Sometimes, after washing in the dishwasher, an unsightly film will appear on the glass glasses. The most common cause is water that is too hard, leaving mineral deposits on the dishes. In this article, we will show you how to remove such sediment from glasses, as well as avoid food and etching marks, which are often confused with mineral deposits from hard water.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: How to remove plaque from water
Step 1. Determine the cause of the glass cloudiness
Use your finger to rub a drop of white vinegar over the glass. If the stain disappears or moves, then it is caused by hard water. In this case, proceed to the next step. If the glass remains cloudy, it could be scratched. Scratches are nearly impossible to fix, although there are ways to prevent them.
Don't skip this step. If you confuse scratches with hard water deposits, glass processing runs the risk of deteriorating its surface
Step 2. Remove the cloudy stain with white vinegar
Hard water stains are caused by the alkaline minerals it contains. The mild acid neutralizes these minerals and dissolves the film. Do the following:
- rinse the glass with plain water - soap residues will react with vinegar and leave behind a greasy residue;
- moisten a sponge with vinegar and thoroughly wipe the dirty area;
- wash the glass with hot water;
- you can use acetone or nail polish remover instead of vinegar.
Step 3. Soak a glass in vinegar
If the film remains, it may take longer for the vinegar to take effect:
- Put vinegar-soaked paper towels inside the glass and wrap them on the outside (if the glass is heavily soiled, dip it whole in the vinegar);
- wait 15 minutes;
- wash the glass with hot water;
- After you soak your glasses in vinegar, try rubbing them with baking soda.
Step 4. Start the dishwasher with a special detergent
If the vinegar doesn't remove the film, try this method instead. Heating up in the dishwasher should help.
- Remove all metal objects, plates with metallic paint and delicate coatings from the dishwasher.
- Instead of dish soap, add citric acid crystals or film and stain remover (check the instructions for use that came with the product).
- Set the temperature to 60 ºC. If the dishwasher is connected to a tap, turn on hot water.
- Start your normal dishwashing cycle. Then run a second rinse cycle if recommended in the instructions supplied with the product.
Step 5. Prevent future hard water sludge formation
Hard water will continue to leave marks on the dishes. Take the following steps to prevent this:
- Try using more detergent. Fill both detergent dispensers if necessary.
- Check the hot water with a thermometer. If the water temperature is below 60 ºC, it is necessary to raise it.
- Purchase a rinse aid and add it according to the directions for use. This will help to better rinse off mineral and food residues from the dishes before drying.
- Install a water softener in case of serious problems. It can also help remove hard water stains on sinks, tubs, and toilet bowls.
- Take the glasses out of the dishwasher before starting the drying cycle to avoid damaging them.
Method 2 of 3: How to remove food wrap
Step 1. Wash the glass by hand
If food film remains on the glass after the dishwasher, wash it by hand. Use enough soap and hot water. Most likely, a protein film has stuck to the surface of the glass.
Step 2. Rub the glass with dish soap
If necessary, try using dish soap instead of soap to remove the stain. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from irritation.
Step 3. Wash off the remains of protein foods in the future
These foods include eggs, meat, and dairy products. At high temperatures in the dishwasher, proteins can stick to the dishes. To avoid this, rinse off any food debris before loading the dishes into the machine.
If a film often remains on the bottom of deep or round glasses, the dishwasher may not be able to reach it. Try hand-washing your glasses
Step 4. Use rinse aid
Add rinse aid to the dishwasher to help the water run off the surface of the dishes and not accumulate on them. Try this method if traces of food remain on the dishes after washing.
Method 3 of 3: How to prevent and fix scratches
Step 1. Recognize irreparable damage
Sometimes the cloudy "film" is actually a network of tiny scratches. This damage cannot be repaired. It's hard to hide, so don't expect to be able to completely restore the glass. Here's how you can prevent this type of damage.
First, try rubbing the cloudy stain with vinegar. The following methods can worsen the condition of the glass if the stain is caused by hard water sediment
Step 2. Wipe the rainbow spots
The iridescent luster of the glass can be associated with the silica film. As a rule, such a spot is interrupted by white or cloudy stripes. These streaks cannot be removed, but you can get rid of the rainbow film. Dilute a small amount of baking soda or toothpaste with water to form a paste. Rub the glass gently with the paste, then rinse.
- You can erase the film with a knife or pin, but be careful not to split or scratch the glass.
- You can also use a commercially available glass polish.
- Toothpastes have different abrasive properties. Compare pastes by abrasiveness index (RDA). A paste with an abrasive index in the range of 200-250 is best suited.
Step 3. Prevent dishwasher pickling
There is a way to keep your glasses still intact. Etching is usually caused by too soft or hot water. In this case, you can take the following measures:
- Run hot water from the tap, and when it warms up properly, dip the thermometer into the glass of water. If it reads above 60 ºC, lower the water temperature.
- Use a cool dry cycle if available in your dishwasher.
- Do not turn on pre-rinse if possible.
- Use a very small amount of detergent, especially after pre-rinsing. ¼ of the dispenser is sufficient if you have soft water (for example, its hardness does not exceed 3 grains).
- Change to a detergent designed for soft water.
- Wipe down valuable glassware and air dry.
- If the glasses are already etched, apply clear nail polish to the scratches and let it sit for 1 hour. Wipe off excess nail polish with a clean rag and nail polish remover.
Step 4. Do not use worn out brushes
If the dish brush is worn out to the point that it rubs the glass with a plastic or metal surface, discard it as this may cause scratches.
Pickling rarely happens when hand-washing dishes, unless you scratch them. If you have problems with a new brush, try lowering the water temperature and the amount of soap
Advice
- The water heater should be set to about 60 ºC. At lower temperatures, a film can form, and too high temperatures can cause etching of the glass. Some dishwashers are equipped with a water heater that independently regulates its temperature.
- If you work in a science lab, you may need to use strong acids or alkalis to clean your glassware. The laboratory must have written rules for the selection of chemicals and their safe use.
- Some people fill the vertical dispenser on the bottom rack with vinegar when starting the dishwasher to prevent hard water stains. However, some dishwasher manufacturers claim that this method is ineffective in solving the problem or may damage the appliance.
- Antique glasses may crack when washed. Try gently wiping off the plastic with toothpaste instead. If that doesn't work, apply petroleum jelly to the stained area and leave it on for 4-5 days.
- You can use citric acid or a commercial acid cleaner instead of vinegar.
Warnings
- If there are metal parts on the glass, wipe them off immediately after washing. Acid and water can corrode the metal and form rust.
- Don't mix castile soap and acid. Vinegar, citric acid, and other acidic cleaners will degrade castile soap, resulting in a dirty white residue.
- Heat-resistant borosilicate glass is particularly difficult to clean. Wash or soak glass products immediately after use, otherwise they may become cloudy.