Dishwasher Is Starting to Leave Food Particles

Check Detergent Level

• You may need more detergent than you're putting in the dishwasher if your dishes aren't getting clean. The water in some areas is hard, meaning that it's full of minerals that might make it less effective for washing dishes. If this is the case, adding extra detergent might help clean the dishes. You might also want to get a rinse agent, which helps soften hard water and rinse dishes more effectively.

Check Water Temperature

• The water in the dishwasher must be as hot as possible to wash dishes effectively. Some dishwashers allow you to change the water temperature or boost the heat of the water. Use these settings if possible. If your dishwasher doesn't have a heat booster setting, run the hot water in the sink for a minute prior to running the dishwasher to ensure that the dishwasher water is hot enough.

Preparing Loads Properly

• Don't rely on the dishwasher to wash dishes effectively without any preparation. Scrape stuck-on food into the trash before putting dishes in the dishwasher and be careful how you load the washer. Items should always be placed so that the dirtiest items directly face the water spray, and you should never stack items tightly together. If you overload the dishwasher, the water can't get to items that are blocked by other items, and they won't get clean.

Calling for Service

• Before determining that the problem is the dishwasher, troubleshoot it yourself. However, if your dishwasher is running as hot as it can run, you're using the appropriate detergent and you're loading the dishwasher properly, there may be a mechanical problem. Call a service technician to check your dishwasher. The technician can check the water spray, motor, thermostat and other parts of the dishwasher that might be interfering with appropriate cleaning and replace or repair parts as necessary.