Your Editor was watching the age-old “Cascade” commercial…you know, where the evil spirit called the “Spot-maker” dashes about the dishwasher making the drinking glasses look icky, until Cascade comes to the rescue. This commercial is of little value, except as a substitute for a good comic book…there is little reason to buy a particular detergent just to clean off spots from a dirty drinking glass.
First, there is a difference between spots and permanent scratches, often called “etching” on a glass. Hand-washing is the best way to avoid scratching. Buy a chamois- the very soft kind, to dry your glasses. This is usually effective as towel washing is often the culprit in ugly, scratched drinking glasses and crystal.
For plastic glasses you must:
Mix equal parts baking soda and water in the glass, and let it soak for the night.
For “glass” glasses it’s a bit more complicated… If you must use a dishwasher, ensure that the water temperature is between 120-140 degrees, (this makes the water “softer” and don’t over-use detergent, as it can be harsh. Make sure you have an effective rinse agent in the dispenser.
To remove film and spots from drinking glasses, scrub them with a paste of water and baking soda, and soak overnight in either warm water with a teaspoon of ammonia or soak it overnight in a large container of white vinegar. Then use a chamois (very soft) to wipe them out. Go to your hardware store and ask for a “bottle brush” you can gently poke into the bottom of the glass for stubborn stains. If ever you have one glass stuck inside another, put ice in the inner glass, and dip the outer in hot water. The cold glass will contract and the hot one will expand, and you have them free with little damage.