Kenmore Ultra Wash not washing well...

[appnut]

I believe Jerrod and Malcolm may be addressing two different issues. Yes, the initial prewash should be not full-on tank temp water. A case in point is with the Youngstown Jet Tower dishwashers which had their own heater inside the cabginetry. It kept the water 180 degrees. Tomturbomatic has commented numerous times with regards to that wash (the only one on that machine) pretty much ended up "cooking" on food soils. Now, by the time the Kenmore marches through a prewash and maybe a rinse, then on to main wash, the temperature inside the machine may have increased some. But the high-temp option will make sure the water is heated to 140 or 145 degrees and occurs while doing a thermostatic temp hold on the timer. Now, if Pots/Pans cycle is used, that initial prewash will also have a thermostatic temp hold to heat that water to 140 or 145 degrees before the timer advances. It will also heat the water, if needed, during the main wash phase.

 

[dustin92]

I have been running the dishwasher on the "water miser" cycle, which has no prewash, and goes directly into the main wash. I am starting it without running the hot water first, keeping the initial wash temp down, and it heats the water up gradually as it washes. The dishes seem to be getting cleaner, and I am actually saving a little water. (kqkenmore- Our dishwasher is a standard tub, and was built in 1998. As far as I know it has never had a repair, and I never pre rinse the dishes.)

 

[combo52]

KM Standard Tub Ultra-Wash DW Thats Not Cleaning Well

Now you tell us, The Water miser Cycle, is not designed to clean really dirty dishes, it was designed for people who pre-rinse their dishes and want to cut down on additional water use since they have already wasted so much water rinsing the dishes, LOL. If you want to clean really dirty dishes use a cycle that has TWO wash periods and has at least 4 or 5 full water changes, do you also wash your clothing in cold water?.

 

[dustin92]

No no no no no! I WAS using the pots/pans or normal cycle, pots/ pans adds a long heated prewash, and normal adds a short, non heated prewash, but that also purges the cold water out of the line, giving the machine full 140 degree water by the main wash, causing the dishwasher (as someone else posted above), to skip the heating cycle, shortening the wash. I have only been running the water miser cycle the last couple days, and it seems to be doing actially a little better, believe it or not. It is pausing to heat the water, starting at a cooler temp, and lengthening the wash. Will it work on heavily soiled pots or burned on anything? Probably not. And for the record, Yes, I do wash clothes in cold water, and use bargain detergent, but I also use warm and hot water depending on soil level. Mostly warm though

 

[washer111]

Light Cycle:

Perhaps then turning the water heater down a tad would be prudent, esp. if you find it "bakes on" the soils by any degree. Perhaps that's why the High-Temeperature cycle on our machine sometimes left food baked on... And that's why we don't use it anymore (LOL!)

 

Is there some way you could set the timer so you get the "Water Miser" cycle, but you are actually using the "Pots/Pans" button? E.g. Pots button, but turn the dial to "Water-Mise" ? 

That way, you'd get the LONG (Hot) wash you desire...

OR: Figure out where the final pre-rinse starts, and use the Pots/Pans mode from there? Then you'd have a cool pre-rinse, getting rid of major food-soils, but not enough to draw hot water right to the machine and heat the tub, giving you the full benefit of the heating period. Like this: Cool Pre-Rinse -> Cool/Lukewarm Start of MW...

 

Please give this a shot, having a pre-rinse is WAY better for cleaning results. I can say that myself (Having used our machine on "Rinse," letting that run before starting the "Fast" cycle). Doing the same before a "Normal" cycle helps a lot too with dirty pans and stuff

 

[johnmk]

Aside on laundry pre-wash

In similar manner, I do a short prewash before I wash whites in my clothes washer. Prewash (the settable option, that is) in most modern clothes washing machines is cold fill, I believe, and it certainly is in mine. When in doubt as to the nature of some soiling, I just do a prewash with Tide Coldwater, and then follow that up with the warm (Tide Ultra) or hot water (Tide Ultra + sodium percarbonate) that I would otherwise use. Preventive maintenance keeps my clothes looking as new as the day I bought them.

Immediate hot water on anything soiled is just too risky.

 

[dustin92]

Yes, I definitely can use the pots/pans button and set the timer on water miser. I will try that on the next load.

 

[appnut]

setting the timer on water miser and selecting the pots/pans button is no different than setting the time on the same setting and using normal wash with water heat option.  Pots/Pans give  longer cycle sequence with heated prewash and heated main wash.

 

[dustin92]

Ok thanks. I kind of had a feeling somebody would say something to that effect.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Kenmore dishwasher

I've noticed that my mom's dishwasher hasn't cleaned dishes well. I have to use the high-temp wash option to get everything clean or they will get dirty again! It doesn't matter how dirty the dishes are! I then use the normal cycle or smart wash with cascade or finish on the high-temp wash which again, I am forced to use all the time under any circumstances!