Dishwasher Symbols: A Practical Guide to Their Meaning

A household purchase worth indulging in when you arrive in 2021? Definitely the dishwasher if you don't already have one.

Washing dishes by hand is tiring and time-consuming. If that's not enough to convince you - maybe hard work motivates you - think about the environment. The appliance uses much less water than traditional washing. Even considering the electrical resources, the advantages still outweigh the disadvantages.

Taking advantage of government incentives, it is possible to purchase a good dishwasher, preferring models with a high energy class that allow for good savings in resources and money.

Finding yourself in front of a similar machine for the first time could be more surprising than you imagine. We all have an idea of ​​what a dishwasher is, but we can hardly imagine all the programs and functions that new technologies have made available to us. Each of them, obviously, is connected to buttons on the panel marked with drawings.

Understanding these drawings can be difficult at first. That's why in this article you will find the meaning of the dishwasher symbols explained. So, you will learn how to use them properly.

Summary

• Dishes with white patina after washing in the dishwasher: what happened?
  • Dishwasher leaves salt on dishes
  • The dishwasher leaves limescale stains
  • Dishwasher and white dishes: forgot the rinse aid?
  • You used the wrong detergent.
  • Dishwasher leaves a white film: what to do?

What are the dishwasher symbols?

Each production house has its own design and, consequently, even the symbols can change appearance even if, in general, the designs are very similar to each other. This allows you to easily switch from one model to another without too much difficulty.

The number of symbols also varies from appliance to appliance as it depends on the number of programmes present in the appliance.

Here we will give you a series of indications on the meaning of the dishwasher symbols, but we still recommend that you always take a look at the instruction manual of the appliance you purchased before starting to use the appliance.

The temperature symbol in the dishwasher

Dishwasher wash cycles can reach various temperatures. It depends on the type of program you set and the type of cleaning you need. The ECO cycle (very delicate and very useful for protecting decorated glasses) reaches 55°, while the rapid cycle reaches 65° or 70°.

Usually, for the first one we have a special button with the word ECO on it. In some dishwashers, the degrees reached are also indicated. For the other types of washing, however, the drawing consists of a pot. Depending on the temperatures you want to set, these shapes are more or less detailed. Indesit dishwashers, for example, for intensive washing have a pot with some asterisk-like shapes inside, for normal washing, however, only a pot.

Dishwasher washing symbols

The buttons with the ON/OFF symbol (where present) certainly do not need paraphrasing. As you can easily guess, they are used to turn the appliance on and off.

To select a washing program for your dishwasher you have several options. In addition to pressing the temperature buttons that we saw in the previous paragraph, you also have other options.

The dishwasher symbol consisting of a circle with an R inside indicates the possibility of activating a quick wash of the dishes. In Whirlpool appliances, however, you will find a clock with three parallel stripes at the base. A similar design is also present in Ignis dishwashers. The clock is also found in the delayed start symbol. To distinguish it from the quick wash symbol, an arrow positioned in the center or at the bottom is used.

If there is a button with the P symbol on it (perhaps next to a display), know that this is the one you will have to use to select the programs available in the appliance. You will have to use the display to locate and select it.

The set of water drops that fall downwards represents the pre-rinse symbol on the dishwasher. The exceptions are the Hotpoint dishwasher – in which you will find a circle with two waves above it – and the Indesit dishwasher – where the usual pan is crossed by a wavy line.

The button with the number ½ framed by two semicircles or two rectangles indicates a half load wash.

Some dishwashers offer the option to automatically select the type of wash using sensors that detect the amount of dishes and dirt to set the wash parameters. Appliances with this option usually have a button with “Auto” written on it.

Smart devices, which can be operated via a smartphone application, have a special symbol consisting of a rectangle with two curves on one of the two sides at the top to indicate a wireless connection.

The symbol for salt, rinse aid and detergent in the dishwasher

Remember that to soften the water in the system you need salt, which has its own container in the dishwasher. The salt symbol in the dishwasher is used to inform you that the product is running out and that it needs to be refilled. It consists of two curved arrows that point in opposite directions and that together resemble the letter S.

To make your dishes brighter, you need rinse aid to be inserted into a special tank that is indicated by the symbol of a stylised sun to distinguish it from the compartment where you put the detergent. This symbol also lights up when the rinse aid runs out and the tank needs to be refilled.

We were talking about a compartment where you put the detergent. Well, it also has its own specific symbol represented by stylized water jets arranged in a radial pattern.

If you have problems with your dishwasher not loading salt, detergent, or rinse aid, remember that you can rely on Coimbatore Service technicians.

“Dishwasher safe” symbol

You cannot put any type of material inside the dishwasher. Glass and ceramic do not cause problems (although glass could also become opaque), but plastic does. The dishes could be ruined over time.

To understand which objects to put inside your appliance you have to look for the “dishwasher safe” symbol. Some pots or dishes have this written on them, others use an image, usually a stylised dishwasher with a plate and a glass with drops of water on top. If it is crossed out by a slanted line or an X, it means that the object is not suitable for washing in the dishwasher.

Check the packaging carefully before purchasing your tableware to be sure.