You’ve just run a cycle on your dishwasher, but you notice your glasses are streaked with white marks. This article explains what those stains are, how to get rid of them, and how to prevent future white marks on glasses from dishwasher cycles, so they continue to sparkle like new.
A brilliant polishing tool for removing dishwasher marks could be something you read everyday! Make use of old newspapers before you recycle them by crushing the paper up, dampening in water or vinegar and then using to scrub the glass with.
What are Those Dishwasher Stains on Glasses?
Is your dishwasher not cleaning glasses properly? Those white streaks are limescale deposits left by high levels of calcium and magnesium in the water that your dishwasher uses. These aren’t dirt, per se, and even though they’re unsightly, you can continue to use the glasses with the streaks on them. But if you leave the mineral deposits for too long, the white stains will be harder to remove. There isn’t much you can do about the water in your area being hard, but you can take some precautionary measures with your dishwasher to make sure the white streaks won’t come back.
How to Remove Dishwasher Marks from Glasses
If you find your glasses not clean in dishwasher cycles, there are several different suggestions for removing those white marks. Pick which one suits you best, or use a combination of the tips below. Make sure never to scrub your glasses with a hard brush or steel wool, as this may score the glass surface permanently.
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Mix a Baking Soda and White Vinegar Paste. Smear this paste on the white streaks on your glasses, and let the paste sit for 10-15 minutes to break down the limescale. Then wipe or scrub away with a sponge or cloth, and rinse.
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Scrub plain white toothpaste onto the stains with an old toothbrush. After you’ve scrubbed away at the stains, soak the glasses in the vinegar and soapy water solution and rinse.
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Scrub the glasses with newspaper. Crushed newspaper is very effective at cleaning and polishing glass surfaces. Try crumpling up old newspapers, dampening them with water or a vinegar solution, and scrubbing away at the stains.
How to Prevent White Stains on Glasses in Dishwasher Cycles
Now that you know how to remove those dishwasher stains on glasses, how do you prevent them from forming again? The stains are a sign that your dishwasher itself could use some maintenance.
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Make sure you are running your dishwasher with enough dishwasher salt. There should be an indicator light if your dishwasher is in need of salt. Follow instructions and make sure to pour enough salt into your dishwasher’s salt container. Once you see to this, you’ll notice a big improvement in how your dishwasher cleans.
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Run a normal wash cycle on your empty dishwasher, but add a cup of vinegar inside the dishwasher. Just pour the white vinegar in the bottom of your dishwasher. This should help clear out any build-up of minerals in the machine. You may want to add half a cup of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) as well. Do this once every two months. For more tips on cleaning your dishwasher, read this article.
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Use commercial products to combat limescale. Some limescale removers suggest being used in your dishwasher once a month for maintenance. Also certain dishwasher detergents are specially designed to prevent white streaks.
Overall, white streaks on your glasses may be pesky, but they’re nothing to worry about. Keep your dishwasher well-maintained and follow our steps — and your glasses can continue sparkling as brightly as when first bought!
