When wine glasses get cloudy, they tend to lose their brilliance and quality, and not look good anymore.
The most common reason that wine glasses get cloudy is hard water. Another reason is etching, which are tiny scratches on the surface of your glass.
Here Is How Hard Water Affects Your Wine Glasses:
Hard water normally has calcium and magnesium deposits, potentially ruining your glassware. The mineral in hard water leaves a residue that makes your glasses cloudy, or the hard water is not effective in rinsing away the soap, leaving a milky film on your glasses.
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Can You Prevent Wine Glasses From Being Cloudy?
Preventing your wine glasses from getting cloudy is possible, and there are a couple of ways to do it.
One is to check if your wine glasses are dishwasher safe. Normally, those wine glasses that are said to be unsafe for dishwashers tend to get cloudy after a wash cycle.
This is why they are not recommended to be cleaned in a dishwasher.
So if you are not sure if your wine glasses are dishwasher safe, wash them by hand.
While it can be tedious to hand-wash wine glasses, it is better to be safe than sorry. It is worth the effort.
You certainly do not want your expensive wine glasses to lose their clarity.
Another way to prevent your wine glasses from getting cloudy is by using rinse aid or a rinsing agent. They work by reducing the surface tension of the water and can help prevent hard water from clouding up your wine glasses.
Rinse aid can also help dry your wine glasses and other stuff in the dishwasher faster.
If they dry faster, you can skip a heat cycle, and your wine glasses will spend less time in the dishwasher.
How Do You Clean Cloudy Wine Glasses?
Before reading this article, you may already have some cloudy wine glasses.
Do not throw them away just yet, as you can still clean them and restore their clarity and luster.
Here is how to clean your cloudy wine glasses:
- Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a container.
- Soak your cloudy wine glasses in the vinegar solution for about 30 minutes. The acid tends to break down the minerals and dissolve them.
- Test if it worked by taking one of the glasses and rinsing it. If it is still cloudy, put it back in the vinegar solution and soak it for another 30 minutes.
- Rinse the glasses with warm water.
- Use a clean cloth to dry the wine glasses with a clean dishcloth. Drying them off with a dishcloth also helps scrub off any residue of hard water deposits.
If this procedure does not work, the cloudy surface is caused by etching. In this case, you cannot fix it as they are tiny scratches on the surface of your glass.
You would have no choice but to keep using these cloudy wine glasses or buy new ones.
Why Do Wine Glasses Get Cloudy In Dishwashers?
Wine glasses tend to get cloudy in dishwashers, with the common cause of hard water.
When hard water is used in the dishwasher, wine glasses will become cloudy.
Another reason wine glasses get cloudy in the dishwashers is that you may use a lot of detergents. Too much detergent mixed with hard water will cloud up your wine glasses.
These Wine Glasses Do NOT Get Cloudy:
Many wine glasses out there on the market do not get cloudy. Here are five wine glasses that do not get cloudy.
Zwiesel Glas Pure Tritan Crystal Wine Glasses – $11.17 per glass
These wine glasses from Zwiesel Glas are Tritan crystal glass composed of titanium oxide and zirconium oxide.
Tritan glass is a worldwide patented crystal glass material that is very durable and heat-resistant.
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These glasses are great for soft body red wines and full-body white wines.
These wine glasses are top-rack dishwasher safe and do not get cloudy.
Riedel Ouverture Wine Glasses – $10.87 per glass
Riedel is a leading German manufacturer of wine glasses.
Their Ouverture collection is one of the best-selling collections, which is no surprise, are these wine glasses are a perfect mix of elegance and functionality.
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These wine glasses are made of pure lead-free crystal. They have very thin rims that can enhance your wine tasting experience.
These glasses are dishwasher safe, and they do not get cloudy.
Bormioli Rocco Electra Wine Glasses – $6.17 per glass
These wine glasses from Bormioli Rocco are ideal for formal gatherings and contemporary table settings, with their sleek modern lines and elegant design.
They are made of exclusive Star Glass, a lead-free chemical composition that produces ultra clear, pure, and stunning wine glasses.
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These wine glasses are completely dishwasher safe and are not prone to getting cloudy.
Mikasa Melody Wine Glasses – $11.48 per glass
These Mikasa wine glasses are crafted from fine European lead-free crystal.
These crisp and clear wine glasses come in a classic elegant design. They are dishwasher safe for thorough cleaning and will not get cloudy.
Voglia Nude Wine Glasses – $8.90 per glass
Voglia is a brand of glassware under the umbrella brand Restaurantware.
These wine glasses are premium lead-free crystal with exceptional clarity to display good quality wines.
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These elegant wine glasses are made with superior precision.
They are also made to be very durable to withstand dishwasher use.
Can You Always Restore Cloudy Wine Glasses?
Not all wine glasses that have become cloudy can be restored. It will depend on the reason for their being cloudy.
You can still restore if a wine glass becomes cloudy because of hard water and too much detergent. Follow the instructions indicated above.
However, if a wine glass becomes cloudy due to etching, which are tiny scratches on the surface of the glass, then you cannot restore them.
There is no fix to etching, and you would have no choice but to replace the wine glasses.
Cloudy can be quite common in wine glasses if they are not cared for properly. Good thing there is a fix – most of the time.
Ensure that your wine glasses are dishwasher safe before putting them in the dishwasher. Or better yet, check the label first if they are dishwasher safe before buying them.
Sources:
Here’s Why Your Glasses Get Cloudy (And How To Fix It)