Water not hot and detergent pack not dissolving

QUESTION: I just moved into a new apartment. The dishwasher is running normal but when it completes the wash cycle, my dishes are not clean and the detergent tablet is still there. The dishwasher is not dissolving the tablet. Maybe a little bit but about 80% of it is still there. I believe it gets hot water and runs normally. The apartment management said to use dishwasher cleaning tablets and not the powder soap. What can I do to try and get the tablet to dissolve? Any help you can provide would be great!

ANSWER: If your dishwasher hot water temperature is below 110F/115F, then it may not be hot enough to dissolve certain brands of detergent tablets. Be sure the water is HOT before you run the dishwasher. Run the hot water in the sink until it is very hot, then immediately run the dishwasher. Run the dishwasher on the longest, hottest cycle it has.
Also check that the spring opening action of the detergent dispenser door is working properly. If the detergent dispenser is too small a big detergent tablet may not be letting it open correctly. It may be jamming up the door. Try using a liquid or gel dish washing detergent if this is the case. There are many high quality liquid and gel dishwasher detergents on the market today. Liquid Cascade seems to be the best so give that a try. A powdered detergent will work too. Use a rinsing aid also as this will help remove spots even when the tablet may not be dissolving properly.
KEEP THE DISHWASHER DETERGENT DISPENSER CLEAN

If you are in an apartment, then most likely you do not have a high quality dishwasher. Knowing this, the dishwasher needs all the assistance it can get with the hottest water possible. You also need to be sure your dishwasher is clean at the bottom (removable strainer filter) where the pump and bottom washer arm is located. Be sure that it is clean and has hot water and this will be the best method to dissolve tablets. If you must use tablets, you can break them in half in the sink first. Place them in the dispenser and the hot water should make it easier to dissolve since the tablet is not as large.
You also need to be sure there is enough water for the pump to actually pump the water. To check this, start the dishwasher. Once you hear it running, open the dishwasher and be sure there is hot water and enough of it. If there is not much water in the dishwasher it may not be getting much water to the pump. When you open the door while it is running, check the water level at the bottom of the washer. If there is not much water at the bottom, then it may not be getting enough water to clean dishes and dissolve the tablet. Clean the filter at the bottom of the dishwasher to help the pump get the water more efficiently.
DISHWASHER PARTS IDENTIFICATION
If all else fails, you may have an old worn out dishwasher. The pump may be bad. Possibly your water heater is set to low. Your water heater should be set right around 120F. This will ensure that your dishwasher is getting the correct water temperature to effectively clean dishes and dissolve the tablet. If in an apartment, let the management know you are having this issue and they SHOULD resolve it.
Do you know of another way to assist a dishwasher to dissolve a detergent tablet? Please leave a comment below.

those dissolving detergent packs are the cause of 80% of warranty pump failures. i have even seen them wedge under the heating element and catch fire during the drying cycle. it could be from the detergent. but most likely it is from iron deposits in the water that you cant normally see that oxidize during the drying cycle. install a simple filter on the water suppy, change to a liquid detergent, and run the diswasher with some vinegar inside a few times after installing the filter.

If you can let hot water to mix more with the cold when the washer fills, that will help the detergent to dissolve. If that's not an option, you can heat up about two quarts of water on the stove and when very hot, turn down the heat and add your detergent, then stir it till dissolved, and then add it to the washwater and clothes.

Hello- Water flow, temperature, and pressure inside determine whether this little packet will dissolve.  Sump blockages or pump /motor weakness both effect amount water spraying inside. Some of these packets don't dissolve in time to enter wash water. Start by using powder or gel again. If it still leaves soap residue, other pump/motor issues exist. Let me know if this info helps- have more if needed. Thanks- ED
 

Did you add detergent to the dispenser?
For best results, add detergent to the detergent
compartment. Do not add detergent to the washer drum.

Did you sort properly?
Sort lint givers (towels, chenille) from lint takers (corduroy,
synthetics). Dye transfer can occur when mixing whites and
colors in a load. Sort dark clothes from whites and lights.

Did you overload the washer?
Do not overload the washer. The washer can be fully loaded,
but not tightly packed. The wash load must be balanced. Lint
can be trapped in the load if overloaded.

Check the following:
Was paper or tissue left in pockets?

Did you use enough HE detergent?
Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for the type of load
you are washing. For best performance, use only High
Efficiency detergent. Use enough HE detergent to remove soil
and hold it in suspension.

Do you have hard water?
Use more detergent for washing heavy soils in cold or hard
water.

Is your water colder than 60°F (15.6°C)?
Wash water colder than 60°F (15.6°C) may not completely
dissolve the detergent. Use hot or warm washes if safe for the
fabric load. Make sure your hot water system is adequate to
provide a hot water wash.

Have you run the Clean Washer Cycle lately?
To freshen your washer and to avoid odors, see “Cleaning
Your Washer.”

Are you using HE detergent?
Use of non-HE detergent can cause a film residue which can
result in odor.

Did you leave the door open after use?
This washer has a tight seal to avoid water leaks. To avoid
odors leave the door open to allow the washer to dry
between uses.
http://shared.whirlpoolcorp.com/assets/pdfs/literature/Use%20and%20Care%20Guide%20-%20W10117768.pdf

(see page 20 for washer cleaning instructions)

Continually washing with cold water and liquid detergent can cause a buildup of undissolved detergent between the inner and outer tubs (unseen). This buildup of detergent feels like grease and will pick up dirt from each load and hold it on the grease surface. Over time...the dirt held in the greasy detergent can give off an odor.

This problem may be able to be cleared up by running many loads of hot water (to dissolve the detergent) with no clothes or detergent. Switching to powder detergent will also keep the liquid detergent gel from forming. If you like liquid I recommend using hot water for ALL your white loads. This should make every third or fourth load hot and help dissolve buildup from previous loads.

If you are not in the habit of using cold water and liquid detergent consider other sources of the odor. Some typical examples are sewer or septic backup through the drain and into the machine between the tubs where you can't see it. Also, the laundry is usually in the basement if you have one. The basement is the lowest part of the house drainage system and if you are developing a slow drain you may find some dirty water backing into the machine if it can't go down the drain quickly enough. Usually these drainage issues show up as a floor leak when you drain the washer in the spin cycles...but not always.

Good Luck.

check the water temperature, run hot water at the adjacent sink before pushing start on the dishwaher, or switch to powder, is your detergent door opening ? do not block the detergent door with long objects like spatulas etc.

Either:

1. the water does not get into the dishwasher open the dishwasher 3-4 times during cycle, you should see some water at least once, if not - check water valve, water level float and water pressure.
2. the pump is clogged - there is water, the motor will run but no water is circulated. Check pump filters, check chopper and impeller.
3. motor in main pump is not working - could be caused by something stuck on the impeller or chopper or could be a problem with the motor itself or control board. Check if line voltage is coming to the motor during wash/rinse cycle.

Good luck,
Vlad
First Choice Appliance

Dish Washer does not completely drain.

Try placing a packet in the bottom of the DW and then start a wash cycle ( use the energy efficient cycle that does not use the heater to dry the dishes..).. if it is not disolved at the end of the cycle then your water temp may not be hot enough..Hope that helps..