Just when I was starting to feel a little embarrassed to offer a drink to guests, I discovered how to clean water spots off glasses once and for all. The solution is a thorough dishwasher cleaning with an editor-approved dishwasher cleaning detergent and then a regular wash cycle using a dish detergent booster. Here’s how it went.
How to Deep Clean the Dishwasher
Recommended Product
In the past, whenever my dishwasher needed to be cleaned and deodorized, I would turn to the age-old trick of home editors everywhere: adding a cup of white vinegar to the top shelf. But this time, it just didn’t seem to be enough to clean the water spots off my glasses. So when a packet of Lemi Shine Dishwasher Cleaner ($8, target.com) landed on my desk, I decided to give it a whirl.
Method
To clean the dishwasher, I emptied an entire packet of lemon-scented cleaning crystals onto the inside of the dishwasher door and then ran a cycle with the machine empty. The crystals are designed to combat everything from residue to dirt build-up. When I opened the door at the end of the cycle, I was hit with a light citrus scent, but couldn’t tell the results right away without running my glasses through a cycle.
How to Clean Water Spots off Glasses
Recommended Product
The next day, I decided to put the machine to the test and loaded up a stash of glasses marked with water spots. This time, in addition to my usual dish detergent, I filled the pre-wash chamber with Lemi Shine Dish Detergent Booster ($8, target.com), yet another set of citrus-scented crystals. The detergent booster fights against hard minerals in the water, combining with the cleaning power of the detergent to get dishes sparkling.
Results
When I opened the dishwasher door for the big reveal, I was happy to find that the detergent booster did just what it promised. The glasses looked better than they had in months. While not 100% spot-free (a few small marks still lingered near the rim of a couple of cups), the difference was dramatic, and when stacked up in my kitchen cabinet, they looked sparkling clean. The effect was so noticeable that my sister even commented on how clean the glasses looked. The next time those pesky spots reappear on my favorite glasses, I’ll know just what to do. Will I use the cleanser and booster again? Absolutely.
