Hard water issues with dishes

[motherofmolly]

Does Using a Dishwasher Actually Decrease Water Use? | One Green Generation

talks about the time it takes to wash by hand and the energy/water used verses using a dishwasher

[IntoTheMystic]

I have the same problem. I never had any luck with the rinseaid. The finish tabs/gel work pretty well. I do put in a cup of vinegar with some loads (on the bottom shelf in a right-side-up glass) when the glasses get cloudy. It also helps if I clean the dishwasher often (using a dishwasher cleaner or just running vinegar through it) and make sure all of the jets are working. They tend to get blocked from the minerals and then the top shelf doesn't get rinsed as well as it should. Have you checked them?

[Chrysalis101]

We have some of the hardest water in the US and no softener (never could talk DH into one). We tried the Finish cause there's a TON of Qs for those, but it doesn't do jack in our washer. We use the LemiShine and JetDry. If we use only one or the other it doesn't work, has to be both. I tried writing LemiShine to get Qs for it, but SOL. Most places you don't have to use that much of it once you get it going and get all the film off. We use about 1 canister a month and we do dishes every day. I also use the LemiShine to clean other things, like the toilet, tub, sink and fish tank (Especially the fish tank since it's mostly citric acid and won't hurt the fish). We just consider the $50/year on LemiShine cheaper than buying a water softener and salt.

As far as the water/electric goes. If you have an energy star washer (which is every washer out there now) it's much cheaper than washing by hand, not to mention a time saver. And we just open the dish washer and let the dishes air dry instead of heat dry.

[thecooperhouse]

The Lemishine ended up working like magic. We just can't wash dishes without it! I really wish I could find it cheaper, I hate that it adds so much cost to each wash. But its the only thing that works!

[daisydog215]

Got this advice from an expensive repair man, after the visit: pour a couple of cups of plain white vinegar into the bottom of the empty dishwasher. Let it sit overnight. Run empty to rinse, do not add detergent. Repeat every few weeks when you begin to see a film on the bottom of the dishwasher.

[Colinsgrandma]

I put about a 1/4 c of vinegar in each load. We have a well and extremely hard water and the commercial products always streaked. Vinegar works great.

[saversavory]

i have the hardest water!!i couldnt even get it tested! sears stopped after over 200 drops! This was when we were looking for a softener, so we do have a water softener. I installed a new dishwasher, i use jet dri with the finish quantum, and any ole liquid. Works great. Once in a while ill run a empty load with some "works" TB cleaner or a dishwasher cleaner, but thats only if i neglect my softener, which i have a habit of doing. i forget its there, so i forget to check the salt!!

all my dishes are clear, and they come out spawklin dawlin!

[Chrysalis101]

The Lemishine ended up working like magic. We just can't wash dishes without it! I really wish I could find it cheaper, I hate that it adds so much cost to each wash. But its the only thing that works!

Good news!! LemiShine now has Qs! Email coupons@EnviroconTech.com and tell them that you'd like coupons, then give your snail mail and they'll sign you up.

We use about a bottle a month of this stuff, and it does get expensive. I'm asking a few people to sign up for them too and give me the Qs.