The culprit is likely hard water — a high concentration of calcium and magnesium in your water supply. Unfortunately, even the best dish soap and the longest wash cycle won't get rid of these minerals for good. If you want to prevent that white film, you need a water softener.
Why My Dishwasher is Leaving White Residue on Dishes. More often than not, that white film coating the bottom of your dishwasher, as well as your dishes, are mineral deposits caused by hard water. Hard water contains dissolved minerals in it, which is left behind after the water evaporates.
Add Vinegar During the Final Rinse
If glasses and even plastic items are coming out of the dishwasher covered in a dusty white film, try adding one-half to a full cup of white vinegar just as the final rinse begins.
If white residue is being left on your dishes and other items after washing them in your dishwasher, it may be caused by hard water or excessive detergent. Hard water contains minerals that can leave stains on your dishes.
The white residue on dishes generally isn't harmful to you. It's typically either undissolved dish soap or mineral deposits. You can often wipe or rinse off the residue if you're concerned about using the dishes.
What is Hard Water? Whether you are using a dishwasher or washing your dishes by hand or using a dishwasher, hard water can leave an unsightly white film on your dishes and glasses. Hard water has an excess of minerals, leaving behind minerals on your dishes after they dry.
Dry residue that doesn't wipe away easily: Is your household water supply known for being rich in minerals (AKA hard water)? If so, white streaks left on your dishes after a cycle in the dishwasher could be limescale buildup.
Cloudy glass & hard water deposits
These deposits, such as limescale, can cling onto your glassware and dishes, causing white spots or clouding. To help combat the problems driven by hard water, such as limescale, we recommend keeping Rinse Aid topped up in your dishwasher.
Using the wrong detergent could leave a gritty residue. Remember to only use automatic dishwasher detergents. Always precisely measure detergent before adding it to the load. It's important to consider if your home uses a water softener because softened water requires less detergent than hard water.
White residue on clothes is often caused by the interaction of body soils with the detergent. This white residue differs from the one caused by lint and appears to be similar to undissolved detergent. This residue tends to accumulate within the creases and wrinkles of clothing.
To get rid of any remaining grime, coat the dish generously with baking soda and a few squirts of dish soap, and fill with piping-hot water. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then scrub again, adding more baking soda to any stubborn spots and repeating as needed.
This film is most often observed in hard water areas. Options for Removing White Film: Use a high quality Dishwasher Cleaner, such as Cascade® Platinum™ Dishwasher Cleaner or Finish® Dishwasher Cleaner. Use Citric Acid following the instructions below (can be purchased from the local supermarket)
Simply gather milky glasses, soak them in a vinegar solution, hand wash them and dry thoroughly to get rid of buildup.
If you want to prevent that white film, you need a water softener. You won't just get clean dishes — you'll also eliminate hard water spots, mineral deposits and other issues around your home. Here's what to know about water softening and why it's the best cure for white residue on dishes.
Regular maintenance can help keep your dishwasher running smoothly and prevent hard water buildup. Once a month, consider sprinkling a cup of baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher and running a short cycle. Then, follow this up with a cycle using two cups of white vinegar on the top rack.
Improper loading, a clogged or blocked spray arm or a clogged filter may cause your dishwasher to perform poorly. If your dishwasher is not cleaning dishes on the bottom rack, check for these issues and consult your owner's manual. Consult a professional for repairs if you're still having issues.
First, fill a dishwasher-safe bowl with one cup of white vinegar and place it on the bottom of the empty dishwasher. Set the dishwasher to run on a hot water cycle. The vinegar will break down any remaining bits of food, grease, soap scum, residue, and any other leftover grime.
The purpose of salt in your dishwasher is to soften the water, if you are not refilling your salt then the water will be hard and this will leave residue on your dishes. If you live in a hard water area, you may need to add salt and rinse aid with multi-tabs / "3 in 1" to achieve good dishwashing results.
Pouring in too much salt can lead to water inside the reservoir overflowing and spilling inside the appliance and potentially damaging the dishwasher, while underfilling the salt can lead to limescale build-up on the filter.
The build-up of limescale is usually one of the reasons why your dishes or glassware keep coming out with white film around them. This occurs when you live in a hard water area and the water is not softened well enough and/or the appliance hasn't been descaled.
Choosing the right dishwasher detergent could also help. In recent tests, we found that Cascade Complete With Dawn ActionPacs was excellent at resisting mineral buildup while getting dishes and pots clean. And a rinse agent can help eliminate water spots, a less severe condition than white haze.
To keep your dishwasher working as efficiently and effectively as possible, and to ensure that your dishes come out perfectly clean, regular descaling is important. It's for this reason that we highly recommend descaling your dishwasher at least once a year with our tested and approved dishwasher descaler.