7 best water softeners: each salt is characterized by a natural composition, is economically used and is suitable for most types of washing machines. Users of PMM salt received high marks for the excellent quality of their work, the elimination of limescale and the reduction in the consumption of detergents.
Hard water with impurities often becomes destructive for dishwashers. Lime and iron settle on the metal parts of the unit and the inside of the hoses. Which leads to deterioration in the quality of washing and damage to dishwashers. The best option is to use dishwasher salt along with detergents. Here are the most popular products that protect dishwashing units from scale and limescale.
Filtero
Coarse crystalline salt with long-term effect (2016)
Large salt crystals take a long time to dissolve, providing a long-term water softening effect. The product is absolutely non-toxic, easily washed off with water from dishes, and removes lime from metal elements of the dishwasher and hoses. The manufacturer provides several options for packaging salt in packs, starting from 1.5 kg per package, which allows you to determine your convenient volume.
+ Pros of Filtero
- when using salt, dishes are washed better;
- economical consumption - with water of medium hardness, a sachet lasts for 1-2 months;
- reasonable price: from 340 rubles for 3 packages;
- ease of use - poured into the salt container as needed.
— Cons of Filtero
- if the water is very hard, saturated with iron, the consumption increases.
Comparison table
| Brand | Volume, kg | Manufacturer country | Class | Price, rub |
| Finish | 4 | Austria | inorganic | 560 |
| Bravix | 1,5 | Germany | phosphate-free | 150 |
| Somat | 1,5 | Serbia | inorganic | 135 |
| Celesta | 1 | Russia | inorganic | 110 |
| Paclan | 1 | Poland | phosphate-free | 175 |
| Clean & Fresh | 2 | Germany | inorganic | 200 |
| Filtero | 3,1 | Russia | inorganic | 270 |
Finish
With large crystals (2015)
Coarse salt is used sparingly and protects the machine from limescale. With regular use of the product, a whitish coating does not appear on plates, cutlery and pots. Using salt prevents scale from forming on metal parts and hoses, which extends the life of the dishwasher.
+ Pros of Finish
- softens water;
- the use of salt reduces the consumption of dishwashing detergents;
- no water drops remain on dried plates;
- no foreign odors;
- Suitable for different types of dishwashers.
— Cons Finish
- with significant consumption, the result is an expensive pleasure: about 200 rubles for 1.5 kg.
Select the desired program
You can wash dishes in the dishwasher using various programs. The instructions included with your assistant describe the entire range of features and functions; you should definitely read them.
- In most cases, good results are achieved when using a standard program (economy or eco). If the dishes are very dirty, then the intensive washing mode is used - it washes well, but consumes maximum energy and water, so it is better to run the PMM at night.
- The delicate mode is designed to wash particularly fragile dishes, such as glasses or crystal wine glasses. The delicate mode means the machine has a built-in heat exchanger that helps raise the water temperature during the first rinse.
- In the case when you collect completely different dishes in the dishwasher, it is also worth turning on the gentle mode.
- The machine will wash dishes for 1.5 hours or 1 hour in the standard program. The dishes will be hot after the cycle has completed, so wait another quarter of an hour before opening the door.
- To prevent drips, the lower compartment is emptied first, followed by the upper one.
Snowter
For all types of dishwashers
The salt is coarse, does not generate dust, and is easy to dose by adding to the tank as needed. For better distribution of the product after falling asleep, it is better to fill it with water and mix with a long object. Salt is consumed slowly; you don’t need to add it for a long time, until the indicator on the machine lights up. The product does not leave marks on the inner surface of the dishwasher and is not felt on the dishes.
+ Pros of Snowter
- does not allow scale to form on heating elements;
- after washing, the dishes shine, there is no residue; the composition of the salt is harmless;
- affordable price: from 100 rubles for 1.5 kg; increases the effectiveness of the detergent.
— Disadvantages of Snowter
- Packaged in plastic bags, it is inconvenient to pour into a tank in a PMM.
How to choose the right salt
Almost every manufacturer of dishwashers also produces salt and detergent compositions for them, or recommends directly in the instructions for the machine to use a salt version of a particular brand with a specific dosage.
Prices for sold salt formulations vary little by brand - if saving money is not a priority, then it is best to purchase branded preparations recommended by the manufacturer of the dishwashing equipment in the kitchen
According to the standards, the product in question should not contain additives, rinsing aids, impurities or detergents. If anything similar is included in the description of the composition, then this is not an active salt for the ion exchanger, but a regular dishwashing detergent in an automatic dishwasher such as “3 in 1”, “5 in 1”, “ALL in 1”, etc. . Such tablets and powders are placed in a completely different compartment in the dishwasher.
The best option for regenerating salt is large NaCl crystals. The finely ground powdered analogue is used up too quickly; it is better to avoid it in the store. You need to look for a salt product in the form of granules with a minimum size of 4–6 mm. Tablets are also good in this regard, but not every ion exchanger can contain them simultaneously in the required quantity.
Eonite
With slowly dissolving grains
There are no problems when using this salt when using a dishwasher. If the indicator lights up red and crystals are still visible in the tank, you should simply stir the product with a long object and add water. Although the salt is white, it does not leave any marks on the dishes. After washing, the plates shine and squeak if you run your finger.
+ Pros of Eonite
- salt is not harmful to human health;
- no stains on cutlery;
- thanks to water softening, less detergent and rinse aid are consumed;
- The product is suitable for any type of machine;
- can be used simultaneously with tablets or powders.
— Cons of Eonite
- It is not very convenient to store salt in a cardboard box.
Loading dishes correctly
Now that we've sorted out the means, let's start loading. Poor washing is in 85% of cases a sign that the dishes were put in incorrectly, and not at all a signal of problems with the dishwasher.
How to load dishes correctly?
- We clean the dishes from food residues;
- We fold the dishes tightly and compactly, but so that they do not interfere with the rotation of the sprinkler arms, the opening of the dispenser, and the free passage and drainage of water. In many PMMs, sections can be rearranged to accommodate vases and baking trays;
- Pour in the powder or add a tablet; if necessary, add rinse aid and salt;
- Select the appropriate program and launch it. If you forgot to put something in, you can open the door and add the dishes, the machine will resume operation in a few seconds.
- Glasses and fragile glassware are placed at the top. It is important that it does not touch the walls. But the dishes with the most contamination are placed downwards, because this is where the strongest water jets are;
- The correct thing to do is to load the dishwasher completely, and only then turn it on;
- You can place a small batch of dishes after dinner in the tray and close the lid - this way the utensils will not dry out while waiting for the next batch. Better yet, select the half-load mode;
- The dirtiest surfaces should face down, so bowls, pans, etc. are turned upside down.
- And for small utensils such as knives and spoons, there are special trays that need to be used. It is better to alternate forks and spoons, and place the knife with the blades facing up. Only after you have correctly positioned the dishes can you turn on the machine.
Do not forget that the equipment washes dishes with hot water, so it is not allowed to place in it:
- Appliances with steel elements that may rust;
- Dishes with inserts of wood, mother-of-pearl, tin or copper elements;
- Cups with patterns or coatings that are not thermally durable;
- Glued items;
- Antique dishes;
- Plastic elements that do not have the appropriate approval markings;
- Sponges and kitchen towels;
- Crystal can be washed, but be careful, as it may become cloudy over time.
Paclan Brileo
Budget salt for dishwashers
Large fractions of salt do an excellent job: soften water, prevent the appearance of limescale on plates and scale on heating elements. This helps to achieve almost perfect cleanliness of dishes and low consumption of detergents. Rock salt is odorless and contains no foreign impurities, which allows it to be used even by allergy sufferers.
+ Pros of Paclan Brileo
- the pack contains only salt, no debris or foreign impurities;
- works even at minimum temperatures;
- economically used;
- low price: from 100 rubles per 1 kg.
— Cons of Paclan Brileo
- Users did not find any drawbacks to this product.
Rating of TOP 7 best models
| Place | Name | Price |
| TOP 7 best salts for dishwasher | ||
| 1 | Finish anti-scale salt 3 kg | 300 ₽ |
| 2 | Filtero coarse crystalline salt 1 kg | 150 ₽ |
| 3 | Filtero coarse salt MEGA BOX 3 kg | 400 ₽ |
| 4 | Paclan salt 1 kg | 150 ₽ |
| 5 | Top House salt 1.5 kg | 250 ₽ |
| 6 | Finish special salt 1.5 kg | 200 ₽ |
| 7 | Topperr salt 1.5 kg | 400 ₽ |
Oppo
Salt tablets for Oppo dishwashers
When using salt, the water is softened, so there are no streaks on the dishes, and no drops of water remain after drying. Regular use of this product allows you to extend the life of the dishwasher, since the formation of limescale on the metal elements of the unit is not allowed, and the hoses are not clogged with scale.
+ Oppo Pros
- convenient form, you can throw 1-2 tablets into the tank as needed;
- does not generate dust, lasts a long time;
- perceived as a “salt” indicator, dissolves evenly in water;
- convenient packaging in which the tablets do not become damp.
— Oppo Cons
- will not be as effective in units from another manufacturer.
What can be replaced?
Regular table salt is much cheaper than reducing granules for PMM. Consumers are wondering: is it necessary to pour a special anti-scale substance into the device? Salt compositions for PMM are specially purified and are saturated with special substances that effectively remove white limescale. They can only be replaced with table evaporated salt. Unlike stone, it has smaller crystals that will not damage the elements of the machine. Dangers of using table and sea salt:
- form a precipitate in the ion exchanger;
- accelerate wear of the machine.
Bioretto
Eco-friendly granules
Granulated salt dissolves well and is consumed economically. At the same time, the product provides optimal water softening, preventing the appearance of limescale deposits inside the dishwasher. The product is completely safe for the human body and combines well with detergent powders, tablets and gels.
+ Pros of Bioretto
- has no smell;
- reduces water hardness; does not contain foreign impurities;
- prevents streaks from appearing on porcelain plates and glassware.
— Cons of Bioretto
- In water of significant hardness, more salt must be used.
Any salt performs its main function - softens the water and prevents the appearance of limescale. The choice of dishwasher detergent depends on how convenient its form is for you (granules, tablets, crystals). You should also consider how economically salt is used in hard water. It is more profitable to purchase expensive, but more “long-lasting” products than to often buy a cheap softener.
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Choice of product
The first step in softening water is choosing the right product. Among the entire range of products, the following types are especially popular:
- special regenerating compounds – Somat, Finish, Calgonit;
- products in tablet form – Topperr;
- bleached household substitute of the “Extra” grade;
- 3-in-1 tablets.
3-in-1 tablets contain sodium chloride concentrate. It effectively restores ions in the ion exchanger and helps reduce water hardness
A quality product must contain the following components:
- sodium percarbonate;
- flavoring components;
- sodium citrate, which has an antimicrobial effect;
- sodium bicarbonate and disilicate;
- polyaspaginate - this ingredient is designed to restore and preserve ions in the ion exchanger.
Do not use kitchen salt in your dishwasher. It contains impurities that negatively affect the operation of the device and lead to rapid wear of working parts. In addition, it does not have the desired effect in purifying water and restoring ions.
The rules of use and dosage of the products are indicated on the packaging. Before use, carefully read the instructions and recommendations of the manufacturer.
Release forms
Regenerating salt for dishwashers is available in the form of pressed tablets or granular mass. Each type has its own disadvantages and characteristics
Tablet
The main advantage of using tableted salt is its simplicity and ease of use. It does not spill over and is easier to dose, making it a popular option.
However, not all dishwashers have an ion exchanger into which tablet salt can be placed, and this cannot always be done at the same time and in the required quantity.
There is also an opinion that such tablets dissolve worse than granulated salt, although this is not entirely correct.
Therefore, despite its convenience, compressed salt is not always the best option.
Granular
It dissolves perfectly and is suitable for absolutely any dishwasher. Falling asleep is made easier due to the fact that most manufacturers have already taken care of consumer comfort and equipped the device with a special funnel. However, when using granulated salt, you must independently calculate its amount and how often you put it in the dishwasher.
A single dose is most often half a kilogram, and the frequency depends on the hardness of the tap water and the frequency of use of the dishwasher. The cost in general is slightly lower than that of the tablet version. But this only works if their manufacturers are in the same price segment.
Otherwise, you always need to pay extra for the brand, and granular salt may be even more expensive than tablets.
