What is the brown sand-like stuff my dishwasher is leaving on my dishes?

Lately when I've been running my dishwasher it's leaving this stuff in some of the dishes that looks kind of like sand. Is there something I can use to clean my dishwasher out? I don't know what it is or what's causing it. My dishwasher is only 2 years old.

Public Comments

1. Yes, you need to clean your dishwasher, your filter probably has food particles caught in it or the drum itself is collecting food particles stuck to the soap scum on the sides. To clean the dishwasher, fill the detergent container with baking soda. Put a cup of white vinegar in the bottom of the dishwasher and run on the longest wash cycle and use the air dry function. This will not only clean the dishwasher, filter, racks and silverware bin, but the hoses as well. I usually use this occasion to also clean my garbage disposal with 1/2 cup baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar and allowing it to sit through the dishwasher cycles. Then I follow it with some hot water.
2. It is old pulverized food. Make sure you scrape or rinse your plates off before washing them (seems kind of redundant, doesn't it). Try running the dish cycle with out any dishes, this way the grit will have nothing to stick to and be drained out of the washer.
3. First of all, most likely it's food and detergent residue. You need to check to be sure the filter isn't blocked. Check your owners manuel to find out where the filter is on your model. Also, you could check the Frequently Asked Questions or Trouble Shooting guide in your owners manuel that will help you solve this. If worse comes to worse and you can't resolve it yourself, call the manufacturers consumer hotline for advice or call a certified appliance repairman. This is more common than you think, especially in areas where you have 'hard water' problems. It won't hurt to use a rinse aid too, like Cascade or Electrosol Rinse Aid (it's an additive that you put in the door of your washer, you'll find it near the detergents in the store). Good luck.
4. what you need is a water softener that should take care of it
5. It sounds like the filter is stopped up. Fill both detergent receptacles with Lemi Shine. Turn the dishwasher on and let it fill with water. Once it has filled, turn the dishwasher off and let it sit overnight. The next morning, turn the dishwasher back on so that it can go through the cycles and drain. There are deposits that are visible and some that are not (in the filter and the spray arms). Some of those other additives have a sheeting action, Lemi Shine actually dissolves the minerals so it is really good for the kind of problem you are describing.