Dishwasher Tip: Cloudy Glasses

If your glassware has a cloudy appearance, soak it in white cider vinegar for five minutes. If this causes the cloudiness to disappear, most likely it is caused by a hard water deposit and you may need to use more detergent. If, however, the cloudiness remains, it may indicate "etching" - which is a permanent condition. You can avoid further damage to the glassware by using less detergent and not using a pre-washing cycle.

If you are inclined to pre-wash your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher, consider this. Dishwasher detergent NEEDS a certain amount of grease and dirt in order to do its job. Otherwise, it actually foams up during the cycle which is not good for your dishwasher.

Dishwashers operate with a minimal amount of water. All that is really needed is enough to barely reach and cover the heating element to maintain proper water temperature. You should check the water level periodically to be sure it reaches the requirement. Let the unit fill, wait until the wash cycle begins, then open the door and look to be sure the water is covering the element.

Clean Your Dishwasher

Perform a thorough, routine cleaning of your dishwasher, such as described in "How To Clean Your Dishwasher and Remove Odor".

Water Softeners

If you have a water softener, you should not need to use a rinse aid.

If you do not have a water softener and want to avoid spotting on your glassware, you may use a rinse aid such as Jet-Dry®. We recommend the solid type rather than liquid because it's easier to see when you need to add more. The liquid dispenser is hidden from view and may be empty for several cycles before you realize it. Solid rinse aids are visible because they are contained in a little basket on the rack. They work during the entire wash and rinse cycle. They work best when placed in the front left corner, upper rack.

An eco-friendly alternative is to add 1 Tablespoon of baking soda to each load to "soften" the water.