If your dishwasher leaves water marks on your dishes, it can be tough to believe they’re clean even after a wash cycle. Luckily, water spots on dishes from the dishwasher are a relatively simple issue to resolve. You may need to adjust your detergent or add a rinse aid agent. With a few adjustments, your dishes will be sparkling clean in no time!
What to Do When Dishwasher Leaves Water Marks on Dishes
Have you found yourself wondering how to avoid water spots on dishes? Maybe you’ve asked yourself, “are water spots on dishes bad?” The first step to preventing water spots on your dishes is understanding what causes them.
What is Hard Water and Why is it Leaving Spots on My Dishes?
Hard water is water that has a high content of calcium, magnesium, and other minerals. It’s safe to drink and wash with but can lead to annoying or costly problems. A buildup of scale on faucets, low water pressure from clogged pipes, or dull, rough laundry are a few ways you can tell if you have high mineral content in your water.
Is White Cloud on Dishes Caused by Hard Water?
Another sure way to tell if you have hard water is if a white, chalky residue is left on your dishes after a cycle in the dishwasher. The white cloud or water spots on your dishes are mineral deposits left behind when water evaporates.
What’s the Best Dishwasher Detergent for Hard Water?
The best dishwasher detergents for hard water are powder or pods because they both prevent buildup from hard water in your dishwasher, which can lead to expensive repairs.
Dishwasher Pods
Dishwasher pods include a combination of ingredients for everything you need to get sparkling clean dishes. Pods come premeasured, so you don’t have to worry about using too much or too little.
Powder Detergent
Powder detergents work just as well at preventing mineral deposits from streaking and clouding your dishes. Powder detergent are more budget-friendly, but since you have to measure it yourself, it’s essential to use just the right amount.
Why Not Gel Detergent?
The two main ingredients of dishwasher detergent are bleach and enzymes. Bleach removes stains, and enzymes eat away proteins and solids. Bleach in a solid form, such as powder or pod detergents, works together with enzymes to clean. However, bleach in a liquid form kills enzymes, only allowing gel detergents to use one or the other in the detergent.
Does Rinse Aid Prevent Hard Water on Dishes?
If your dishwasher is leaving residue on glasses, adding rinse aid to your routine can prevent water spots and cloudiness. Rinse aid reduces the surface tension of the water, making it easier for water to roll off instead of sitting on the glasses until it evaporates, leaving behind mineral deposits.
Not only does rinse aid prevent water spots, but it enhances drying times and protects your glasses from etching. For best dishwasher results, use rinse aid in combination with dishwasher detergent, and refill your rinse aid dispenser monthly.
Alternatively, you can use white vinegar as a rinse aid solution. To prevent water spots with vinegar:
- Pour vinegar into a dishwasher-safe bowl and place it on the top rack of your dishwasher.
- Position it upright, and between other dishes so it doesn’t get knocked over.
- Run your dishwasher like normal, and you’ll be free from cloudy glasses in no time!
If you have other issues with your dishwasher, call the dishwasher repair experts at Atomic Tech.
