Curious about the edibility of the dishwasher salt and whether is safe to eat?
Explore the safety concerns of consuming dishwasher salt and its potential risks.
No. Dishwasher salt is not for the eat. Dishwasher salt contains 100% NaCl, but table salt is enhanced with other elements to make it suitable for consumption and taste.
Learn more about the health risks and why avoiding eating dishwasher salt is best. Dive deeper into the topic for a comprehensive understanding.
What is Dishwasher Salt Used for?
A dishwasher uses a special kind of salt specifically made to soften water. The salt is made of 100% sodium chloride NaCl. Although table salt does contain sodium chloride, it also has magnesium, which dishwasher salt removes in hard water. Does that make a dishwasher suitable for eating?
Aside from dishwasher salt being too salty from the 100% sodium chloride, the salt is manufactured specifically for use in a dishwasher. No research says you can use dishwasher salt for cooking. Don’t go trying things you don’t know if they have health implications.
Is Dishwasher Salt Toxic?
Dishwasher salt is used to soften the water used to wash dishes. Since it comes in contact with plates, it is not toxic. The salt is also used in water plants with hard water to help soften.
However, it would be best not to use dishwasher salt for cooking. The salt might contain hazardous health chemicals added by manufacturers. Dishwasher salt is too salty.
What Happens If You Consume Dishwasher Salt?
Since the dishwasher salt is made of Pure sodium chloride, there might be few or no health implications when consumed. However, dishwasher salt is not approved for consumption. There might be additional chemicals added to dishwasher salt by manufacturers.
Dishwasher salt is too salty. The saltiness might make consuming food made with this kind of salt hard.
Overeating sodium chloride could lead you to get sick.
Is Dishwasher Salt the Same as Table Salt?
Both dishwasher salt and table salt have sodium chloride components. However, dishwasher salt is 100% sodium chloride, while table salt has some magnesium and iodide components.
Dishwasher salt regenerates resins that remove magnesium and calcium from hard water. While dishwasher salt removes magnesium, table salt contains magnesium.
Table salt is made of fine particles, while dishwasher salt has large granules. Using table salt in a dishwasher will dissolve quickly, which might plug the dishwasher.
Salt softens the water when added to a dishwasher, making the dishes sparkling clean. It prevents the words from having streaks resulting from limescale. Dishwasher salt also increases the efficiency of a dishwasher. This is done by ensuring no limescale buildup happens in the dishwasher.
Table salt can damage a dishwasher’s mechanical components, which is the opposite of what a dishwasher salt does. Removing magnesium and calcium from hard water ensures the dishwasher does not overwork.
You should therefore use the two salts for their intended use.
Other Uses for Dishwasher Salt
Aside from softening water in a dishwasher, the same salt has other essential functions.
Limescale Removal
Dishwasher salt ensures that your dishes are sparkling clean. It removes the limescale buildup in containers after rinsing.
Clean Oven Doors
Due to their effective softening properties, you can use dishwasher salt to clean your oven door. The steam produced during baking sticks onto the oven door, causing black tar. Pour the dishwasher salt on the door, let the tar melt, and make cleaning easy.
Removing Weeds
If you notice some weeds around your home or patio, dilute the dishwasher salt in water and pour it on the weed. The salt will kill all the weeds.
Clean Pans
Salt can be used to remove grime from pans. Dishwasher salt has large granules, which makes it practical for this purpose. Pour dishwasher salt on the pan, let it sit for 10-15 minutes, and scrub the pan.
Unclog Drains
If your drains have been clogged and you don’t have money to pay a plumber, you can use dishwasher salt. Pour a cup of dishwasher salt, baking soda, and vinegar into the drain. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes, and pour boiling water into the gutter.
Baking soda and vinegar are the best solutions for drain clogs, and you can get tips for using them from the “What is the Ratio of Baking Soda to Vinegar to Clean a Drain?” article.
Cleaning Other Appliances Like a Coffee Maker
If your coffee maker is making bitter coffee, then the coffee maker is dirty. Then you can use the dishwasher salt to clean the coffee maker and get the best taste in your coffee.
Dissolve five spoons of dishwasher salt in water and pour it into the coffee maker. Run the coffee maker cycle with the mixture inside. Run the process with clean water. The coffee buildup that makes the coffee bitter will disappear.
Getting Rid of Oil Spills
Dishwasher salt is your saviour if you have those stubborn oil spill stains in your garage or driveway. Wet the area and pour dishwasher salt on the colour. Let it sit for 20 minutes, and scrub the oil stain. Use a clean cloth, and the colour will disappear.
There are many other ways you can use dishwasher salt in your home. But do not use it for cooking. Dishwasher salt is not approved for human consumption.
Can I Use Dishwasher Salt in My Bath?
If your bathwater is hard, pour some dishwasher salt to soften the water. Hard water makes it difficult for the soap to work effectively.
Avoid using too much salt, as chlorine will make your skin look ashy.
Can I Use Dishwasher Salt for Cooking With?
Although no research shows the health implications of dishwasher salt in food, cooking with this salt is terrible. The salt was manufactured in a way it works best with a dishwasher. Therefore, the salt has not been handled as cooking salt is dealt with during manufacturing.
Dishwasher salt is also made of 100% sodium chloride. This makes it too bitter compared to the regular salt used for cooking.
You should therefore avoid using dishwasher salt for cooking.
Does Dishwasher Salt Expire?
Although salt does not expire, you should check the manufacturer’s indicated expiry date on the package.
In most cases, dishwasher salts have a lifespan of 2 years. Do not use expired products in the dishwasher. The water will come in contact with dishes.
Conclusion
Although dishwasher and table salt contain sodium chloride, you cannot use dishwasher salt when cooking. Dishwasher salt is too bitter, and manufacturers do not use food standards when handling it. Besides, they might add some chemicals during packaging.
Using a dishwasher salt is the best way to ensure your dishes are sparkling clean with no limescale buildup. You can also use it in other ways at home.
James is an organic fertilizer professional who owns a successful organic fertilizer company in new jersey. He is an expert in waste management in both houses and community cases. In his free time, he loves to write about his experiences in the field.
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