What Can I Use to Remove Cloudiness From Dishes?

White Distilled Vinegar

• Remove hard water film by soaking a non-abrasive sponge or washcloth in white vinegar. Scrub the dishes to remove the cloudy spots. If you do not have time to hand-wash the dishes, you can remove the cloudiness with your dishwasher. Clemson University suggests adding 1 cup of white vinegar to loosen the film then add 1 cup of chlorine bleach to remove the film completely. Pour each liquid into the bottom of the dishwasher or into a container placed on the bottom rack of the dishwasher. Simply add 1 cup of white vinegar to the dishwasher rinse cycle each time you do dishes to prevent hard water buildup.

Citric Acid

• Citric acid crystals work as effectively as white distilled vinegar to remove cloudiness. After you load the dishes, allow the appliance to fill with water. Add 1 to 3 tsp. of citric acid crystals to the dishwasher and run it through a complete cycle. Citric acid is available in the detergent aisle at most grocery stores. Citric acid crystals last longer than vinegar and may be a better choice to deal with hard water deposits.

Hand Washing

• Cloudiness may form on dishes due to food buildup. When you remove the dishes from the dishwasher, sometimes the food may not have washed off completely. Rounded glasses, detergent and hot water temperatures are some of the reasons why this may occur. Instead of washing the dishes in the dishwasher again, wash them by hand with liquid dish soap and hot water. Scrub the dishes with a non-abrasive sponge and dry them with a soft cloth to remove the film. Prevent the film from occurring by rinsing dishes that contain protein, eggs or milk before putting them in the dishwasher.

Etching

• If the cloudiness still remains on the dishes after you treat them, they may have become permanently etched. Etching occurs when soft water and too much detergent are used in the dishwasher. Small scratches form on the dishes and cause them to appear cloudy over time. Unfortunately, you cannot remove the cloudiness, once it occurs, because etches are permanent. You can prevent etching by using less detergent and rinsing the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Good Housekeeping recommends using a low or no-phosphate detergent on dishes if you have soft water.