Bosch dishwasher performance deterioration - what to do?

Sadly my machine is a combined heater/pump (or something like that) so more costly to repair. I was quoted £200 and then he couldn't be sure that would fix it as there might be a board problem as well. When it first packed in it blew the electrics. I replaced the fuse in the plug and the machine does go through the cycle but nothing gets heated up.
 
why don't you try arguably the best cleaning pods, Fairy Platinum All In One?

Fairy are offering free 3 tablets of Fairy Platinum, can't hurt to try them!

Thanks for the tip off. I've just requested some.

I await the arrival of the Fairy Platinum tablets with interest (Life has come to this!)

UPDATE:

Fairy Platinum samples took a while to arrive... but wow! Perfect cleaning - even the dishwasher looks like I've just cleaned it. In fact, the sample tablets were Fairy Platinum Plus. I'm really grateful you and others mentioned them. So impressed I purchased a big pack of the Platinum Plus tabs from ASDA on a price rollback - and the samples came with a £2 discount voucher too. And, in my area, I need no additional salt or rinse aid.

Whilst I didn't manage to get to the bottom of the performance deterioration when using the LIDL W5 Classic dishwasher tabs, I'm more than happy to continue with the Platinum Plus, despite the extra cost. Have to say though, if you're not a tea or coffee drinker, the LIDL W5 tabs would work OK.
 
Really pleased for you that the Fairy Platinum Plus tabs did the trick! Obviously they're not cheap but last week I bought some (Platinum Plus) from Farmfoods which are the cheapest anywhere I've seen (even cheaper than Home Bargains). They were selling 2 packs (55 tabs each pack) for £15, ie £7.50 for a pack of 55. So well worth paying Farmfoods a visit if you've got a branch nearby.
 
Back to dishwasher tab excitement!

My stock of Fairy Platinum was running low but couldn't find any decent offers on. Also nowhere seems to have the regular version, only Lemon which I dislike. Was in Aldi for something else & picked up a bag of their Magnum Premium tabs at £3.99 for 37. Only used one so far but passed the tea stain test with no added salt. Will see how the rest pan out.
 
Scratch that, the Aldi tabs failed yesterday & then failed again even after adding salt.
 
Would appreciate any advice/suggestions on this issue I'm having with a Bosch SMS461W00G dishwasher...

Started using my new Bosch dishwasher in early 2019. Not had a dishwasher before and was reasonably impressed with cleaning performance with my chosen cleaning program - until earlier this year when cleaning performance gradually began to drop off. I then started to use and extra half a cleaning tablet which helped for a few months - but in hindsight, just delayed the inevitable because now, cleaning performance most definitely isn't what it was, even with the extra half tablet. In particular, tea stained mugs are nearly always left with a few (usually faint) stain 'rings' whereas that just didn't happen in the first year of usage - and it's getting gradually worse. Some other items sometimes now also come out less-than-clean too. Results are patchy. Frustrating thing is, I've not been doing anything different compared to last year. And the machine is used only three times a week on average.

I use WHICH? recommended dishwasher cleaning tablets, ensure the salt and rinse aid settings on the machine are correctly adjusted for local water hardness and I've done all the usual things to try and resolve this problem:

  • Cleaned dishwasher (3 times in past year with propitiatory cleaner (once last week) and twice recently with distilled vinegar)
  • Filters cleaned every 3 or 4 washes but they are barely dirty because I don't load visibly dirty items into the machine (I get the pee taken out of me for that)
  • Always stack items thoughtfully
  • Even used a top-end Finish dishwasher tablet recently (recommended by Bosch) which actually gave slightly worse cleaning results than my usual tablets.
  • Dismantled the pump protection cover and examined pump, which was spotless (as was the entire machine - looks like showroom new)
  • I don't use an automatic program that senses level of dirt then adjusts water usage and/or time accordingly. Tried it once - no good because everything placed in dishwasher is pretty clean to begin with so machine doesn't sense dirt and decides little cleaning is required.
  • Some of the the tea stained mugs are new, some old so the problem isn't related to damaged surface finishes of crockery.
What's my next step?
Stop pre-cleaning or overly rinsing your flatware, pans etc.
The automatic turbidity sensor, which selects a wash temperature etc, will pick a gentle wash.
This is detailed under faults on page 39 of the manual.
Hope this helps.
 
Stop pre-cleaning or overly rinsing your flatware, pans etc.
The automatic turbidity sensor, which selects a wash temperature etc, will pick a gentle wash.

I don't use an automatic program that senses level of dirt then adjusts water usage and/or time accordingly. Tried it once - no good because everything placed in dishwasher is pretty clean to begin with so machine doesn't sense dirt and decides little cleaning is required.

Yes, this did happen when I chose a program that (attempted) to detect food remnants (i.e. turbidity) so I only use a program that doesn't make use of the turbidity detector (Eco50 prog). Have to say the Fairy Platinum Plus tabs are fantastic - and so they should be considering the price. Perfect results every single time. Almost run out though so have ordered some Fairy Platinum tabs (bit cheaper than the 'Plus') to see how well they work.

...last week I bought some (Platinum Plus) from Farmfoods which are the cheapest anywhere I've seen...

It would be worth the 12 mile round trip to my nearest FarmFoods store if I could get the tabs for that price, but unfortunately, the offer had ended when I checked soon after I saw the post. In lockdown, I suspect I'd fined if I ventured that far from home just for dishwasher tabs though maybe if I cycled, I'd get away with it.
 
After a couple of failed cycles with the Aldi tabs the rest have been fine. Don't know if that may have been due to the addition of salt needing a couple of cycles to kick in?
 
Salt is 'per wash' shouldn't be a problem. Have a look on YouTube about the way that Bosch dishwasher do intensive cleaning, it is by alternating between top and bottom spray bars, if I remember correctly. I can't say it will help but it may be why the top shelf is not cleaning.
I looked into this, however it was simply mine was very old and knackered.
 
Salt is 'per wash' shouldn't be a problem. Have a look on YouTube about the way that Bosch dishwasher do intensive cleaning, it is by alternating between top and bottom spray bars, if I remember correctly. I can't say it will help but it may be why the top shelf is not cleaning.
I looked into this, however it was simply mine was very old and knackered.
The only issue with mine is tea stains in mugs. Adding salt even when using all-in-one tabs does seem to be the answer but a pain. The Fairy tabs do seem the best for use without salt in my experience. My Bosch is some 17 years so only has three manual programs.
 
The only issue with mine is tea stains in mugs. Adding salt even when using all-in-one tabs does seem to be the answer but a pain. The Fairy tabs do seem the best for use without salt in my experience. My Bosch is some 17 years so only has three manual programs.
My old Bosch did similar, couldn't find a cause and the repair was expensive and not certain. Time for a new machine.
Sorry I couldn't help.
 
The only issue with mine is tea stains in mugs. Adding salt even when using all-in-one tabs does seem to be the answer but a pain. The Fairy tabs do seem the best for use without salt in my experience. My Bosch is some 17 years so only has three manual programs.
Tea stains seem to be the problem for me too, in my 2004 Bosch.

The salt reservoir is set at the mid-point, as is the rinse aid dispenser (soft water area). I always use the hottest programme, 'Auto Super Wash' which is supposed to be at some temperature between 60°C-70°C.

I use 'Clean n Fresh' or Lidl's (when available) dishwasher cleaner liquid, in the one-shot bottles. This is an acidic formulation (citric acid and sulphamic acid combination).

It doesn't matter which detergent tablets/pods I use, tea stains seem to be persistent.

Finish Quantum gave a lovely lustre to the crockery - but the stains remained. Fairy leaves everything with a weird lemony taste, stains still there. Finish Classic leaves a powdery residue and stains.

According to the machine's manual, phosphate-free detergents might be to blame (they've less oomph than the old phosphate formulations).

It also says in the manual to use the hottest wash and extra detergent to combat tea stains.

I've tried one tablet, two tablets, three tablets. I've tried one Fairy pod in the sealed dispenser, and two cheaper tablets on the floor of the machine. Generally produces a clean load - but mug stains still remain.

I tried Finish powder a few years ago, but they'd fiddled with the formulation for that too, and the whole load - and the dishwasher interior - were covered in a white powder.

Finish Liquid Gel lost the white, phosphated, chlorine formulation - and became an insipid, bleachless, blue-green, non-phosphate formulation. When I complained to Reckitt-Benckiser, I was told to use the tablets for tea stains. Apparently the EU was to blame for a directive causing detergents to be changed.

One thing I will say: Fairy seems to create more foam than most of the others, and the machine does struggle with the suds. I read that this is possibly worse for modern Bosch, Siemens, Neff machines, as they now have the heater element incorporated into the circulation pump assembly... which they call the 'heat-pump'; i.e expensive to fix.
 
We use Aldi tabs in our dishwasher and have done for 5 years. We had a bosch one before, lasted 4 years, now have a Hotpoint. We've never had an issue with cleaning in either machine.

I also like to buy all my ingredients separately, dont like the "All In One Tabs".
 
I noticed a drop off in performance in my dishwasher about a year ago. It is a Bosch. Tried filling with salt and rinse aid. I always use a cleaner and limescale remove around once a month.

I had the 5 year curry's warranty with it so gave them a call.

Ran a few tests and the heating element had failed.

They replaced it and its now cleaning great again.
I do always use the best tabs I can find that are on offer. Fairy platinum are very good but also the best finish are equally as good.
I live in a very hard water area just for context.
 
  • Even used a top-end Finish dishwasher tablet recently (recommended by Bosch) which actually gave slightly worse cleaning results than my usual tablets.

This isn't quite the full story.
More likely Finish pay Bosch some money to feature their brand as "recommended" - you will find very little science or testing behind this.
 
After a couple of failed cycles with the Aldi tabs the rest have been fine. Don't know if that may have been due to the addition of salt needing a couple of cycles to kick in?
Try going down to Fairy Platinum ones and see how they go.
If they go okay, try just the standard Fairy ones.

We tried some Aldi and Asda own brand but both didn't clean as well as Finish or Fairy. I prefer Fairy (through the same voucher scheme + some other good deals, I have about 2 years worth). You will struggle to find them without lemon though.

Also, perhaps leave things a little more dirty - not lumps of food but a little more dirty is fine. Post back the results. For some reason, I have an idea the dishwasher tablets will be more effective if things aren't so clean going in. But I may be wrong there.

Also think about changing tea brand.
Not ideal but it may be the tea that has changed rather than the dishwasher tablets.
 
I live in a hard water area but bow have water softener fitted. I have had dishwashers for many years and before we had the water softener fitted we were plagued with limescale ruining all appliances, washing machines, dishwashers, hot water tanks, shower heads, taps, etc,., so I now do not use salt in my dishwasher and have had no problems and I always swear by Fairy Platinum, I never pay full price but manage to buy them when they are on offer. I used to use Finish but much prefer Fairy. Anyone plagued with scale I can certainly recommend a proper water softener plumbed in, I use an £7,50 bag of salt in about 6 weeks but after having many expensive appliances ruined by hard water well worth the price, The only descaler we buy now is for the kettle filled by the water from the kitchen tap which is on mains water supply, Drinking water is recommended to be direct from mains and not from the softener
 
Drinking water is recommended to be direct from mains and not from the softener
True - but it is fine once boiled IIRC. Or at least my parents had a water softener fitted for two decades and we drank boiled water from it. Apart from a second head and third leg growing we each haven’t noticed any problems :)

seriously though yes you should have a drinking tap with the water softeners. Often you can fit a lever operated spout separately to the taps - which somehow seems easier.
 
You could run some Calgon(ite) through your dishwasher. It breaks down limescale pretty well.
 
You could run some Calgon(ite) through your dishwasher. It breaks down limescale pretty well.
A friend said their plumber said Calgon ruins washing machines.
But can't find anything online about the good / bad effect they actually have.
 
A friend said their plumber said
Fourth hand advice is rarely backed up by evidence beyond an opinion of somebody that been in the trade for a few years.

The active ingredients in Calgon will remove limescale like it says it will on the packet. Unless you somehow magnify the strength by adding something else entirely. It will not eat away the element nor the materials in the water/drain system. If it did manufacturers of machines would tell you not to use it and the makers of Calgon would have been sued to bankruptcy many moons ago.

it’s like the plumbers who install a pop-up waste in a basin and ignore the makers instructions in block capitals DO NOT USE SILICON SEALANT when placing the waste in the hole in the basin. A seal is provided and if that leaks there is something wrong with the sealing surfaces. But no a few years experience is all it takes for the plumber to state the maker is talking bollocks and proceed to use enough silicon sealant to ensure the basin will need to be destroyed if you want to remove the waste down the track. (Here it is law that this plumbing stuff is done by a licensed plumber so it is bloody annoying they ignore makers instructions - which their license and training says they MUST follow - and over-ride it with 100% opinion).
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom