Homemade dishwasher detergent can suffer from improper dissolving.
Many people have discovered that dishwasher detergent can be made at home cheaper than paying for the store version. Although a variety of recipes are available, some of which work better than others, the bottom line is you still can encounter problems with the detergent not dissolving properly during the washer's cycles. Basic troubleshooting might reveal the problem to be as simple as using the wrong temperature of water, or as complex as malfunctioning water jets or detergent cup assembly.
Water Temperature
One of the easiest solutions to fix when it comes to faulty detergent dissolving is that the water isn't hot enough. An easy way to check your water temperature is to fill a glass with hot water from the kitchen sink faucet. After letting it run for a minute, drop in a thermometer. It should read at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit, though gel might need water 10 degrees hotter than that to completely dissolve. If your homemade detergent mixture is still sitting in the cup at the end of the cycle, try increasing the water temperature.
Cup Assembly
A couple of issues associated with the detergent dispenser assembly could prevent your homemade dishwasher detergent from dissolving. One possibility is that the cup is not opening properly or the inlets are full of gunk, thus the soap never receives the full force of the water jets. Alternatively, you should make sure you're filling both cups with the proper amount of detergent. Some washers use a two-cycle process that opens them at different times in the cycle. Using too little detergent causes the appliance to miss a cleaning cycle.
Water Jets
Improper loading or putting too many dishes in the dishwasher can cause one or more water jets to be blocked. The ability for the jets to blast water into all the crevices in the machine, including the nooks and crannies of the detergent assembly cup, is necessary to ensure full dissolving of the soap. If you suspect the jets are being blocked by dishes, load it up with soap and run it through a full cycle empty or with very few dishes. If the detergent dissolves, you're probably putting too many dishes in at once.
Considerations
If the detergent cup doesn't open at all during the wash cycle, it is not surprising the detergent won't dissolve. There is a possibility the timer instructing the door when to open is faulty. Replacing it might solve the issue. Another common problem is when either the bimetal switch or wax motor, depending upon your particular model, quits functioning. These are the mechanisms that physically release the latch on the cup assembly, and if they don't work, your detergent will be sitting in a clump waiting for you when you open the door.
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