This post centers around one of my biggest pet peeves: hard water dishwasher stains. The minerals in our water do us plenty of good, but they’re also responsible for those unsightly hard water stains on dishes that leave glasses looking more spotty than sparkling.
It’s a common problem, too — hard water is prevalent throughout the American Southwest and upper Midwest. If you also struggle with hard water, you’ll be happy to know there’s a simple and inexpensive way to solve the problem of spotty dishes.
Keep reading to learn how to prevent hard water stains for sparkling clean dishes!
Jillee’s Take:
Table of Contents
The Effects Of Hard Water In Dishwashers
Pulling clean dishes out of your dishwasher only to realize they don’t look clean at all can be disheartening, to say the least. Certain materials are more susceptible to the effects of hard water than others (like plastic utensils and containers), but water spots on glass can be harder to ignore.
Hard water stains form at the end of the wash cycle when the residual water evaporates and leaves behind the minerals in your water supply (i.e. calcium, magnesium, etc.) The severity of the stains depends on the hardness of the water.
How To Prevent Hard Water Stains On Dishes
Using Vinegar As A Rinse Aid
So what can be done about those hard water stains? I discovered a simple fix several years ago when I read a comment on an online forum from a user who recommended using white vinegar as a dishwasher rinse aid. I had some on hand, so I loaded my dishwasher and placed a small ramekin of vinegar in the center of the top rack to test the suggestion for myself.
The results of my experiment were nothing short of miraculous! I opened my dishwasher to discover that my drinking glasses looked as clean and shiny as the day I bought them, and that cloudy mineral buildup plaguing several of my dishes had disappeared too.
Results You Can See
The before-and-after photos above show a drinking glass washed in the same dishwasher, once without vinegar and once with vinegar. As you can see, a small amount of vinegar makes a big difference when it comes to hard water stains!
I’ve been using this vinegar hack to fight hard water stains on my dishes for years now, and it continues to work as well as it did the first time! Not only is it a brilliantly simple solution to a common problem, but it’s cost-effective too!
If your tap water isn’t terribly hard, you could fill your dishwasher’s rinse aid dispenser with vinegar instead of adding it to the top rack. The dispenser will release a small amount of vinegar into your dishwasher during the rinse cycle, helping to prevent those pesky hard water stains.
A Word Of Caution
I’ve been sharing this vinegar hack with people for a long time now, and almost all of the feedback about it has been positive. However, a few readers have told me that plumbers have advised them not to use vinegar in their dishwashers, so I wanted to address that here.
Vinegar is acidic enough that repeated exposure can slowly degrade rubber gaskets like the seal around your dishwasher door. I think that’s a small price to pay for spot-free dishes (especially since you can buy replacement dishwasher door seals online for $10-20), but you may not agree with me — and that’s okay!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Hard Water Spots On Dishes?
When your dishwasher’s wash cycle is complete (especially if it finishes with a heated dry cycle), the remaining water evaporates and leaves behind the trace minerals that are present in your water supply. Hard water stains can range in size and severity from small spots to dish-coating films.
What’s The Best Way To Remove Hard Water Stains From Dishes?
A vinegar soak is one of the most effective ways to remove hard water stains from dishes. Fill your sink or a bucket with equal parts vinegar and warm water, then soak the dishes in the vinegar solution for 15-30 minutes. Scrub the dishes with a sponge or brush, then rinse and dry.
More Ideas You'll Love
Is Vinegar Effective Against Hard Water Spots?
Absolutely! Not only is it acidic enough to dissolve stubborn calcium and magnesium buildup, but it’s safe to use and inexpensive to buy in bulk.
Conclusion
If your dishes are plagued by hard water stains, using vinegar as a rinse aid can be an affordable and effective solution. Give it a try for spot-free dishes and glassware!
The “Problem Solved!” Series
- To refresh your memory of other solutions or check out other posts in this series you might have missed, check out my complete archive of posts from the “Problem Solved!” series!
- Click here to explore the “Problem Solved!” series archive.
Do you have any tips for dealing with hard water?
Buy citric acid powder (the active ingredient in Lemme Shine, cheap in bulk). Put a teaspoon or two in the detergent cup and fill with dishwasher powder or use tablet, etc. This keeps both the dishes and the inside of the dishwasher clean and sparkling. Cheaper and easier than vinegar.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I ditched dishwasher soap, rinse aid, etc. years ago. I fill the cup 1/4-1/3 full with citric acid powder (same as “lemi shine” – cheap in bulk) and the rest of the way with “oxygen bleach” (stainsolver, oxyclean, etc.). Add 4-5 little drops (no more!) dawn dish soap on top and close the cup. No rinse aid at all. Hottest water cycle (required for oxygen bleach). Citric acid deals with hard water deposits, oxygen bleach eats organic residues like nothing else can, and a little dawn helps it all mix and rinse away clean. Everything sparkles like new.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.One more dishwasher hack if you happen to have an issue with black mold forming in any part of your dishwasher is to get a piece of soft copper tubing, the kind used for running water lines to icemakers and the like, straighten it out, cut off four 3″ pieces, and slip them over the rear tines of your upper dishwasher rack. Many places have mold problems now because most newer homes no longer have copper water lines. They have all gone to plastic, and in some cases, pex lines, so no copper to kill off any of the mold causing bacteria. If you are old enough (like me) and think back, you will remember that there never was a mold problem when copper pipe was used to plumb homes.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ll have to remember to show this to my folks. I recently had to buy a huge bottle of vinegar for the laundry room. We have extra people living with us and they go through lots of towels. I sometimes can’t get to them very fast so I had to one treatment because they were starting to stink.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for this great hint! I’ve had positive results. However, I stopped because of this question: I use my good silverware, and regularly put it in the dishwasher. It tarnishes over time, but no big deal to shine it up again. Does the vinegar harm the fancy silverware?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have tried both vinegar and dishwasher and they both works when the hardness is medium or low. I have moved to the electronic water conditioner EWC Max-i now as it is a one-time installation for many years to come. No maintenance required, no salt use and definitely no more worries for alternate solutions. :) http://www.h2oelitelabs.com/product-category/residential/
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi, this is Janet from Casselberry Fl. I cannot say enough about the shower cleaner!, I have told everyone I know!! Thanks so much for making the “thorn in my side” literally wash away!! We moved from RI to Fl 5 years ago so I was not used to the hard water and all the purifiers needed. My search is over!,, love all these tips!,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Your dishwasher is one of the most time-saving appliances in your home, but there are still a few things you can do to make it work even better. Check it here https://warewashingsolutions.com.au/
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wow. I needed this!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks. You’ve given me back my dishwasher. So disappointed in the results I haven’t used it in several years.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes the AZ desert has awfully hard water. Everyone in our family uses only bottled wster to drink. The vet even told me to feed it to the cats to protect their kidneys.
Living in the AZ desert has its challenges, a big one being the hard water. I was changing the faucet spigot filters monthly! My plumber told me to throw them into some hot vinegar (heated in microwave) for a few minutes and all the scale will just fall off with a little coaxing! Works like magic! This made me think of our hot tub that I usually spent up to 5 hours scrubbing and scraping when it needed cleaning. I thought of what I was doing for the spigots and thought I would try that on a larger “scale” (so to speak!) The night before I pour 3-4 jugs of vinegar in (less than $10), turn the heat up, let the filter run overnight, then drain the hot tub the next day and wipe it out with a damp sponge. Works like a charm and saves me a lot of time, sweat and energy The bonus is that the pipes are all cleaned without me doing a thing! I’ve had this hot tub for 17 years and not one repair yet!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.One possibility for the ‘anti vinegar’ advice could be that yes in olden times the joints where made of natural rubber that hated acids. But like in the joints of car windows this is no longer the case (said by my garage)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Unless a family happens to own a BOSCH. The German company still uses a natural rubber with a vegetable oil base, apparently. And it does disintegrate, but the seals lasted us two years from installation. I don’t know if would have happened even if we didn’t use vinegar, but the repair man didn’t mention it at all.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a question: if I do this with a container in the top rack, I do NOT use the rinse agent in the dispenser, correct? I’ve seen this hint several times in different places, but I’ve never seen anything that stated it clearly. Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Correct! The container on the top rack will replace the rinse aid dispenser entirely :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I live in the Phoenix, Arizona area and we have VERY hard water! And my laundry “room” just happens to be outside. In our extreme heat, it is easy to forget a batch of clothes in the washer! It only takes a short time for a batch to turn “sour”.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I keep a large bottle of vinegar with the laundry products. So it is very easy to pour a little in the washer, along a very small amount of laundry soap, and start it on a short cycle. Vinegar has saved me so many times!!!!
This is the same principle as using vinegar to get rid of mineral deposits around your faucets. I soak a paper towel in vinegar and wrap them around the base of the faucets. They look like new!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love that method, it works so well!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I plan to try this trick immediately! Personally, I can’t imagine that if all the bleach and chemicals contained in regular dishwasher detergents and rinse agents don’t damage the dishwasher seals and components, that something as benign as vinegar would cause worse problems. I agree, I’ll risk it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Good point Elizabeth!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just pour vinegar in the bottom of the dishwasher before starting it. Spots disappeared and everything comes out shiny. We have very hard water. I also use it in our washer in the softener dispenser. Recently started using woolen balls in the dryer with great results. No more softener sheets!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.In case you’re wondering what kind of water you have, water testing is free at pet stores. Just take in a fresh sample of water, and ask for it to be tested. It’s a simple and free!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s good to know. We’re having leaking issues with our dishwasher right now. I want to try this after we get a new one.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve stopped putting glasses in the dishwasher because of the etching, but I’m going to try this and see if it helps.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We suffered with hard water for over 20 years and recently put in a water softening system. I was very reluctant because I always thought water softeners made the water feel slimy. I was wrong! Anyway, I have been trying to undo all the mineral buildup on my sink drains (and lots of other places). I was pouring some old whitening mouthwash down the sink when it bubbled up and softened the buildup enough for me to scrape it off with my fingernail! It took a few applications, and cotton balls soaked in mouthwash left on the drain overnight, to get the buildup completely off. Now, I wonder what that mouthwash was doing to my teeth!
Also, with hard water I am on my 3rd dishwasher in 20 years, have had many leaks, and have the seals replaced several times. I wish I had known about the vinegar idea years ago and had clear glasses to enjoy. Replacing the seal is the easy solution. What hard water does to all the plumbing is incredible.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee, what do you do to avoir the hard water problems in regards to your laundry ? Thanks, Anna Belle
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I add about 1/4 cup of borax to each load :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I add about 1/4 vinegar to my rinse cycle. Works like a charm and no static in the clothes.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A related concern: If your water is that hard from minerals, you should be drinking bottled water or have a softening system put in. Excess minerals can cause or exacerbate kidney stones in humans and pets. Bitter, painful, expensive experience speaking.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We use a Britta water pitcher to filter our water. I’d rather do that than pay for bottled water.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m a true Sonoran desert rat, and I literally have water in hand 24/7. Yes I have suffered kidney stones because of the water. Not fun. I now am lucky enough to have my own well and the water ( I had it tested) is softer than the usual desert standard. Thank you for reminding people about kidney stones. Not a fun time at all
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve been putting vinegar in my top rack 4 close to 8 years. Prior to that usually forced to replace our drinking glasses annually. Definitely a nice cheap way to save on your dishes. I also put a drop of dawn into the powdered dispenser
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is hard water the same as well water? my MIL said she can’t have a dishwasher because they have a well. Will this help her? thanks! I will forward to her if it will :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Mother and I have always had dishwashers with hard well water. Although we both had softeners (not that pricey if you DIY), they don’t always fix it all. Well water isn’t a reason not to have one.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I commented above about our hard water – we are on well water. It is not very expensive to have your well water tested, and I would recommend it. We didn’t do it for years, and were very surprised to find out exactly how hard our water was, the bacteria (harmless) that was in the water, and all the minerals we were drinking.
Some states provide free water testing, there are private labs, and water softener companies (ex: Culligan) can all test your water.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We have well water, no softener, hard water. I have used many different ideas to get the dishes shiny. I started using 1/4-1/2 c white vinegar and 2-4 drops of a citrus essential oil in a cup on the top rack of the dishwasher. No more spots! Smell fresh. In the winter during flu season, I will add a couple drops of essential oil that are anti viral.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Have your well water tested. I have a well and a dishwasher. It’s not crazy expensive to do and my well water tests came back with comparison of water from around the state. While my water is still hard, it’s by far surperior to the other water comparison. Most of which feed cities and huge subdivisions. Well worth the testing
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks to all of you!! I’m not sure if she has it tested. It’s for my MIL. I will show her these for sure! thanks for taking the time to answer me. Much appreciated.
Thanks Lea, I don’t know much about well water! :-)
I’ve been putting white vinegar in my rinse aid dispenser for the last 6 and 1/2 years (since we moved) and have yet to have to replace the seal. I love the way my dishes come out and have no plans to change…………………………………………………………
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Have used vinegar in my softener tray for over 20.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for the tip, will be trying this I use vinegar in the washing machine instead of softener for a couple of years now Certainly much cheaper and No the clothes do NOT smell like chips