Perhaps one of the most annoying things which can occur that takes the enjoyment out of having a glass of wine is when the glass, although clean, is foggy. We have all encountered it at one time or another and probably all can agree that there is something detracting about a foggy wine glass. But before you decide to throw out your glasses or invest in cheap ones with the thought that fogging is inevitable, there are a few things that you can try to prevent fogging and bring back the glorious sparkle and shine you remember when you first bought them.

I know that some people think that it’s ok to put glasses in the dishwasher, and some machines even have special sections on the top rack to hold wine glass stems in place. We all know that crystal should never be put in the dishwasher, so I assume these stem holders are for everyday glasses. My dishwasher has this and I still won’t use it to wash glasses. There are two main reasons for this, the first is that dishwasher detergent tends to be more harsh and abrasive and can etch your wine glasses making it fog with repeated washing and second is that the temperature in a dishwasher can become so hot that it can actually cause a glass to crack.

With that being said, when washing wine glasses by hand the best method is actually quite simple, especially since you should be able to simply rinse out glasses. First it is important to remember to use lukewarm water and not hot water. Abrasive cleaning agents should be avoided; and if you feel the need to use soap only use mild liquid dish soap, but remember to never use hard scrubbing sponges and cloths and to rinse the glasses thoroughly or the soap will leave a film deposit which will fog with build up and time.

If you have taken care of your glasses and hand washed them and still find they are starting to fog, there is still something you can do. Soak the foggy glasses in straight white vinegar for two to three hours. Then wash with warm water and mild liquid dish soap and repeat the soaking process if necessary to remove the remaining residue. It might be a bit of a time consuming process, but it will be worth it in the end when you have sparkling glasses that look beautiful!