Photo by Gabriel Domingues Leão da Costa on Unsplash
My drinking glasses are cloudy. I never seem to notice until I have guests over and I hand them very clean but very cloudy glasses. Lately, I’ve been tempted to toss the ones I have and buy a whole new set. But, aside from the cloudiness, the glasses are good quality.
So instead I decided to try to get them sparkling clean and clear. If you are dealing with cloudy glasses too, here’s how you can get them crystal clear and prevent cloudiness in the future.
Clean Cloudy Glasses with Vinegar
After researching the cause of cloudiness, I learned that minerals in the water cause build up which leaves a cloudy film on the glasses. As soon as I realized the cause, I knew just what to do: clean with vinegar.
When I was working as a house cleaner, I would commonly use vinegar to remove hard water build-up from showerheads and tub fixtures and it worked beautifully. If hard water is the cause for cloudy glasses vinegar is the solution. Vinegar breaks down the film left by the minerals in the hard water. Is there anything vinegar can’t do?
Methods for Cleaning with Vinegar
There are a few ways to clean your cloudy glasses with vinegar. You can simply soak a sponge in white distilled vinegar and scrub your glasses. Then, clean with dish soap and rinse with water, but be sure to dry the glasses as soon as you are done. Otherwise, the water will have time to sit on them and leave more minerals.
If your glasses are very cloudy, you can soak them in white vinegar for a while or overnight. Then, wash with dish soap, rinse, and dry promptly. Or, you can soak paper towels with vinegar and place them over the inside and outside of the glasses and leave them for a while. Again, wash, rinse, and dry.
Photo by Jana Sabeth on Unsplash
Prevent Cloudy Glasses
Now that your glasses are crystal clear again, it’s time to talk about preventing them from getting cloudy again. Since we now know that minerals in the water are causing the cloudiness, we know how to prevent the problem.
Use a Rinse Aid in Dishwasher
A great way to avoid cloudiness is to use a rinse aid in your dishwasher. These really do make a difference in the cloudiness and water spots on your dishes, silverware, and glasses.
Use Vinegar as a Rinse Aid
Did you know that you can skip buying rinse aids and use vinegar in its place? It is a cheaper option and we already know that vinegar does a great job cleaning cloudy glass. Just add some white vinegar into the rinse aid compartment of your dishwasher. Of course, you’ll need to use your own judgment on this if the manufacturer of the dishwasher advises against it.
Use Drying Cycle in Dishwasher
Since we know that water sitting on the glasses leaves a film, it’s best to dry the glasses as soon as possible. Choose the drying option on your dishwasher cycle to avoid cloudy glasses.
Hand Dry the Glasses
As a busy mom, I just don’t have time to hand wash and hand dry all my dirty dishes. But, taking the time to pull just the glasses out of the dishwasher and hand dry them before putting them away takes just a few minutes. If you can spare a few minutes, hand drying will really help prevent cloudiness.
Cloudy glasses are no match for vinegar. So grab your vinegar and make those glasses look brand new again!
