Say Goodbye To Cloudy Glasses: This Easy Hack Will Make Them Sparkle & Shine

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Ever reached for your favorite tumbler to pour water into or grabbed a wine glass for that just-opened bottle, only to find it covered in a cloudy haze? Realizing you have a dirty glass in your hand straight from the cabinet isn't a nice feeling. De-griming cloudy drinking glasses is a common struggle because greasy fingerprints and mineral deposits from hard water build up on dishware over time. Your first instinct is probably to throw the glass back into the dishwasher for another cycle. However, that might not be the best move, especially when you consider that wine glasses are one of the things you should never put in the dishwasher. What actually works to clean both your delicate stemware and studier tumblers with ease is denture cleaning tablets.

Surprised? Well, it actually makes a lot of sense. The fizzy tablets contain gentle abrasives and active oxygen that work to dissolve mineral buildup without scratching or dulling the surface of the glass. The science is surprisingly simple. Denture tablets are created to tackle stubborn residue from the likes of coffee stains and tartar buildup on acrylic resin or porcelain — the materials dentures are typically made of. As they fizz away in water, they release mild cleansing agents that lift off invisible grime. Ordinary washing detergent doesn't easily reach into minute crevices, making denture tablets the secret to perfectly washing your wine glasses every time.

Now that you know how and why this denture tablet trick works, it's time to employ it on your stemware. First, buy some tablets. A box of 126 Efferdent Denture Cleaner Tablets costs less than $10. Fill your kitchen sink or a large bowl with warm water and drop a tablet into it. Let your glasses soak in the effervescing water for about half an hour. Empty all the water from the sink and either refill it with fresh water or rinse the glasses under a running faucet. Lift your stemware out of the water carefully and pop them onto a rack to dry. The difference in cleanliness should be instantly noticeable. If you're worried about water stains, polish them with a dry microfiber cloth.

You can use this method for other glass items around your home like decanters, vases, and coffee or wine carafes. It's a great trick for cleaning anything that's too awkward or precious to scrub by hand — think heavily patterned ware made from cut glass. Just make sure you use warm, not boiling water with delicate glass items, or you risk breaking the glass due to thermal shock. Once you have your glassware gleaming again, the trick is keeping it that way. Store a few denture tablets close to the kitchen sink so you can give your glasses a quick rinse after each use.