How to replace salt for a dishwasher - available options for acceptable analogues

The appearance of the dishwasher significantly simplified the life of modern housewives, but at the same time brought a lot of questions. How to use detergents, how to choose the right drug, how to replace an excessively expensive product? The opinion of some consumers that specialized capsules, tablets, gels, salt and powders were simply invented to draw money from users is fundamentally wrong.

It is thanks to these compounds that it is possible to maintain the functionality of the device at a high level, to protect it from breakdowns and the appearance of scale on the working elements. Particular attention should be paid to choosing the right salt. Today, they are increasingly trying to replace it with cheaper analogues.

Purpose of salt for dishwasher units, product composition and rules for its use

Tap water, which includes a significant amount of impurities, is characterized by increased rigidity. Under the influence of hot water, chemical compounds based on magnesium and calcium begin to decompose, settling in the form of scale on the walls of the elements of the dishwasher.

After some time, this begins to affect the functionality of the device and even leads to its damage. It is the salt that is able to prevent these negative consequences, due to its physical and chemical properties:

1. Large granules, dissolving, affect the softness of the liquid, changing its structure at the molecular level. This allows you to protect all elements of the dishwasher in contact with tap water. The same effect can only be achieved if you initially pour softened or filtered water into the unit, but in the case of salt everything happens much faster and does not require additional hassle.
2. In modern devices, ion exchangers are built in, which are able to convert calcium and magnesium ions into harmless sodium. All this is possible only with thorough washing of the sector with very salt water at the end of the work cycle.
3. Do not underestimate the mechanical effects of salt granules. They easily pass through the working channels, without clogging up into small cracks.

Tip: Do not rely on the fact that special tablets or rinses can replace salt. Their composition does not meet the requirements for the product. Such manipulations will not have a positive effect on the condition of the machine, they will only lead to negative consequences requiring additional costs.

Work with salt is carried out strictly according to the instructions attached to the product. Most often, the product is simply poured into a special tray, after which you can forget about this stage of maintenance of the unit for several months. You only have to regularly check the presence of the mixture, preventing exposure to the parts of the dishwasher with hard water.

Comparative characteristics of specialized and ordinary table salt

Increasingly, housewives are trying to replace the profile components with ordinary table salt. Before embarking on such experiments, you should familiarize yourself with the comparative characteristics of the drugs and their effect on the state of the dishwasher.

• Even a food product of the Extra class contains impurities of various substances that can cause a negative reaction from the elements of the device.Specialized mixtures go through several stages of cleaning, which eliminates the possibility of unwanted surprises.
• Salt can even contain microscopic particles of sand. Paradoxically, this feature does not adversely affect the process of preparing or digesting food, but adversely affects the softness of the water.
• A food product consists of small granules of approximately the same size. Small particles, dissolving, contribute to the bonding of larger formations, which leads to the formation of lumps. This is another factor contributing to damage to the elements of the dishwasher. Massive granules of the same size, which are part of the profile means, dissolve evenly, interact tightly, do not create dangerous situations.
• Specialized products contain a whole range of chemical elements necessary for washing and restoring the ion exchanger. Salt is not capable of this.

It turns out that there is no substitute for special salt. For the normal functioning of the machine, it is necessary to provide it with this particular product.

Points to consider when using table salt in a dishwasher

Some housewives still manage to replace a specific remedy with a food analog. In this case, the possible risks and negative consequences can be minimized as follows:

1. During the warranty period of the device, it is better not to risk it and use the right product. Any specialist will be able to give the dishwasher the appropriate “diagnosis”, which will give the manufacturer the right not to carry out repairs for free.
2. If you use edible salt, then only the category "Extra". Ordinary stone is unacceptable here.
3. While the profile product needs to be poured into the tray quite rarely, the apparatus will have to be refilled with edible salt each time it is turned on.
4. After falling asleep to the machine tray, dilute it a little with water and mix lightly. This will prevent the formation of a sticky lump.

Under certain conditions, there is still the opportunity to replace a special product with a cheap available tool. But in this case, the unit is not safe from breakdowns or reduced functionality. In some cases, attempts to save on maintenance of household appliances can provoke damage to the device to the extent that its restoration will be impossible. At the same time, the benefit of replacing a quality composition with a cheap analogue is very controversial, given the expense of the funds.