How To Choose And Use The Right Detergent; Detergent Usage Guide - GE GSD1230 Use & Care Manual

How to Choose and Use the Right Detergent

Use only powder or liquid detergent specifically
made for use in dishwashers. Other types will cause
oversudsing.
How much detergent should you use? That depends.
Is your water ''hard'' or ''soft''? With hard water, you
need extra detergent to get dishes clean. With soft water,
you need less detergent.
Your water department can tell you how hard your
water is. So can your county extension agent or your
area's water softener company. Just call and ask them
how many ''grains'' of hardness there are in your water.
Too much detergent with soft water not only wastes
money, it can be harmful. It can cause a permanent
Detergent Dispensers
You'll find two detergent dispensers on the inside
door of your dishwasher. Two, because
some cycles use two washes.
See ''Detergent Usage Guide''below.
(Be sure the CYCLE INDICATOR
DIAL is at OFF position before
adding detergent. Otherwise,
the detergent cup will not
close and latch properly.)

Detergent Usage Guide

SOFT WATER (0-3 grains hardness)
CYCLES Main Cup
POTSCRUBBER Half Full
NORMAL WASH
LIGHT WASH Half Full
WATER SAVER
SHORT WASH
RINSE & HOLD
*12 grains and up is extremely hard water. A water softener is recommended. Without it, lime
can build up in the water valve. The water valve may stick while open and cause flooding.
How to Prepare the Dishes for Washing
If this is your first dishwasher, or if you're
replacing a much older model, you may wonder
how much preparation your dishes need. Actually
very little. Scrape off bones, seeds, skins, toothpicks
and other hard solids. Remove excessive quantities
of oil or grease.
Open
Cup
Main
Cup
(powder or liquid)
Open Cup
Half Full
+
None
Use no detergent
cloudiness of glassware, called ''etching.'' An outside
layer of glass is etched away! Of course, this takes some
time. But why take a chance when it's easy to find out the
hardness of your water.
Keep your detergent fresh and dry. Under the sink
isn't a good place to store detergent because there is
too much moisture. Don't put powder detergent into
the dispenser until you're ready to wash dishes, either.
(It won't be fresh OR dry.)
If your powder detergent gets old or lumpy, throw it
away. Old detergent often won't dissolve. If you use a
liquid dishwasher detergent, these precautions are not
necessary because liquid detergents don't ''lump'' as
they age or come in contact with moisture.
Close the main cup.
NOTE: To open detergent cup after it has
been closed, unlatch the door and rotate the
Cycle Indicator Dial a full turn to the OFF
position. When the closed cup contains
soap it is best that the door be in a partially
open position before rotating the Cycle
Indicator Dial. This will help reduce the amount of
detergent and rinse aid agent spillage into the tub.
MEDIUM WATER (3-7 grains)
Main Cup Open Cup
Completely Half Full
+
Full
Half Full None
Use no detergent
NOTE: You may also want to consider removing
foods such as mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon
juice and other foods that can cause discoloration of
stainless steel if allowed to remain on dishes for a long
period of time.
The POTSCRUBBER cycle can wash heavily soiled
dishes and remove dried-on and baked-on soils from
pots, pans and casseroles. Items with burned-on
soils need extra preparation.
Grasp handle,
rotate and
close tightly
HARD WATER (7-12 grains*)
Main Cup‡ Open Cup‡
Completely Completely
+
Full Full
Completely None
Full
Use no detergent
‡Filled Main Cup holds 3 tablespoons;
filled Open Cup holds 2 tablespoons.
7