My dishwasher was leaving a cloudy film on glasses — here’s the quick fix that cleared them
The common dishwasher mistake leaving a white film on your glasses (and the 1-cycle fix).
Unclear glassware can be caused by two factors, but only one can be fixed: hard water minerals or permanent glass etching. Hard water, containing calcium and magnesium, mixes with detergent fats during washing. If there's insufficient rinse aid, these minerals adhere to the glass during drying, forming a white film. Glass etching occurs in soft water when too much detergent or extremely hot water is used, leading to a permanent damage that cannot be removed by washing.
However, mineral film can be dissolved quickly using a mild acid. To restore clarity to cloudy glasses, place a single drop of white vinegar on a cloudy glass and rub it with your finger. If the spot clears, it's hard water buildup and the fix will work. If it remains cloudy, the glass is etched. Arrange the hazy glasses on the top rack of an empty dishwasher, skip standard detergent, and fill a dishwasher-safe bowl with 2 cups of white vinegar.
Place the bowl upright on the top rack and run a normal hot-water cycle. The vinegar will dissolve the mineral film without the need for manual scrubbing. To prevent the film from returning, fill the dishwasher's rinse aid compartment with liquid rinse aid and run a cycle.
Written by urgent.news from Tom's Guide's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
