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Why is the dishwasher soap not dissolving completely? What could be the problem? In this article we will cover 5 most common reasons. Before you call a technician, read the steps below to see if you can fix it yourself.
To understand and fix the problem, you need to know a little bit about how your dishwasher gets the job done.
How does the dishwasher get the job done?
The easy part is that your dishwasher gets the job done in the same way that you do — using soap and water, and a little scrubbing. But, the dishwasher does it like a robot.
After you have loaded the dishes and soap, and you’ve selected your desired wash/dry cycle, this robot gets to work.
The scrubbing part of the dishwasher is done through high pressure water jets squirting from the tiny holes in the washer’s arms. Similar to placing your thumb over a portion of the end of the water hose: it increases the pressure of the water coming out. These tiny high-powered hoses spin around the dish rack.
There are dishwasher arms above, between, and below the racks to make sure that all the dishes are ‘scrubbed’ with soapy water.
When the dishwasher is in operation, several things happen:
1) Water is let in and heated to temperatures of 120-160ºF.
Hot water not only removes food particles from the dishes easier, it helps to dissolve the detergent powder or tablet in the basin. Later, we will see how too cool of water causes dishwasher soap not dissolving.
2) The tiny dispenser door opens and the soap powder or tablet is released.
This drops into the hot water in the basin and dissolves.
3) Soapy water is sucked down the drain holes at the bottom, then pumped up into the rotating arms and shot out like water jets.
4) After the wash cycle, the dishwasher drains all the soapy water.
Then the rinse cycles begin until the dishes are done and, in some cases, dried.
So, we come back to the question, Why is the dishwasher soap not dissolving completely? What could be the problem?
Here are some possible causes:
1) Inlet valve malfunction
When your dishwasher not getting water, obviously dishwasher detergent will not dissolve at all and you will see soap in the bottom of your dishwasher when you open the door.
If you not sure if your dishwasher getting water, just open the dishwasher door SLOWLY in 2 minutes after you press START button, to make sure you have water at the bottom of your dishwasher.
If there is no water, then most likely inlet valve failed and need replacement.
2) Water not hot enough
One of the causes, why your dishwasher tablet is not dissolving, is that the water is not hot enough.
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The normal water temperature for dishwasher tablets to dissolve is 120-160ºF.
If your dishwasher is not equipped with a thermostat or temperature monitors, then you need to check the temperature of the water manually using a
This way you can tell if the water isn’t getting hot enough to dissolve the tablet.
3) Dispenser door blocked or jammed
Another cause why your dishwasher tablets are not dissolving fully is when the dispenser door does not completely open.
The dispenser door needs to open completely for the soap tablet to drop into the hot water.
If the dishwasher tablet is not releasing properly the dispenser door might be blocked.
This can happen if your dish rack is not stacked properly and an object (e.g. a tray or a cooking panhandle) is preventing the door from opening.
Always make sure to stack large, long or tall items far from the dispenser door to prevent from blocking it.
4) Circulation pump failure (one of the common problems)
Another cause why your dishwasher tablets are not dissolving in your Bosch, Maytag or any other dishwasher is because the circulation pump being seized or jammed by something.
When the circulation pump works ok, it spraying water in the dishwasher and when dispenser door will open, water will wash out all detergent from the dispenser.
If you will hear strange unusual noise coming from the dishwasher right after when it is filled with water, open the dishwasher door to see if any water splashing out.
If nothing, just a small amount of water, then definitely something wrong with the circulation pump.
5) Spray arm clogged (dishwasher soap not dissolving)
Take a look at the spray arm holes, they need to be clean and not being clogged with some food particles. Otherwise, water will not be spraying out and dishwasher soap will not dissolve.
How to fix: Thankfully, fixing a clogged spray arm is pretty straightforward. Since the spray arms are located in the dishwasher basin area and not behind any access panels, you won’t have any problems reaching them. You will, however, need to remove the bolt or screw that holds it in place.
Once you have removed the clogged spray arms from the machine, you’ll need to flush it out with water to loosen up any items that might be causing a clog in it.
Then, you can use an old toothbrush to clear out each of the small holes on the spray arm as well. Some people also prefer using other items available in their kitchens, such as toothpicks and bottle brushes as well. It’s always best to use whatever can help you clean the deepest inside each spray arm and free up any clogs.
Lastly, you could also use some white vinegar to give the spray arm a thorough flushing, as well.
Or it could also mean that you put too much soap for a very light load and the wash cycle was too short to dissolve all the powder or tablet. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
6) Spray arm broken and not able to spin
Read: Dishwasher Spray Arms Not Spinning
It is good to know why the dishwasher soap not dissolving completely in your dishwasher, before calling for professional help.
Knowing how your appliance works helps you troubleshoot some problems you may encounter in its regular use.
Hotpoint Aquarius SDW60. I start the dishwasher but when I look at it later it has turned itself off (the light is out too which, even when it’s finished a cycle it doesn’t do that but stays on til I manually turn it off). Open it up and the tablet is sitting in the bottom in cold water. I restart it (leaving the soggy tablet in the bottom) and it goes through the cycle to the end. Any clues or is it time for a new one? Thanks.
I have an 18 month old Whirlpool dishwasher is not dissolving the soap packet which I find on the bottom of the dishwasher! Soap door opens fine and the water is very hot and the dishwasher if filling with water. The inside of the dishwasher is very wet and hot when I open the door before the drying cycle starts, however, the dishes in the top rack are not wet nor is any water laying in the glasses I intentional put right side up! Also, is the wash pump the same as the circulation pump as I know the circulation pump is working! Thanks, Ron!
Does not spray – so thinking it wash or circulation pump
Is that expensive to repair?
Yes it is expensive. In some cases more than a 50% of the price of a new machine
Hello, I have GE Profile dishwasher that’s not dissolving detergent. Just had a kitchen touch faucet replaced with non-touch faucet. Could there be a connection? Detergent – both gel and tablets not dissolving at all. Tried several different cycles including sanitize.
Run a new cycle. Then open the door quickly in 2-3 minutes after the cycle is started. Does it spray water? If not, there is a problem with a circulation pump.
Hi, we have a Whirlpool. When we open it the detergent (liquid) it just laying there, it hasn’t dissolved. I have checked to make sure water is getting to the dishwasher (opened it a few minutes into the cycle). Any suggestions?
Not enough water pressure to spray through the spray arm or wash pump not providing pressure at all. Solution: Open the door quickly after a couple of minutes. Do you see the water is spraying? If not, then something wrong with the wash pump
Detergent not dissolving? Keep it fresh. When powered detergents sit in a open box for several months, it will loose its quality and not dissolve as well. Pour half the box in a zip lock to keep it fresh.
whirlpool dish washer.brand new.went to use it and when it was done the soap was laying on the bottom most of it not used.
Have a GE gldt690tbb dishwasher with soap left in the dispenser issues. Found the upper rack arm was not rotating. Upon inspection, the arm was hard to turn due to warpage ( its all plastic). I also found the seal missing where the upper rack spray pipe inserts into the back wall. (Upper spray manifold ring nut.). New arm and ring nut solved the problem. No idea where the seal went. It must have disintegrated. I’m making this comment after failing to find any mention of these possible issues on any website. Check your arm for rotation and verify if your model has a cone style seal for the upper rack spray like mine had.
Thanks for the contribution, Mark.
It’s hard to figure out what could be the problem with your dishwasher when you can’t see inside it while it runs. Try this. Use a old cell phone with the video camera turned on and put the phone into a glass jar with lid on tight. Lay the jar in the dishwasher rack and turn DW on. Be sure the jar is Secure or it will blow around. When the lid in a dishwasher is closed, everything inside will be too dark to film. The camera light on the phone should come on automatic so no extra light is needed to film. Now you can put away all the bowls filled with water and find out if those spray arms are spinning or not. Watch how the dispenser lid opens and find out why detergent won’t come out!
My dishwasher is always soapy, I have changed soap, I had Sears come out…they told me everything was fine.., still the same problem, always soapy ,,
use dishwasher cleaner couple times in a row and clean sump area and filter. Seems like you have some deposits left in the sump, causing “overdose” of soap
If someone accidentally put liquid dishwashing detergent where jet dry is supposed to go, it will leave the dishwasher soapy after the final rinse. Sears wouldn’t find this problem.
I have a Samsung dishwasher and use Cascade gel detergent (not soap packs). Often, there is soap left in the dispenser and it also has run down the door below the soap dispenser, with the soap still there when the cycle is done. Sometimes, I see it left on my dishes and have a very strong soap smell when I first open it. When I open it for the first time after the cycle is done, I often hear the dispenser lid snap open and hit the door, like something was holding it from opening all the way. But no dishes are in the way – the only thing that might be in the way is the top tray of the dishwasher, which shouldn’t cause it or it would have been manufactured incorrectly. The soap issue isn’t always present, but often is. I also checked my waterheater and it’s set to the “A” setting, one click above the average recommended temperature.
Same issue and same suggestion about the water temp. It was also suggested to run the hot water faucet first before running. That came from the Orvilles store manager. What a waste of water! The help center is also useless! While in text mode with them, they had me try different steps. Didn’t help! Also have had freezer issues with our sadsung refrigerator.
I have ALWAYS been told to run the hot water in
The sink
Prior to starting dishwasher and this includes all makes and models of dishwashers I have ever owned. I also do not like wasting water or the power to heat it, but no other method has ever been recommended to me
Their right! This help your dishwasher and can shorten the wash cycle a little. This is called “hot start” and should be performed every time.
Your right about the way the dispenser lid opens. The lid is supposed to snap all the way back when you open the door after a completed cycle. The dishwashers top rack is supposed to hold the lid half open while the dishwasher runs. The detergent will fall out better when the lid is not all the way open. That’s why the rack is purposely in the way for the lid to not fully open. Sound strange? It’s true and hard to explain. It has to do with the water direction. Instead of the water force to pass right by the dispenser, the dispensers lid half opened will shoot the water inside the cup causing anything inside to fall out. Make sense?
Have a GE dishwasher and the detergent dispenser lid latches and unlatches fine, but the lid itself pops open very slowly instead of springing open quickly and with force. Can I repair the lid’s spring or do I have to replace the whole dispenser?
You can, if you can remove front panel and see if the spring still in place or broken
We have a whirlpool dishwasher and the door opens for the soap but it is not dissolving and when the cycle is up it’s just laying in the bottom of the dishwasher and nothing is clean, everything is wet.
Seems like you have failed wash pump.. Try to start cycle, it should fill with water and after 30sec as it filled with water, open the door. If you don’t see water is splashing, you have failed wash pump
What does one do then?
Did you replace the pump? Mine is having the same problem and I am definitely needing to fix it.
Hi hope you don’t mind me asking but my dishwasher is having the same issues, did you have to replace the pump ? I’m debating the cost of that if so against a new dishwasher ? Thanks
what did u find best to do ellen replace pump or get a new one .
in have similar iussue with the whirlpool one i have where the dishwasher tab aint dissolving . so il do a process of elimination and if its parts i may have to get a new one depending on cost and ease of repair
not sure these app are made to last like the old appliances
but this is the first dishwasher i owned it …it aint done too badly as i bought it second hand and had it for 4 years . shame ton add to the waste on planet so if it can be fixed id be very happy.
if i need to dispose of it maybe the scrap man will take it and break it down
If the dishwasher is running and sounds normal but the detergent isn’t falling out, it won’t be the motor at fault. Water level could be low. Check for clogged holes in the wash arm. Some holes target the dispenser directly especially the ones on the very end.
Many times on older dishwashers the water leading into the valve will caked up with calcium and lime. When This happens, the water flow is restricted. When water level is low inside the dishwasher, it will not wash or dissolve detergent. Newer Dishwashers will accommodate this problem or when water pressure is low.
Our Whirlpool washer is doing the exact same thing…. we just replace the whole dispenser which includes the wax motor which we thought was the problem….. it was not.. Did you ever figure out what was wrong with yours??
There can be a number of reasons for this. A malfunction of your dishwasher is likely. Insufficient water supply or clogged holes in the wash arm. Clean the removable filter as well.
Mine is doing the same thing! It’s only about 4 years old. I read this whole thread and it doesn’t seam like anyone has found the solution. What did you all end up doing?
Can I toss the soap package into bottom of the dishwasher instead of the soap door?
No, because soap only released when its needed. You don’t need to dissolve soap during the presoak cycle at the very beginning.
It is possible to get clean dishes just by putting the tablet in the bottom of the dishwasher but you won’t get the best wash results from the tablet this way. Use the dispenser.
So the lid springs open but detergent doesn’t always fall out. Most common reason is dispenser door is blocked by an item in the dishwasher. Another reason is hole(s) in spray arm is clogged. Some holes will spray water directly at the dispenser lid to wash out the soap.
My soap dispenser door is springing open but now and then recently the detergent cube does not eject from the dispenser, it is still there when the wash is finished
Hi there, you need to check dispenser door solenoid to make sure its not burnt out. This is most common issue when dispenser door NOT OPENING AT ALL. If sometimes it works ok and sometimes not, then something interferes with the door (plate, fork, etc)
I have a samsung dishwasher that recently stop dissolving tablets. After a wash the tablet remains stuck in the dispenser intacted but the spring door opens just fine. Using liquid detergent doesnt seem to dissolve either. It just runs down the door.
Don’t know honestly what it could be. Maybe just wash dispenser to make sure tablets will not stick? Also, try to put tablet in a dispenser and not close dispenser door, then close the dishwasher door. Then open the dishwasher door again. Tablet fall down from dispenser? if not, then something keeps the tablet in there
More than likely a tablet will not fall out without water. Water pressure and the wash arm is what forces the tablet or pod out of dispenser.
When using pods or ActionPacs, be sure the dispenser cup is dry before adding. Leave the dishwasher lid slightly open when not in use.
Hi
My whirlpool dishwasher isn’t dropping the detergent cube out into the tub. When I remember to throw it in the tub manually it works fine. Are all detergent doors supposed to be spring loaded? It doesn’t appear mine is or was and I never took notice until the detergent pod stopped falling out. Thank you for any insight.
Hi Chris, you need to check wax motor for continuity, to make sure its not burnt out. That motor opens a soap dispenser door.
Yes, they are supposed to be spring loaded. You can check the dispenser to see if it’s working by closing the door and pushing the release button on the dispenser. The door should spring open immediately.
dishwasher seems to be getting water, how can i increase water temperature
Hi Harvey, you can increase temp on your water heater tank, not on the dishwasher. Please consult plumber
Hello,
But the dishwasher is connected to the cold water, not to a heater tank or to the hot water from the apartment heating plant.
Should it be connected to a heater tank?
All dishwashers in North America connected ONLY to the hot water line. Even in the apartment buildings. If you in Europe, maybe its different. You need to read manual for your machine to know that
You can increase the water temperature on the dishwasher by upgrading the cycle. For example, if your using a light wash cycle and decide to upgrade to normal, the cycle will be longer and water temperature will be higher. Your manual for the dishwasher will explain in details.
Can hardened cascade dishwasher detergent pods be used?
Thanks
yes, why not? It should be dissolved anyway
Is cascade detergent compatible with smeg dishwasher ?
I think so…it should work with any type of dishwasher