Results Do’s and Don’ts

For best results, the dishwasher must have:

  • Clean spray arms/bearings
  • Clean sump screen
  • 140° minimum water temperature
  • Detergent set at 4.5 revolutions (7cc)
  • Rinse set at 1.75 revolutions (3cc)
  • Sanitizer set at 50-100ppm
  • Sufficient water level
  • Soft water at 4grains or less
  • 20-24 pounds of water pressure at spray arms

Customer must:

  • Wash silverware 2 times – first in fine flat rack, then standing heads up loosely in silver basket. For best results, silverware must be soaked in silver soak for 30 minutes.
  • Wash all dishes after each shift – dried on food, milk, cheese or lipstick will not come off in dishwasher.
  • Scrape and pre-rinse dishes properly – scrap trap will show if this is not being properly done.
  • Keep spray arms, sump screen and sump clean.
  • Do not wash glasses with plates or with silverware – wash glasses only, plates only and silverware only.
  • Never wash mats, stove grills, mops, brooms, buckets or towels in machine.

If / Then:

  • Spotty glasses – hard water, low water temp or low rinse aid.
  • Greasy glasses/plates – washing glasses with plates/silverware, low detergent or low water temp/level.
  • Black film on glasses/plates – washing black mats in machine.
  • Starchy white build-up in machine – low water temp, low detergent, low rinse, improper pre-rinsing or 6-9 grains hard water +starch mix

Complaint / Repair:

  • Greasy glasses – set up temperature to 140° and/or increase detergent.
  • Film on glasses – wash all glasses each shift, hand check for milk, lipstick, orange juice etc.
  • White film/spots – check that hard water is below 4 grains, lower detergent and increase rinse to 2.5 revolutions (4.5cc).
  • Lipstick on coffee cups/glasses – wash by hand.
  • Brown coffee stains in coffee cups – soak in solutions of 1cup bleach per 2gallons water for 30 minutes 2 times weekly.
  • Spotty/dirty silverware – soak in silver soak for 30 minutes, wash in fine flat rack, then wash in silverware baskets with heads up.  Silverware must not be packed tightly in basket.

Intermittent Problems:

  • Running out of hot water
  • Changing dishwashing personnel
  • Cold water feed-over from pre-rinse
  • Changing sources of water
  • Empty chemical buckets
  • Contaminated chemical due to spouts being down
  • Clogged spray arms
  • Cavitating dishwasher

To check wash pressure, pull out lower spray arm and run machine – water will go nearly to the top if impellor is free of debris.

Theory:

The dishwashing person and the dishwashing machine work hand in hand.  The more things done properly the better the results.  Keep in mind that one dishwasher person may be doing everything right and the person on the next shift can be blowing the operation completely.  You can expect 5% of the dishes not to come clean for one reason or another.  Those dishes must not go up to the serving line.  If you keep sending 5% up to the serving line, pretty soon all of the dishes will be dirty.  It is the responsibility of the dish person to clean by hand or rewash any dirty dishes.  Once a dirty dish is sent up front and dries, it is impossible for the dishwashing machine to clean that dish.  It must be washed by hand.  Silverware that has not been soaked in silver soak regularly can be de-tarnished with aluminum foil.  Line silver soak container with aluminum foil and fill with solutions of silver soak.  The silver soak will create a chemical reaction with the foil and de-tarnish the silverware.  Customer should never soak silverware in bleach or any pot&pan soap.  When checking results, ALWAYS start with clean plates, silverware and glasses.  You can then get them dirty before you run them thru dishwasher.  NEVER just try to wash dishes, glasses or silverware that have a build up, they will not come clean.  Lipstick will NOT come off in the dishwasher, it must be washed by hand.  Glasses will get a 1” ring around top lip if they do not wash them by hand.  A heavy build up of starch is created by not pre-rinsing properly.  The food literally bounces around in the dishwasher depositing inside the dishwasher.  The dishwasher is NOT a garbage disposal.  A greasy build up on the dishwasher and sump, is usually caused by washing hood filters or floor mats in the dishmachine and then not wiping out the machine when finished.  Also, be aware that customers sometimes wash potatoes in the machine.  If that is the case, a by-pass switch needs to be installed (a de-limer switch).