The Cascade liquid detergent in my Smart Dispense GE Profile dishwasher has congealed for some reason. My dishes are not getting cleaned, and the rinse water is gushing up and out of the air vent. I have tried to remove the soap and run the purge cycle, but it doesn't solve the problem Help!!

Are you getting a white cloudy film on the dishes? Do you live in a hard water environment?

cascade complete is an enzyme based detergent so if it was mixed with a bleach based, it solidfies.

Hi,

The scum, film and white residue problems have started since the reduction of phosphates in dishwasher detergents.

Here is a tip that will help you to solve the problem of films, residue, and scum in your dishwasher.

Dishwasher Residue and Film on Dishes

heatman101

Hi,

The scum, film and white residueproblems have started since the reductionof phosphates in dishwasher detergents.

Here is a tip that will help you to solve the problem of films, residue, and scum in your dishwasher.

DishwasherResidue and Film on Dishes

heatman101

Hi, I have an older dishwasher also and recently mywife also complained about it not cleaning right... so me being the man I amtried in vain to clean the things... Bought new spray arms online and installedthem in minutes...now the thing works like new... However I have also foundthat if the heating element goes bad then that also can mess things up bad...So I would buy new spray arms, and also check out the heating element to makesure it is working... Here is a tip that will help you with the onlinebuying...
Dishwasher SprayArms not Spinning

How to Buy ApplianceParts Online

A bad heating element causes many problems in dishwashers...

Dishwasher Problems The HeatingElement not Working

DishwasherMaintenance DishwasherResidue and Film on Dishes

heatman101

Asker's Testimonial "explanation very clear. will give it a go and see howsimple it was. thanks Ronnie " - ronnieshomes

I have the same problem. It isn't because of a long vacation, so if its still under warranty, call them out before they try to charge you an arm and a leg!

I called GE, they told me that it was Cascade's fault because they changed their formula to phosphate free and when I refilled the smart despenser, it congealed. When I called Cascade, they offered to send me a voucher for a free container of Cascade and they gave me a number to call GE saying that I wouldn't have to pay for the service call and that they would walk me through how to get it cleaned out. I then called GE and I was told by GE that I will have to pay the $100 for them to even come out and look at it because I have owned it for 14 months. (2 months past the warranty.)

I am still calling back and forth telling them both that I shouldn't have to pay for a service visit because I used the recommended Cascade detergent and it clogged it. Both of them are finger pointing.

I am in the process of trying to clean it out myself without taking it all apart, and its not looking like it will work. I had to get a wet vac and **** it all up, put water in, slosh it around by moving the door up and down, and by pushing a long straw in trying to break up the clotted detergent.

Good luck. If I find anything that will for sure get it cleaned up, I'll post it on here!

How to Purge Incorrect Liquid Detergent from the Bulk Dispenser

The purge routine operates the bulk dispenser pump continuously to drain the bulk dispenser tank when an incorrect liquid was poured in the tank. The process consists of setting up the dishwasher to run the purge mode, running the purge mode and then cleaning up the purged detergent.

Follow these steps carefully to have a successful purge run.

For Top Control Models:

1. Make sure Pre-wash, Added Heat and Heated Dry LEDs are off.
2. Press Heated Dry and Down Arrow buttons together for 3 seconds. All LEDs will illuminate.
3. Press Added Heat and Up Arrow buttons together for 3 seconds. The Anti-bacteria LED will illuminate
4. Press Start button one time
5. Select Normal and make sure Pre-wash, Added Heat and Heated Dry LEDs are off.
6. Press Start button one more time and dishwasher will run a complete cycle without the main motor running. Cycle is complete when the Clean light illuminates. This should take approximately 60 minutes.
7. Open door and wipe up excess detergent from the door and tub
8. Flush remaining detergent off by pouring water on the door and tub where there is detergent residue.
9. Remove SmartDispenser cap and fill tank with water and then replace cap.
10. Repeat Steps 1 through 9 one time.
11. Then, repeat Steps 1 through 6. When the Clean LED illuminates, the system is purged and ready to be refilled with the correct detergent.

Front Mount Controls (same as above except for the changes in the two below steps):

2. Press Heated Dry and Cookware together for 3 seconds. All LEDs illuminate.

3. Press Added Heat and Cookware together for 3 seconds. The Anti-bacterial LED illuminates.

Try this before you jettison your current dishwasher. Yes, it is possible that the wash motor is getting weak, beginning to fail but:
Buy and use a box of brand name box of detergent powder Electrosol or Cascade. Stop using the generic powder and never use a gel or tablet in a dishwasher.
You will be amazed how how much better the detergent dissolves and the DW cleans.
Good Luck!

There are two different types of dishwasher detergent types, bleach based and enzyme based.  The owner's manual states that if the two are ever mixed that the mixture will congeal, clogging the dispenser.
I don't know exactly how to safely remove the detergent that is in there, perhaps a wet/dry vaccuum.  There is likely a service mode for the dishwasher if it has electronic buttons, in the service mode you could activate the pump that dispenses the detergent.  Use caution, the thicker the clog, the harder the pump has to work and it may fail.  Hope this helps.

Just use the manual dispense. The smart dispenser is horrible. You will never get it empty AND you will have congealed soap in the dispenser for ever.