If food residue is consistently left on dishes, it's usually a combination of poor loading, wrong detergent dosage, or a blocked spray arm. Here's how to diagnose and fix it.
Why this happens
Dishes are overlapping or blocking each other — water can't reach all surfaces
Spray arms are blocked by tall items or clogged with debris
Using too little detergent, or a detergent that doesn't dissolve properly
Running a cold or short cycle for heavily soiled dishes
Pre-rinsing dishes too thoroughly — enzymes in detergent need some food residue to activate
How to fix it
1
Check that no tall item (cutting boards, baking trays) is blocking the spray arms from spinning freely.
2
Don't stack plates directly against each other — leave a small gap so water can flow between them.
3
Use a full-sized detergent tablet or a slightly higher powder dose for heavy loads.
4
Run a hotter cycle (60°C) for pots and pans — short or eco cycles may not have enough pressure.
5
Don't pre-rinse — scrape food off but leave a little residue so detergent enzymes can work.
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