smol dishwash tablets contain salt, rinse aid and glass protector to save you effort and save you money but what exactly are they, why do we include them and does it work out cheaper compared to using the products separately?
We’d love to explain more…
Worth your salt
In order to give great results, dishwashers need to use very soft water and this is where dishwasher salt comes in.
The salt sets off an ion exchange where “hard” water minerals like magnesium and calcium are exchanged with sodium ions from the salt. This flushes out the “hard” minerals and the water becomes "soft".
Dishwasher detergent needs this soft water, so the salt brings better cleaning results. Hard water can also cause cloudy glassware over time and limescale build up in the machine. So it’s a necessary ingredient for your wash whether you prefer an all-in-one or would rather add salt separately.
If you’re adding it separately
If you’re using smol dishwash tablets... then there’s no need for extra salt and it’s perfectly dosed for each wash. If the salt light comes on it’s because your machine still assumes you are using salt separately.
If you're NOT using smol... (or any other all-in-one) and are adding salt separately, then here's what you need to know:
- Fill up to the water level inside the compartment (usually found at the bottom of the machine near the filter).
- It’s worth checking your manual to find what setting works best for your water hardness, then you can adjust the setting to suit. If you’re unsure how hard your water is, ask your water supplier or check online. You need to find the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions and these are usually stated in millimole per litre (mmol/l).
- Never put salt into other places - for example compartments marked for detergent or rinse aid, this could break your machine.
Rinse off
Rinse aid is a surfactant; it encourages water to slide off dishes in the dishwasher preventing water spots and helping items dry faster.
Again, rinse aid is included in the perfect dose with our smol dishwash tablets but if you prefer to add your products separately the rinse aid compartment is usually right next to the detergent compartment.
Depending on how often you run your machine, you might have to fill up the rinse aid every few weeks. Make sure not to exceed the maximum fill line.
And if you’re using our smol all-in-one don’t panic if your machine starts blinking or flashing at you to refill the rinse aid. Your machine should still run regardless but if you can’t ignore the flashing, many let you change their settings to alter how they work.
Telling your dishwasher you use an all-in-one stops using any rinse aid still in the dispenser and stops your dishwasher constantly telling you to put rinse aid in. It may also reduce wash times.
Time to dig out the manual!! (unless there’s a handy option button or obvious dial below the compartment) and if you can’t find it then try looking online for downloadable versions.
Extra protection
Finally, glass protector. It’s also in our tablets so there’s no need to buy expensive blocks to hang in your machine.
Glass protector is designed to protect against cloudiness and corrosion on your glassware. It should also help preserve the colour and brilliance of your dishes and prevent fading.
So what’s better value?
Well, aside from the convenience of just adding one tablet each time, you can end up saving money with smol tablets.
Buying detergent, salt, rinse aid and glass protection separately soon adds up.
- Finish powder detergent costs around 8p per wash.
- Finish protector for glassware costs around 10p per wash.
- Finish rinse aid costs around 4p per wash.
- Finish salt costs around 9p per wash.
- Total 31p per wash.*
This compares to our convenient all-in-one which costs just 19p per wash. With no loose powder, salt or liquid to spill everywhere it’s no surprise so many of you prefer the convenience of just one simple pack of smol tablets.
If you want to get the best from your dishwasher we recommend smol all-in-one tablets and you can learn other great tips on getting the best clean here.
