Dishwashers quietly remove stubborn, baked-on food, so you get your tableware spotless without any arguments over the washing up. But you may wonder why your glasses always come out the dishwasher looking cloudy. There’s a few things you can do to make sure your glasses stay gleaming.
Salt and rinse aid
Making sure your dishwasher is always topped up with salt and rinse aid is the key to spotless glasses that shine.
Cloudy glasses are caused by hard water. Salt is added to dishwashers to soften the water, which not only makes your glasses gleam, it also helps to prevent any limescale build up in your appliance too. You’ll need to add salt to the compartment located at the bottom of the tub - it is a good idea to check the levels monthly. Remove the lower rack and then simply turn the dial to remove the cap of the salt compartment to fill it with salt. A funnel is very handy at this stage to make sure salt doesn’t spill when you're topping up. Make sure the cap is screwed on tightly afterwards. Only use specially formulated dishwasher salt and not just table salt. You’ll be able to buy dishwasher salt at most supermarkets.
Are the watermarks on your glasses infuriating you? There’s no need to despair as there’s a simple solution…just make sure you keep on top of filling the rinse aid. Rinse aid will help the dishwasher’s drying process, which means fewer water marks, as well as giving your glasses a beautiful shine. The rinse aid compartment is generally located next to the detergent compartment, on the inside of the door. Check this monthly and top up as necessary. You can buy dishwasher rinse aid from most supermarkets.
Where to put dishwasher salt
To insert dishwasher salt, remove the lower rack and then simply turn the dial to remove the cap of the salt compartment to fill it with salt. A funnel is very handy at this stage to make sure salt doesn’t spill when you're topping up. Make sure the cap is screwed on tightly afterwards. Only use specially formulated dishwasher salt and not just table salt. You’ll be able to buy dishwasher salt at most supermarkets.
How to prevent cloudy glasses in dishwasher
Are the watermarks on your glasses infuriating you? There’s no need to despair as there’s a simple solution…just make sure you keep on top of filling the rinse aid. Rinse aid will help the dishwasher’s drying process, which means fewer water marks, as well as giving your glasses a beautiful shine.
Where to put rinse aid
As a general rule, the rinse aid compartment is located on the inside of the door, next to the detergent compartment. Make sure you check this monthly and top it up as necessary. It is easy to find dishwasher rinse aid in most supermarkets or directly from Hotpoint.
Load your dishwasher correctly to ensure the best clean
There is a right and wrong way to load the dishwasher. Improper loading can prevent effective cleaning, which can result in either a second wash or a rinse under the tap, wasting water unnecessarily. Blocking the spray arms is a common mistake. The rotating plastic arms in your dishwasher powerfully spray water around your appliance to ensure a deep and effective clean - if you stack items on top of one another, then the water cannot reach the top item, and so doesn’t get a proper clean.
The top rack is where you should load your glasses and mugs, and the bottom rack should be loaded with your heavily soiled items, like plates, saucepans, frying pans and baking trays. You may have a cutlery basket in your bottom rack, where cutlery should be placed sharp-side down, or you may have a third rack at the very top of your dishwasher, which can be loaded with all your cutlery and cooking utensils, so you’ve got more space in the lower rack for larger items.
Did you know your dishwasher can wash more than just your plates, saucepans and cutlery? If you’ve loaded your dishwasher but it isn’t yet full enough to run a cycle, consider items around the home that could do with a wash to help load it to full capacity for maximum efficiency. Toothbrushes and holders, jars, soap dishes, vases, plastic storage containers, plastic children’s toys, and even sponges can safely be washed in your dishwasher, and you’ll be saving energy that you would have otherwise used cleaning these items in the sink. You should also put any plastic items on the top rack to prevent the hot water warping them. If you can’t wait for a full load, many dishwashers offer either a fast cycle or a half load option - both will help reduce energy and water consumption compared to a full load.
Keep your dishwasher clean
Keeping your dishwasher clean is the best way to make sure it’ll be performing at its best for you. Cleaning the filter should be done regularly because it often gets clogged with food particles. The filter is located at the bottom of the tub, and usually just needs turning to remove it. Simply give it a good rinse with warm, soapy water.
Once per month, you should run your dishwasher on the hottest cycle when it’s emptied to help keep it clean. You could add a sprinkle of baking soda and a cup of white vinegar too, which will help remove any built-up grime. Alternatively, you might think about using a dishwasher tablet whilst doing your monthly dishwasher cleaning routine, to keep your dishwasher clean and running.
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