manageable quantity of dishwasher salt for ancient crone

We watched a documentary on salt a couple of years back. In it, the question was asked what the difference was between salt and dishwasher salt?
Not a lot, they said salt is salt is salt, it all starts the same and you can use ordinary salt in a dishwasher!!!

I'm another one who uses the three in one dishwasher tablets or pods.
DH does the shopping and shops around for the ones on offer.
The dishwasher is perfectly happy and beautifully clean.

I buy 1kg bags of salt. Cut off a corner and half fill a plastic jug . Using the funnel that came with the washer pour the salt in and put more into jug if necessary. As per instructions that came with the machine I use a dish washer tablet and rinse aid . Had it nearly 3 years my first ever dish washer. Don't know how I managed without one.

Thanks, StarDreamer. Hadn't thought of decanting into a box. And Betsylee - that's interesting about Lidl. Every time I've been in they have had no DW salt at all. Maybe I should keep looking there.

Lidl do 2 kg boxes of dw salt, £1.25,they have a push type opener,easy to open and close and I pour it through the funnel supplied with my dw which is 12 years old.

Would one of these help?

Sistema Klip It Plus Square 5.5L

www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/306845684

The link is to Tesco's website, but they might be available elsewhere too.

Also, these are the top quality ones - as it is just for non-eating salt one from a different manufacturer might do and cost less.

They are only half the height they say on the website, but that is still about 4 inches.

I am thinking that you could open it, then open the bag over the box, then keep the bag in the box, or empty the bag into the box as you prefer.

One thing, they are not quite square, slightly rectangular, possibly deliberately, so one needs to put the lid on the right way, that is, not rotated 90 degrees.

Mmm - thanks for responses. My dishwasher is 9 years old so not sure that all in one tablets would be acceptable

I use an old plastic measuring jug.

When I got my current dishwasher, the instructions said to contact the local water company to find out the softness/hardness scale. My area was in the range that we didn't need to use salt! I am so pleased not having to faff about with the salt thing...I use Smol capsules, delivered monthly.

We use Aldi "all in one" dishwasher tablets - as tested & recommended by Which consumer group, and others. No need for separate dishwasher salt or rinse aid. Job done!

Skye17

*MawtheMerrier*, do you remove all the salt from the dispenser cap and around the opening to the salt container before you screw the cap up? I find that makes it easier to unscrew the cap the next time.

Good point- as it is so awkward to get to, I bet I spill some round the opening which of course then sets like concrete. I’ll try to remember to wipe round it next time. Thank you.

Use dishwasher fluid as tablets don't dissolve properly. Never used salt.

I used to use all-in-one tablets but they did not work. I also have a problem undoing the dispenser cap so when I replace it, it is done fairly loosely. When putting the salt in I also use a plastic jug without a funnel and afterwards I pop the jug in the dishwasher.

We live in a hard water area and when we had our dishwasher installed the engineer advised us to still add salt and rinse aid even if using all in one tablets.

We use all in one tablets too so no need for salt here either.
If you want to use salt you could empty the whole pack into a plastic cereal dispenser and put the whole pack in it.

MawtheMerrier, do you remove all the salt from the dispenser cap and around the opening to the salt container before you screw the cap up? I find that makes it easier to unscrew the cap the next time.

I pour the salt from the corner of the bag into a 1 pint Pyrex jug, then from that through a funnel into the salt container. This seems to work a lot better than pouring it from the bag into the funnel as I used to do.

I agree with tanith, use all-in-one dishwasher tablets. They usually come in a box and once open last for ages (as long as the box doesn’t get wet!). Just chuck one in the dishwasher and turn on the machine.

No separate salt needed in his house either. All in one tablets/capsules.

I use all in one tablets that don’t need me to add salt much easier.

Can’t help I’m afraid, I get the bags too and cut the corner off - still managing to spill loads but inside the dishwasher door usually.
My problem is turning the cap on the dispenser , involving taking the bottom shelf out, getting down on my hands and knees and trying to use a mole wrench. I’ve had to admit defeat on more than one occasion and get a neighbouring husband to twist it for me as my hands just don’t have the strength.