DIY Cocktail Glass Cleaner

Washing certain styles of cocktail glasses in the dishwasher is technically okay (think stemware that's thicker and heavier), however it isn't necessarily the best practice. Cocktail glasses are notorious for developing a cloudy film and can easily break — and stemware that's vintage or delicate should stay away from the dishwasher altogether. To make sure your glasses remain safe and crystal clear throughout the years, starting using this DIY solution.

Caroline Burke for Hunker

Step 1

Fill your sink or a small tub with warm water.

Step 2

Add a couple of drops of dish liquid. A little dish liquid goes along way, so only add a couple of drops, then swish the water around to mix together.

Step 3

Add a cup of distilled white vinegar and mix together.

Step 4

Place cocktail glasses in the mixture and let soak.

Gently submerge each glass in the vinegar, dish soap, and water mixture. Let them soak for about 10 minutes. During this time, the vinegar will help dissolve any hard water minerals that cause clouding and the dish liquid will help remove any fingerprints or lipstick residue.

​TIP:​ When cleaning stemmed glasses, never hold the glass by the stem. Always hold the glass by the base to prevent the stem from snapping.

Step 5

If you have any glasses that still have debris stuck on them, use a small amount of baking soda to remove it. Just sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on the spot and work it in with your finger.

Step 6

Rinse well in cool water to prohibit clouding.

Step 7

Wipe clean with a microfiber cleaning cloth. While air drying is great for most dishes, it's not the way to go with cocktail glasses. Cocktail glasses need to be polished. This can easily be done by wiping the entire glass with a microfiber cloth, which will lift any residue or smudges without leaving fibers particles behind.