from the previous load all over the next load of dishes.. Hope that helps..

If you have dishes (typically cutting boards or really tall dishes) that block the dispenser door from opening, the water cannot wash out all the detergent during the wash cycle. Check to see that after loading the dishes, your detergent door has clearance.