Jay Hanig wrote:
I live in a coastal community on a North Carolina barrier island in a
house I inherited from my father. I've noticed a film on the
silverware I've run through the dishwasher that is difficult to
remove. Just rubbing it with a damp towel won't do it but using
Bartenders Friend cleans it up nicely. Still, I shouldn't have to
clean most of the silverware that's been through the dishwasher.

I've tried running CLR followed by vinegar through it. I have tried
using Jet Dry along with the Cascade Powder I generally use.

The dishwasher is a Maytag MDB9100AWQ of indeterminate age. The house
was built in 1983 but the dishwasher has probably been replaced at
least once. It still runs very quietly and aside from the film
problem, I have no complaints with it.

I'm told our water here is very hard. I don't have a problem with
rust stains and anything you soap up rinses off very quickly. So
what should I do? Am I at the point I need a new dishwasher?


If you want to blame something, blame the hippies in Washington state who
got all exercised over an algae bloom in a stream. They blamed this on
phosphates which the state legislature promptly banned in diswashing
detergents. A few more states followed suit and finally the detergent
manufacturers, who got tired of two different formulations, quit putting
phosphates in diswashing detergents altogether.

Fortunately, you can put the phosphates BACK.

Buy powdered detergent. Add somewhere between 10-20% TSP to the box*. Shake
well before using.

TSP is available at the BORG, about six bucks for a giant box. CAUTION:
There exists a "Phosphate Free" TSP (how, I don't know). Don't get that one.

If you are tempted to dismiss this idea, it only costs six bucks to try it
out. Six bucks if far cheaper than a new machine or a water softener.

---
* Here's how I do it:
1. Empty box of detergent in really big bowl.
2. Add 15% by weight or volume of TSP to the bowl.
3. Stir well.
4. Cut "X" in top of detergent box, and, with the aid of a funnel and a
scoop, return (most) of the detergent to the box.
5. Cover "X" with swatch of duct tape