Home Remedies That Will Clean Your Drinking Glasses
Hard water sometimes leaves a cloudy film, also known as calcium deposits, on drinking glasses and other utensils during the washing process. Hard water is often resistant to soap and other cleaning agents and deposits from the water will cling to the glass. Several household ingredients will clean your drinking glasses and remove any leftover calcium deposits. Does this Spark an idea?
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White Vinegar
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Fill your sink with warm water and add a cup of white vinegar to the water. Let the drinking glasses sit in this mixture for an hour. The vinegar will break up the cloudy film on the glass and leave it streak free. Let the glasses sit longer if the cloudiness isn't gone after an hour. Rinse the glasses clean of vinegar and dry completely before using.
Dish Washing Soap
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According to the University of Nebraska, hard water deposits appear when not enough dish washing soap is used to wash the glasses. Increase the amount of soap used in your dishwasher based on the amount recommended in your manual. If hand washing, fill the sink with hot water and add more soap then you normally would. Let the glasses sit in the water for 15 minutes before washing. Repeat if needed until the glasses are clean.
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Toothpaste and Toothbrush
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Use toothpaste along with a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean away and hard water deposit stains. Use a cheap white variety -- make sure it's not a gel-based toothpaste -- and apply only to the areas with the cloudy film. Once you scrub all areas with the toothpaste, rinse cleanly and dry thoroughly.
Water Softener
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Add 1 tsp. of a water softener to a gallon of water and allow the glasses to soak in the mixture before rinsing. The water softener will break up the minerals causing hard water stains and allow the cloudy film to be wiped off using regular dish washing soap.
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References
- University of Nebraska: NF93-134 Water Nuisances; Alternatives to Cleaning Deposits on Household Surfaces; Shirley Niemeyer; 1993
- North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service; Removing Mineral Deposits From Household Surfaces; Sandra A. Zaslow; March 1996
- Vinegar Book: Clean Cloudy Drinking Glasses with Vinegar
- Mrs Clean USA: How To Clean Windows and Glass
