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Tired of your glassware becoming cloudy after every wash? Using this ingredient will have them gleaming in no time

CRYSTAL CLEAR: Say goodbye to glasses that always look foggy and dirty (Photo by Getty)

We all like our glasses sparkling clean. After all, sipping a drink from a crystal clear glass is one of life’s little joys. Too bad it's short-lived as sometimes even your freshly washed glasses can look dull and dirty with a foggy-white coating on them.

Repeated washing and high temperature in a dishwasher can cause white and cloudy stains to appear on your much-loved glass items. However, instead of hiding them away at the back of the cupboard, there is an easy way to bring the shine back and make them look brand new.

All you need is some elbow grease and vinegar to clear the cloudiness for good. Glassware fogginess happens due to two main culprits - calcium and magnesium left behind from hard water.

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Molly Maid cleaning expert, Vera Peterson said: “Freshly washed glasses appear misty when minerals that are found in hard water stick to the surface after the water dries. Washing them by hand is the most effective way to keep them clean and spot-free.”

However, she says, if a whole set of glasses have come out of your dishwasher looking worse for wear, a full sink full of vinegar water is best. Vera said: "You want the vinegar to be warm before using it as an effective cleaning agent. It is important to prepare the acidic condiment before pouring it over your glasses.

"To start, fill your sink with hot water and let your bottle of white vinegar soak for one minute. Next, drain the sink and refill it with the now warm vinegar."

Carefully place the glasses into the full sink and leave them to soak for around one hour. You can also prepare a water and vinegar mixture in a spray bottle for a concentrated clean. Just mix one cup of water with two tablespoons of white vinegar and spray the solution on your cloudy glass.

The acid in the vinegar will break down the mineral deposit, but soaking is just the first step to cleaning cloudy glassware and won't be complete without some quick scrubbing. To "remove the film" of minerals, Vera recommended scrubbing the glasses with a plastic scrubber or nylon net for a few minutes.

Once the cloudiness has lifted, always take time to rinse each glass with hot water until "crystal clear". The final step, and perhaps the most important too, is to dry the glasses and restore the gleaming shine.

Since dried water droplets are the main culprit of foggy-looking glasses, the best way to stop it from happening is to eliminate the moisture before it evaporates - something a dishwasher is unable to regulate.

Vera said: "Hand washing and drying immediately will help keep your glasses from getting cloudy." She noted the importance of using a lint-free rag such as a microfiber cloth to prevent stray fibres from lingering on the glasses.

If you experience a recurring issue with misty glassware - particularly in hard water areas, it may be wise to invest in a water softener.

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