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Recently I’ve started noticing a strange type of sand-sediment in the bottom of my dishwasher. My house is brand new, and I know the utilities are all new too. Do you have any ideas what this substance could be or where it’s coming from?

Lillian in Madison, Wisconsin

Dear Lillian,

I’d first suggest checking to be sure the problem is not occurring in any other water using appliances, such as the washing machine or the toilet tank. If there are signs of sediment in other places, you may have a problem with your water supply or piping. If not, the detergent you are using in your dishwasher may be the culprit. Remove the dishwasher screen from the bottom of the dishwasher, clean it out as best you can, then place the screen back in and run the dishwasher without anything in it. This will help clean out any gunk that may be leaving sandy-grit on your plates. Also, be sure to use a liquid dishwasher detergent, because liquids dissolve easier than powders.