Who uses the rinse aid dispenser on their AW dishwasher? Not sure how typical it is, but I do not use rinse aid. Never had to and see no reason in doing so.
Who uses rinse aid?
- Thread starter Chetlaham
- Start date
Help Support :
*At least in my case. Not speaking about other people 
joe_in_philly
Well-known member
I have a Bosch dishwasher which uses condensation drying and have always used rinse aid. The manual says it is important for drying, and when I first used the dishwasher and saw how shiny and spot free everything came out, I never thought not to use it. My dispenser is set in the lowest setting of “1,” so I only need to refill the dispenser a few times s year.
I do...
I use rinse aid in my dishwasher all the time.
I use rinse aid in my dishwasher all the time.
I've used "Jet Dry"....
.....ever since I got my first dishwasher with a rinse aid dispenser - a Kitchenaid KDS-18.
Moved to a Maytag "Jet Clean" dishwasher in 1994 - also has a rinse aid dispenser which I keep filled.
Rinse aid allows water to "sheet" on glass items rather than "spot" (lowers surface tension).
I remember when Jet Dry came in tiny little plastic bottles for a BIG price.
Now, I get a HUGE bottle at Costco for a LOW price and it lasts me for YEARS!
.....ever since I got my first dishwasher with a rinse aid dispenser - a Kitchenaid KDS-18.
Moved to a Maytag "Jet Clean" dishwasher in 1994 - also has a rinse aid dispenser which I keep filled.
Rinse aid allows water to "sheet" on glass items rather than "spot" (lowers surface tension).
I remember when Jet Dry came in tiny little plastic bottles for a BIG price.
Now, I get a HUGE bottle at Costco for a LOW price and it lasts me for YEARS!
We have hard water and rinse aids are a help. No machine I've ever owned has so reliably rendered sparkling glassware as does my current Miele, and I have it set to dose with only 1 ml of rinse aid. I buy what's on sale.
I found Lemishine rinse aid priced reasonably at Target once, but the next time I needed some, they didn't carry it anymore.
I found Lemishine rinse aid priced reasonably at Target once, but the next time I needed some, they didn't carry it anymore.
Always use it. For years in all the various GE DWs I had and now the new KA. The KA was using way too much, I was filling the tank every 2-3 weeks, dropped the setting down a bit, results still great, less need to refill.
Same as Joe in Philly. I have a Bosch dishwasher that requires it for proper condensation drying. I have it set to extra heat for the final rinse to aid in drying. I believe rinse aid may leave an invisible residue because when I fill a glass with water after using a high rinse aid setting, I saw small bubbles. For that reason, I also use the lowest setting (the Bosch has 4 settings, none, low, medium, and hi rinse aid). I prefer condensation drying because it makes all racks dish washer safe for items that are normally intended for the top rack. I dont have to worry about a wooden spoon falling and catching fire.
vacerator
Well-known member
Yes,
on the minimum dispense setting dial in the resivoir. Depending upon your water's hardness, you may need more.
I think in India, etc. where a dishwasher is still a luxury, they have to add salts to the detergent dispenser or the machine.
on the minimum dispense setting dial in the resivoir. Depending upon your water's hardness, you may need more.
I think in India, etc. where a dishwasher is still a luxury, they have to add salts to the detergent dispenser or the machine.
I Don't Use It
I have tried it and it does make light weight plastic items dry faster, however all our glassware, plates, stainless ware SS pots and pans just sparkle and come out dry [ on air-dry I might add ] in our two WP 1987 DU8000 DWs.
I like to keep life as simple as possible so not buying something that has little benefit for us makes our life better, I am also slightly concerned about ingesting the stuff since the bottle says not ingest and to keep away from children.
John L.
I have tried it and it does make light weight plastic items dry faster, however all our glassware, plates, stainless ware SS pots and pans just sparkle and come out dry [ on air-dry I might add ] in our two WP 1987 DU8000 DWs.
I like to keep life as simple as possible so not buying something that has little benefit for us makes our life better, I am also slightly concerned about ingesting the stuff since the bottle says not ingest and to keep away from children.
John L.
I use Cascade...
I use Cascade rinse aid in my dishwasher. In fact, I've always used their rinse aid ever since I had a dishwasher with a rinse aid dispenser since 1999. I use the highest setting, and it makes no difference. It does a great job.
I use Cascade rinse aid in my dishwasher. In fact, I've always used their rinse aid ever since I had a dishwasher with a rinse aid dispenser since 1999. I use the highest setting, and it makes no difference. It does a great job.
A lot of it has to do with your own particular water. When I lived in PA, I had naturally soft spring water there and never had to use a rinse aid and could use a minimal amount of detergent. Here in Texas the water is hard so I use rinse aid now .
jakeseacrest
Well-known member
Currently I am but I do go through periods when the reservoir runs empty and I ignore it. I've noticed that the last few loads I washed weren't as dry so I will fill it up today
Though dispenser long ago began leaking
Thus is out of commission, have no choice but to use rinse aid in the vintage GE Mobile Maid. Otherwise even with the heated drying cycle (which one hates using), there often will be water about even if things are left to sit for a few hours.
Now with the old Kenmore (built by Frigidaire) 18" could get along without rinse aid, and still use energy saver (no heated drying). That was because the DW has a thermostat and held wash times until it was satisfied. Thus dishes were pretty hot and convection did the drying.
Mobile Maid like many other vintage dishwashers has a heater but does nothing more than really (attempt) to hold water temperatures. It wants *HOT* water (140F or above)for washing and especially rinsing.
Few times cheated and poured a kettle of boiling water into final rinse. Things flash dried but still had to use rinse aid.
Thus is out of commission, have no choice but to use rinse aid in the vintage GE Mobile Maid. Otherwise even with the heated drying cycle (which one hates using), there often will be water about even if things are left to sit for a few hours.
Now with the old Kenmore (built by Frigidaire) 18" could get along without rinse aid, and still use energy saver (no heated drying). That was because the DW has a thermostat and held wash times until it was satisfied. Thus dishes were pretty hot and convection did the drying.
Mobile Maid like many other vintage dishwashers has a heater but does nothing more than really (attempt) to hold water temperatures. It wants *HOT* water (140F or above)for washing and especially rinsing.
Few times cheated and poured a kettle of boiling water into final rinse. Things flash dried but still had to use rinse aid.
I DO!
I use it in my Whirlpool PointVoyager machine. It is set to the lowest setting, and causes a lot of issues with oversudsing in the wash. So I typically mix it half and half with water so there are no issues. It does certainly help with drying glasses, plastics, and silverware with our moderately hard water. We do not use the heated dry, so it helps quite a bit.
I use it in my Whirlpool PointVoyager machine. It is set to the lowest setting, and causes a lot of issues with oversudsing in the wash. So I typically mix it half and half with water so there are no issues. It does certainly help with drying glasses, plastics, and silverware with our moderately hard water. We do not use the heated dry, so it helps quite a bit.
I use it as well. The new LG dishwasher that I have recommends it and the results are spectacular. I have never had a dishwasher that can dry plastics as perfectly as this one does. It uses a hybrid fan system that is quite efficient and dries the load in about 30 mins. I am using Cascade rinse aid. I have also been using Somat rinse aid and that does quite well I might add.
Soft water and Rinse Aid
Great topic, as I've been experimenting to no end lately.
I have VERY hard water (25gpg) that's mechanically softened, and without rinse aid, my dishes are left with tons of salty spots. They're much easier to buff off than hard water spots, but they are prevalent.
I've been also experimenting with different detergents with or without glass protection, and in different doses, because my soft water has been causing A LOT of glass etching issues.
I've recently tested my water after the softener with an aquarium kit, and learned that my water is very alkaline. 8.0ph or more.
I also learned that high alkalinity is what hastens glass etching with soft water and high detergent doses as well as high heat.
Therefore, with the salt spotting and high alkalinity, I desperately need rinse aid even with the soft water. I have it set around 3.5/5, and any less, seems to bring etching back in mere weeks time.
I originally was using JetDry for a few years, but, recently switched to Cascade Platinum rinse aid. It seems to work a little better. AND, it's more cost effective.
Great topic, as I've been experimenting to no end lately.
I have VERY hard water (25gpg) that's mechanically softened, and without rinse aid, my dishes are left with tons of salty spots. They're much easier to buff off than hard water spots, but they are prevalent.
I've been also experimenting with different detergents with or without glass protection, and in different doses, because my soft water has been causing A LOT of glass etching issues.
I've recently tested my water after the softener with an aquarium kit, and learned that my water is very alkaline. 8.0ph or more.
I also learned that high alkalinity is what hastens glass etching with soft water and high detergent doses as well as high heat.
Therefore, with the salt spotting and high alkalinity, I desperately need rinse aid even with the soft water. I have it set around 3.5/5, and any less, seems to bring etching back in mere weeks time.
I originally was using JetDry for a few years, but, recently switched to Cascade Platinum rinse aid. It seems to work a little better. AND, it's more cost effective.
Great replies thus far.
I am with combo52, similar results and philosophy, but maybe I am just lucky on my water hardness. One down side to me my water however is iron, everything including the toilet bowl turns red.
I am with combo52, similar results and philosophy, but maybe I am just lucky on my water hardness. One down side to me my water however is iron, everything including the toilet bowl turns red.
rolls_rapide
Well-known member
I use it in my 2003/2004 Bosch, otherwise glassware ends up with spots and streaks. The 'Extra Drying' option is activated too, where the final rinse gets a slight boost during heating. Stainless steel tank throughout. This machine seems to require handling with kid gloves; it is very sensitive to conditions being 'not quite right'.
In my parents' 2013 Bosch, same as above, but we noticed that when we tried to reduce 'Extra Drying' to 'Normal' and/or reduce rinse aid to a lower setting, the crockery was still very wet the next morning. I put this down to the use of a polypropylene 'Polinox' wash-tub base, attached to the stainless steel walls. This machine dries very well with 'Extra Drying' switched on, and the rinse aid set to the factory default setting. Wash results are very, very good in this bottom-of-line machine.
Regarding rinse-aid testing, the German consumer group, Stiftung Warentest (test.de) tested rinse-aids last October (see link). Google can translate.
The article is partially subscription-locked, but the main information is on the first page. Results are not available, but Lidl.de
https://www.lidl.de/de/w5-klarspueler/p262274
reveals their rinse-aid to be a good performer.
The general info, is that the surfactant level needs to be 5-15% in order to be effective. Less than 5% is no good, apparently.
Courtesy of test.de:
"Tip. Look for the list of ingredients on the bottle label. The tested rinse aid with less than 5 percent surfactant content is not recommended. The good ones in the test declare 5 to 15 percent."
In my parents' 2013 Bosch, same as above, but we noticed that when we tried to reduce 'Extra Drying' to 'Normal' and/or reduce rinse aid to a lower setting, the crockery was still very wet the next morning. I put this down to the use of a polypropylene 'Polinox' wash-tub base, attached to the stainless steel walls. This machine dries very well with 'Extra Drying' switched on, and the rinse aid set to the factory default setting. Wash results are very, very good in this bottom-of-line machine.
Regarding rinse-aid testing, the German consumer group, Stiftung Warentest (test.de) tested rinse-aids last October (see link). Google can translate.
The article is partially subscription-locked, but the main information is on the first page. Results are not available, but Lidl.de
https://www.lidl.de/de/w5-klarspueler/p262274
reveals their rinse-aid to be a good performer.
The general info, is that the surfactant level needs to be 5-15% in order to be effective. Less than 5% is no good, apparently.
Courtesy of test.de:
"Tip. Look for the list of ingredients on the bottle label. The tested rinse aid with less than 5 percent surfactant content is not recommended. The good ones in the test declare 5 to 15 percent."
