Kenmore 587 Dishwasher Leaves White Residue and Doesn’t Clean

Hi Vanessa, good news first: running it empty with detergent didn’t hurt anything, but it probably won’t fix this either. Extra detergent can actually add to the white film. Your Kenmore 587 is made by Frigidaire, and on these the white residue almost always comes from one of three things.

1. Figure out what kind of white it is

Take a cloudy glass and wipe it with a bit of white vinegar.

• The film wipes off: it’s hard-water minerals. Go to step 2.
• The film stays: it’s etching, which is permanent scratching of the glass from too much detergent with soft water. Use less detergent from now on. The damage on those glasses won’t come off.
• It’s gritty or pasty: the detergent isn’t dissolving. Go to step 3.

2. Hard water fixes

• Run one cleaning cycle with a dishwasher cleaner (Affresh, Finish, or a cup of white vinegar in a bowl on the top rack). Don’t add detergent to this cycle.
• Fill the rinse aid dispenser and keep it full. Without rinse aid, hard water spots show up on almost every load.
• Try a detergent made for hard water, or add a booster like Lemi Shine.

3. Make sure it’s getting hot water and enough of it

• Run the kitchen faucet until the water is hot before you start the dishwasher. Detergent needs hot water to dissolve and work.
• Choose the heated wash or “hi-temp” option if your model has it.
• Pull out the lower rack and check the filter at the bottom and the holes in the spray arms. Clear any clogged holes with a toothpick. Clogged arms mean dishes don’t get rinsed.
• Partway through a cycle, open the door and look at how much water is in the bottom. It should cover the area around the filter. If there’s only a shallow puddle, the water inlet valve may not be letting enough water in, and that’s a repair.

Is it worth fixing?

Your dishwasher is 12+ years old. If the cleaner, rinse aid and hot water take care of it, great: that cost you about $10. If it turns out to be the inlet valve or the wash motor, compare the repair quote with a new dishwasher before you decide. At this age a new one often makes more sense.