[confused2012]

Hi Everyone

I do not know where to ask for help therefore thought that chemistry specialists may have some answers

Basically, we bought a new dishwasher in July. Since then we only seem to have problems...
Firstly, due to hard water we need to use Rinse Aid alongside salt and 3in1 tablets as otherwise the dishes come out covered in white/chalky residue (difficult to remove). I assume this must be calcium deposits???

With Rinse Aid the dishes are clean and shiny but.....here goes my problem - when I cook (for example pasta or soup) in a pot that has been previously cleaned in the dishwasher, the boiling water bubbles have got rainbow colour to them. The rainbow bubbles in the soup....yum.

I tried everything - I even try to rinse the dishes manually after the dishwasher wash but the bubbles are still there....even if I boil milk so water supply cannot be to blame.

Where do they come from?? Is it normal? Or am I feeding my family with detergents???

I change Rinse Aid to Ecover rinse aid(ingredients: Water, Ethanol, Citric Acid, Butyl D-glucoside). Are any of the chemical in it harmful if digested???

Please help me in finding the answer as this problem is driving me crazy
Has anyone else had similar situation?

[Sircodekill]

your pot is ceramic made or steel?

I don't think this can be toxic or harmful but, in your case, I would be worried too.

[confused2012]

Hi:)

All my cooking pots are stainless steel but the same happens if I make coffee in ceramic mugs - bubbles on the surface are not clear but rainbow tinted:(

[Borek]

Compounds used in any washing/rinsing/whatever tablets for dishwashers have to be safe by definition, so I don't think they are dangerous to your health.

Doesn't mean you shouldn't do anything about it, I would not like idea of digesting them all the time.

You wrote that just rinsing is not enough. What happens when you wash dishes manually?

Perhaps dishwasher is faulty and is not rinsing correctly, or the pump is not working as it should and it is not able to replace all the water after washing? The latter can be also a problem with incorrect installation, when the pump has to work against a pressure that is higher than the pump was designed for. At least these problems were listed by a technician that came to check our dishwasher when it was not able to rinse properly (but what we have seen was different).

[confused2012]

Thanks for your advice

As far as I am aware the dishwasher is installed correctly - the mains supply in has sufficient water pressure (but I have not yet checked whether it has too much pressure) and the drain pipe is fitted within manufacturer's guidelines

I would call the technician but they say that there is nothing they can do if they do not find an obvious technical fault.

I will try cleaning one pot manually for a few days to check if problem persists or disappears. Up to now I have only tried rinsing/cleaning them post dishwasher wash

[oroplata]

You need to identify the source of the rainbow bubbles.

Go get a brand new coffee cup, wash it in your tap water (with no detergent) and make a cup of coffee - observe the bubbles.

Then wash that cup in the dishwasher with no detergent or rinse aid. Make another cup of coffee - observe the bubbles.

Then wash it in the dishwasher with detergent... etc etc.

[confused2012]

We tried removing rinse aid from the dishwasher with a syringe but it is not possible to empty it completely therefore a cycle with no detergent and no rinse aid will not give me a true answer I'm afraid

But will definitely try the other suggestion eg. buying a brand new mug!

[vex]

You need to identify the source of the rainbow bubbles.

Go get a brand new coffee cup, wash it in your tap water (with no detergent) and make a cup of coffee - observe the bubbles.

Then wash that cup in the dishwasher with no detergent or rinse aid. Make another cup of coffee - observe the bubbles.

Then wash it in the dishwasher with detergent... etc etc.

A true chemist would never do this experiment.

Rent for an apartment with a dishwasher is too high. 

[confused2012]

Hi again:)

I now know it is the Rinse Aid causing these bubbles (got new mug and did not wash it in dishwasher - only clear, normal bubbles in coffee!)

Does anyone know if it is safe to replace rinse aid with white vinegar? Can I put white vinegar directly into Rinse Aid dispenser?? Is it safe for the dishwasher's seals etc?

Thanks again for all the feedback