Whirlpool Gold dishwasher not cleaning dishes. It runs through the cycles and rinses, but dishes are not completely clean.

your float switch in not working

Do you have hard water? Many states have passed laws that outlawed phosphate as an ingredient in dishwasher detergent. If you have hard water, the detergents don't work very well anymore. The "sand and grit" is probably hard water deposits (calcium and magnesium). Not harmful but it looks awful on your dishes. There are some new products that were designed to solve this exact problem. They are inexpensive and effective. Can't say the name or I'll get banned (again). Internet search will uncover it.

Instructions Things You'll Need:

• Vinegar or lemon juice
• Gel dishwasher detergent

1. dishwashers have a rinse aid dispenser. If your dishwasher has this dispenser, fill it up periodically and it will release the appropriate amount of rinse aid automatically at the right time during the wash cycle. This will help your dishes rinse more cleanly.
2. Rinse aid in solid form
   Some older dishwashers or basic models do not have an automatic rinse aid dispenser. In this case, you can buy rinse aid in solid form that attaches to your dishwasher rack. Solid rinse aid can be hard to find in stores because it is not commonly used, but it can be purchased online.
   
3. Vinegar or lemon juice
   Appliance repairmen will tell you that one of the common problems they see with dishwashers is the buildup of excess detergent. If there is too much detergent in your dishwasher, your dishes will not rinse cleanly, no matter how good the dishwasher is or how much rinse aid you use. To clean the excess detergent that has built up inside your dishwasher, put 3 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice (concentrate is fine) in the empty dishwasher and run the dishwasher through a complete cycle with no dishes. Do this twice, for two complete cycles of the empty dishwasher with only vinegar or lemon juice added. The acid in the vinegar or lemon juice will break up the detergent that has built up in your dishwasher's interior.
   
   After you have cleaned the detergent buildup from the inside of your dishwasher, follow the steps below to keep the buildup from happening again and to help your dishes rinse cleanly and prevent residue from accumulating on the dishes.
   
4. Gel dishwasher detergent
   Switch to a liquid or gel dishwasher detergent. Any brand will do.
   
5. Fill one compartment half full Dishwashers will effectively clean dishes with much less detergent than manufacturers often recommend. The bleach in the detergent, combined with the extremely hot water used in the dishwasher wash cycle, will clean and sanitize your dishes completely, even in small amounts, and using less detergent helps prevent buildup and residue from accumulating on your clean dishes.
   
   Fill only one detergent compartment(the one that snaps closed) half full with gel detergent. Snap the opening closed and run your dishwasher as you normally would. Your dishes will come out sparkling clean with no buildup or residue, plus you'll save money by using less detergent!
   

You need to check the drain system completely, look for plugged screens, pump impellers, valves and the drain hose. You need to witness a large volume of water flow during drain.

alot of people think the rinse aid is full but, its not. how to properly fill unit.
1. open compartment
2.fill with jet dry
3.close compartment
4.lower and raise door 3 times
5. open compartment
6.add more jet dry
7. lower and raise the door to see if it still looks full.
the reason for this is there is air in the dispenser and this process will take out the air to be completely filled the dispenser.

Make sure your water is hot, at least 120deg f. Also, use least amount of soap you can get away with. Usually around 2 tablespoons for soft water. Use powdered soap not gel. Gel leaves a tiny residue each load and will clog up plumbing in dw after 4,5,or 6 years. Rinse agent such as Jet Dry is highly recommended.

Try the "Tang" trick. Orange Tang drink mix is mildly acidic. With an empty dishwasher, start and fill, then normal drain. On second fill, add a full jar of Tang then let the dishwasher run for a few minutes. Crack the door to stop the dishwasher and let it sit for several hours or overnight. Then close the door, push start and let the dw run through the remaining cycle. This will sometimes clean out the crud in the water lines.

Hope this helps! Ken

Check to make sure there are no bits or trash or paper around the bottom parts of your dishwasher. Place a bowl of vinegar on the bottom rack of your empty dishwasher. Run your dishwasher through a complete cycle.

You probably need to clean the filter; here is a site to show you how to do it: http://01tutorials.com/video/1686251/how-to-clean-the-filter-on-a-whirlpool-gold-quiet-partner-iv-dishwasher/4107

Do not recommend premeasured tablets, usually too much soap. If pre-rinsing dishes use only 1 or two teaspoons of soap in the main wash cup..do not put soap in the prewash cup. Excess soap can cause oversudsing and make the soil sensor think the dishes are real dirty initiating additional wash cycles. Use rinse-aid for better drying performance

Is The Motor Running During The Wash? If not you have a bad motor.