Film on Drinking Glasses

Updated on November 11, 2010
D.M. asks from Littleton, CO
15 answers

Any suggestions on how to get the film off of drinking glasses that build up from the dishwasher?

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So What Happened?

white vinegar works wonders! Thank you

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E.F.

answers from Provo on

Get Lemi-shine, it comes in a little bottle and it a powder formula, you just at a little in the bottom of every wash. It is amazing and works awesome to get the film from hard water off.
This is what it looks like,
http://www.amazon.com/Lemi-Shine-Dishwater-Detergent-Conc...
And I can get mine at Walmart
Vinegar works too, but I think this is a little easier.
Good luck!
E.

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M.F.

answers from Minneapolis on

Could it be hard water deposit stains? Try vinegar in the little rinse thing that unscrews.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

You can run the empty dishwater with a cup or two of white vinegar. I used to get that when I used liquid or gel detergent. Our appliance guy said ALWAYS powder or powder packs. It stopped happening.
If you use liquid or gel--use less!

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S.L.

answers from Boise on

It depends on what is causing the film. Vinegar will get hard water deposits off, and it will clean your dishwasher, too. A dishwasher repairman told me to fill a glass with white vinegar (I buy it by the gallon at Walmart--it's pretty cheap) and put it right-side up in the middle of your lower rack. He said to run your dishwasher empty to clean the dishwasher, but we'd had crud building up on our dishes, so we ran it again with vinegar and those dishes (the ones with build up). I couldn't believe how much better they looked! I do that every few weeks just to keep it up. It cleans out some of the hard-water deposits in the dishwasher, meaning that it sprays better and cleans better.

But dishwashers etch glass over time. Hold your glasses up to sunlight. If there's sort of a rainbow when you're looking at the "film" then it's not really film. It's etching. And there's nothing you can do about it. Your choices are to live with it, buy new glasses every few years, or wash your glasses by hand. I live with it until I can buy new glasses.

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R.W.

answers from Provo on

Add a cup of white vinegar at the beginning of the wash cycle. It keeps the film off glasses and helps keep that same buildup from accumulating inside your dishwasher.

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S.A.

answers from New York on

I can always tell when I run out of jet-dry. Also Every so often I take the bottom off and clean the whole thing. You'd be amazed at how much food you'll find in there.

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M.R.

answers from Denver on

on tv I saw that the culprit is phosphate free dishwashing powders. I don't have a clue.

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P.D.

answers from Missoula on

You don't mention if they are plastic or glass. If they are plastic they may be permanently etched. If they are glass try soaking in vinegar.

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M.M.

answers from Provo on

Our news reported on this very frustration that a lot of people are having and they said it was due to the diswashing soap companies'. They are trying to be enviromentally green, so they no longer us Phosphates which is the chemical that got rid of that film off of drinking glasses and all other dishes, especially people who have hard water. They did say like many of the others have said, to use half a cup of vinegar and it will help, or use jet dry. If you look on the dishwashing soaps box at the very bottom on the back of the package it says Phosphate free to be enviornmentally friendly. Good luck, we have the exact same problem.

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J.G.

answers from Salt Lake City on

There is a product called Glass Magic (I think it's a cascade product) that we use. We have a roll away washer and it's the only thing that keeps the film away. I clean my dishwasher with Vinegar every month, too.

A.H.

answers from San Francisco on

Great question! I have been struggling with this for awhile. We have hard water where I live. Jet dry helps but does not get it all. A few months ago I gave up and stopped putting my glassware in the dishwasher. Initially I used white vinegar to remove the film from all of my glassware and I have been doing them by hand ever since. I'll have to try some of the ideas here.

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A.B.

answers from Salt Lake City on

CITRIC ACID!
A pharmacist let me in on that secret and it works really well. Fill the soap area with it and run your dishwasher empty. It gets rid of hard water deposits & clears out all the sprayer holes so your dishes will get rinsed much better. But it at any pharmacy or much cheaper in a 1 lb tub at Orson Gygi for $5.99.

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B.F.

answers from Chicago on

You may have to adjust the amount of detergent and/or jet dry. I had that once and I think it was because I used too much jet dry. Check your dishwasher manual it will probably say something in there.

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A.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

Lemi Shine works WONDERS...can get it at Target, too.

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K.P.

answers from Houston on

Hi DM,
You could try Lime Away...maybe soak them in it and then wash thoroughly.
Also, I have been told to use less detergent in the dishwasher...esp. if you have soft water. The detergent can also be the culprit.
Hope this helps.
K.

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