Then check the two reservoirs people forget. Dishwasher salt softens the water and is the single biggest factor in whether glasses come out gleaming or chalky in a hard-water area, even if you use all-in-one tablets. Rinse aid stops droplets drying into spots. Refill both, and leave the door ajar for half an hour after the final cycle of the day so the drum dries instead of stewing.
How often should I actually clean my dishwasher?
Rinse the filter weekly if you cook most nights — it takes a minute and prevents nearly everything else. The fuller reset with spray arms, door seal and a hot empty cycle is worth doing monthly, or whenever you notice a smell or a change in how dishes come out.
My glasses are cloudy even after all this — what now?
Check whether the film rubs off when you rub a wet glass with a little white vinegar on a cloth. If it does, it is limescale or detergent residue, and more salt, more rinse aid and a slightly lower detergent dose usually fix it. If the cloudiness stays and the glass looks faintly rainbow-ish in the light, that is etching from years of very hot washes, and sadly it is permanent — switch those glasses to hand-washing and save your eco programme for the rest.
