We had a soft water system installed in our home and since have noticed when we wash pans they come out with a dull and discolored finish, anyone know why, or what to do about this

Is your water softener salt (sodium) based, or other?
What are your pans made of?
Many pans are not meant to be run through a dishwasher, especially anodized, whether water is softened or not.

Thank you for answering, out system is salt based and the pans I think are aluminum and not teflon coated. Also the steel pans seem to get rust on them which is probably from the salt, right? But, the aluminum one are very dull and ruff looking and feeling.

I hope I responded correctly I am new at this

I think you will find that the dish washing powder is caustic and it will react with aluminum the same as acid will. That is a typical color reaction to a caustic(basic) material.

Thanks, we use cascade dishwasher detergerent, so what kind should we use with the softwater system ?

Aluminum, as in a silvery color, or anodized aluminum, which has a black coating (whether Teflon or not)?
The latter ones are sold as not going in the dishwasher, or they will indeed come out all grey and filmy (I ran one through once).
Steel? Plain steel pans would be unusual, they are generally either stainless or enameled, or cast iron. Stainless can take anything, but enamel will lose it's lustre.
Iron will of course rust, and lose the baked in oil that you should be putting in it in a thin layer, on very low heat or in a low oven, periodically, and not washing with soap if you can help it. Soak in plain water and scrub clean and oil all over.
Many people are moving away from salt water based softeners because you shouldn't be drinking that water on a daily basis, just because of the high sodium chloride (table salt).

Salt is a neutral compound, neither acidic or caustic. It is however, corrosive. Make sure you use the minimal amount of cleaner needed. I don't know that you can brighten the aluminum without using another chemical, usually dilute phosphoric acid. One other issue with steel items, newer dishwashers allow you to air dry and save energy. However, as I found out with my cast iron fry pan, the water does not evaporate quickly and it rusted my pan. I hans wash cast iron now, and only lightly.

Thanks, now I can explain to my wife what's happening to her pans and that it's not the dishwasher... ya'll save me some money for a new diahwasher...

Glad we could help.

i hope i responded correctly i am new at this


No, you didn't. Nothing "Joy" said to you was factually incorrect. You asked a question, she answered, you replied... with attitude.

I got that negative on my first response AFTER I responded the second time? Yikes.
Reminds me of the time I chased a rolling hubcap down the street for some guy, who ran over it and squashed it, and got mad at me when I handed it to him.

Sorry but, the thumbs up says "is this helpful" and although she did answer her answer wasn't "helpful" with my problem, so I said it wasn't helpful...

Sorry if I upset you but your answer wasn't helpful the answer I got that was most helpful with my question was the type of soap my wife was using which had nothing to do with not washing pans in the dishwasher,and it cleared up more concerns about the color of the pans being washed turning dull... but thanks for the responses

Note I did responed with a thumbs up on your second answer... which was more in tune

OK.. so tell us, did you stop using Cascade? Do you use something else now? Is it helping?

Yes we stop with the cascade, are using Pure&Gentle which is what the company we bought the softwater system recommended, and of coarse they sell... dishes seem cleaner but haven't bought new pans yet so will let you know when we get new pans

Lets see-Joy, Ultra, Cascade, Pure & Gentle-sounds like we are in a marketing forum LOL, Brian

Yes, I was hoping Joy would be mentioned, as I am the heiress to the Joy fortune.

Are you single?