How do you stop glassware going cloudy in the dishwasher??

[Ovinnik]

Sorry for this banal thread. I have just moved into a house served by Thames Water - very hard water. I use a dishwasher and all my glasses are cloudy. Advice on the internet is to wash glassware in vinegar - I'm slightly reluctant - it's a lot of vinegar! What products are best to use in the dishwasher to ensure sparkling glasses? Separate salt and rinse aid rather than 3 in 1 dishwasher tablets?
Thanks.

[CatsSnore]

I need to know the answer to this too!

[CatsSnore]

Although I already do salt, rinse aid and use a 3 in 1 tab!

[Squeaky2023]

Put some vinegar in two small containers. Pop one on the top shelf of one on the bottom of the dishwasher.
My glassware was terrible last week (very hard water area) and this solved the problem without me having to hand wash everything.

[Ovinnik]

I can't bear the smell of vinegar...

[Ovinnik]

@Squeaky2023

Put some vinegar in two small containers. Pop one on the top shelf of one on the bottom of the dishwasher.
My glassware was terrible last week (very hard water area) and this solved the problem without me having to hand wash everything.

Thank you I'll try this! (Sorry, my 'can't bear the smell' post wasn't in response to your very helpful response!).

[Shouldbedoing]

Wash them by hand?

[Foxesandsquirrels]

@Ovinnik

I can't bear the smell of vinegar...

It only leaves a smell if you put too much in. Even then, it completely disappears after a few minutes. I use vinegar as my fabric conditioner. Sometimes I'm a bit too generous and have to do an extra rinse cycle, but even if I don't, once they clothes have dried you can't smell the vinegar.

[HippyChickMama]

Definitely use salt and rinse aid as well as the tablets. We have very hard water and it makes a massive difference if I don't use them

[UndercoverCop]

How's old is the dishwasher? Out old one read a bit like this. I use Aldi magnum 3in1 tablet/pod things and also salt and rinse aid. Old dishwasher gave up, got a new one same products, glassware sparkling.
I also live in a very hardwater area in the southeast

[Bluevelvetsofa]

Get a water softener! 🤣

[bellac11]

OH wont have anything washed by hand, wants everything in the dishwasher. Consequently everything gets ruined over time, coatings come off, knives blunted, glasses cloudy, chopping boards snap, mugs bleached.

I cant buy anything nice.

[Ovinnik]

@UndercoverCop

How's old is the dishwasher? Out old one read a bit like this. I use Aldi magnum 3in1 tablet/pod things and also salt and rinse aid. Old dishwasher gave up, got a new one same products, glassware sparkling.
I also live in a very hardwater area in the southeast

Thanks. I'll do this.

[Ovinnik]

@bellac11

OH wont have anything washed by hand, wants everything in the dishwasher. Consequently everything gets ruined over time, coatings come off, knives blunted, glasses cloudy, chopping boards snap, mugs bleached.

I cant buy anything nice.

I'm afraid I'm with your OH here!

[Seeline]

Is it white vinegar you use? Not malt?

[Ovinnik]

@Seeline

Is it white vinegar you use? Not malt?

Thanks for asking this - I was wondering too. Good grief I know nothing!

[CatsSnore]

@bellac11

OH wont have anything washed by hand, wants everything in the dishwasher. Consequently everything gets ruined over time, coatings come off, knives blunted, glasses cloudy, chopping boards snap, mugs bleached.

I cant buy anything nice.

I'm also with your dh on this. Everything goes in mine!

[Rainsdropskeepfalling]

Definitely use salt and rinse aid, no matter what the dishwasher tablet claims.

Also check out the manual for your dishwasher - when we moved into a hard water area we adjusted the setting on the dishwasher for harder water - I was contemplating buying a new dishwasher but this made my old one work just fine

[Comedycook]

My glasses get cloudy too. I have heard that vinegar in the dishwasher is not good for it...eats away at the seals...no idea if this is true or not?

[Augend23]

@Rainsdropskeepfalling

Definitely use salt and rinse aid, no matter what the dishwasher tablet claims.

Also check out the manual for your dishwasher - when we moved into a hard water area we adjusted the setting on the dishwasher for harder water - I was contemplating buying a new dishwasher but this made my old one work just fine

This.

It won't fix ones that have gone cloudy though - that will require application of vinegar/lemon juice/I have been known to use Viakal if they're really bad then rinse super super thoroughly and dry immediately (to avoid recreating the issue with the rinse).

[gingercat02]

I don't put glasses in mine except cheap pint glasses we use for water. I don't think you can stop them getting scratched and cloudy.

[woodhill]

I'm particular about what goes in the dishwasher

It's bad for chef's knives and would always hand wash cut glass

[SavBlancTonight]

Will the vinegar remove existing cloudy or only.prevent new?

[Cookerhood]

I didn't realise that you could get the cloudiness off - I thought it was damage to the surface of the glass - I'm now off to test it out

[LostMySocks]

We're in London.
We use the pod 3 part tablets which get out glasses shiny. Have stopped using salt and rinse aid as didn't seem to help.
Scum and scale build up quickly with hard water so you do need to regularly clean under the seals and run a cycle with one of the dishwasher cleaners plus clean filter.

[KnittedCardi]

What's the issue with hand washing? We hand wash all glasses, anything wood or silicone, baking trays, pots and pans. Plates, mugs and cutlery are dishwashed.

My local Mr Fixit days never use 3in1 tablets for anything. They are really bad for dishwashed and washing machines. Use original old fashioned powder, with additional salt for dishwasher. Machines are cleaner and last longer.