Do your drinking glasses smell bad after washing? Maybe your glassware comes out of the dishwasher smelling like fish or a wet dog? It’s bad enough when you’re thirsty and get a whiff of something not right. When guests notice that odor, it’s downright embarrassing.
Why Your Drinking Glasses Smell Bad
Ever since the EPA required soap manufacturers to remove phosphates from dishwasher detergent, many of us have noticed our drinking glasses smell bad even after washing them. Some liken the smell to fish; others say it’s more like rotting meat or a wet dog.
As if the smell wasn’t enough, you might also see your glasses don’t actually look clean after washing. Instead, they have a cloudy haze that makes them look grimy. Over time that film builds up, and your once clear drinking glasses look etched. If you do nothing, that can become permanent.
That haze, even if it’s not built up sufficiently to be noticeable yet, is the source of the smell. Unlike perfectly smooth glass, the film left behind by our phosphate-free detergents is rough enough to hold onto bacteria. And where bacteria breeds, odor breeds.
How To Get Rid Of Drinking Glass Smells
There are a couple of ways to treat this problem, depending on whether you hand-wash your glasses or just stick them in the dishwasher.
In the sink: Line the bottom of your sink with a thick towel and arrange glassware on it. Add 2 cups of distilled white vinegar then run the hot water until the glasses are completely submerged. Wait 20-30 minutes to give the vinegar time to dissolve and remove the odor-causing haze then scrub, wash, and dry them well.
In the dishwasher: Add 2 cup of white distilled vinegar to the first rinse cycle. Let it run for a minute or two then pause the cycle for 20-30 minutes (in most dishwashers, this involves popping the door open) to give the vinegary water time to dissolve the haze. Next, close the door and allow the cycle to continue as normal.
Tips To Keep Drinking Glasses From Smelling
• To prevent hazing in the future, fill your dishwasher’s rinse aid reservoir with white vinegar — it works just as well Jet Dry or similar products and saves money, too.
• Deep clean your dishwasher regularly to ensure it’s not circulating bacteria-filled water or growing hidden mold.
• Or skip the dishwasher altogether and hand-wash your drinking glasses then let them air dry on a dish rack that allows for good air circulation.
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I finally figured out why my glasses smelled after being washed in the dishwasher. I was over filling the soap. They never rinsed properly. I now fill to the line inside the soap cup and no smell. And I’ll save some money by not wasting soap!
Good point, Gayle! Using too much soap in the dishwasher or the laundry makes things dirtier, not cleaner. Thank you for visiting!
I’ve never had this happen in a dishwasher, only when handwashed dishes are allowed to air dry. It’s worse if windows are open.
How odd! It happens for many in the dishwasher, but you’re the first to let me know it occurs when glasses are hand washed, too. Thank you.
This problem is caused by leaving used dishes to soak in lemon detergent for some time wash right away without using too much detergent rinse and air dry.
Well, I’ve never bought lemon-scented detergent in my life and yet have had this problem in the past. So….