Do you wash your stemware in a dishwasher.

"Neil, I was going to post on this very topic--because I'm having problems with my dishwashered glassware."

Hope I'm not jumping, Jenise, but here's a bit of learning. A client of mine had a job in England trying to find out what temp British housewives washed their clothes at. Important issue because different detergents act differently depending on water temps. He did a big study with little sample of fabric, heat sensitive, ladies were supposed to wash their clothes, let the little fabric samples dry, send them in to Max, get back little prizes.

Max had a clever idea, but the British ladies were very neat -- they sent the samples back but only after ironing them.

To figure out what is wrong, you have to be sure your dishwasher is absolutely clean. Check out the filter -- on ours there is one under the whirly thing. Clean out the basket. You can also buy a little plastic blue jar. You put that in the dishwasher once every six months and run it with the normal settings. Stuff in the plastic jar will clean your dishwasher. I can check for a brand name around here if it isn't available in your area.

If your dishwasher isn't the problem, then it's a combo of water and cleaning fluid. You need to see what the local health officials recommend for your local conditions. In your area, I would check with both Washington State and British Columbia sources. On an island, or in bays near salt water, the chemistry can get really complex.

Ask local residents what they do. The heat of the water, its chemistry and the cleaning materials all will contribute in various ways.

One other idea: throw in some baking soda every ten loads or so. It usually takes away that sour smell before it ever starts.

Regards, Bob

I also had an issue with the liquid detergents and have had a much better time without any chemical residue or stench by using powder.

Thanks, I'll make the switch. Funny though, you'd think the powder would be more inclined to etch.

That was my experience with powder -- it etched -- until I switched to liquid. No problem with the latter's residue or odor. And my dishwasher is just plain old GE.

[Jenise]

To figure out what is wrong, you have to be sure your dishwasher is absolutely clean.

Bob, I clean the filter frequently. Not lots of need as I tend to load the dishes well-rinsed, but it is a frequently done task. I don't know about the stuff in the plastic jar you speak of.

Understood re the problem between water and soap, but again, I'm not sure how to get to the bottom of that. Our local water's very good--so good and so clean that I drink the tap water even though in former homes I was a bottled water user. I always run hot water in the sink before starting the DW to make sure the water that goes into the wash cycle is as hot as can be.

I'm more inclined to think it's the soap and the wine glasses somehow. After a number of washings, the glasses get a golden cast to them. And interestingly, it's only the wine glasses--the glass tumblers we use for drinking water daily do NOT turn color or accumulate an odor. Washing in Oxyclean removes both. (Maybe THAT'S what I should put in my DW. Hmmmm....)

Anyway, thanks for your ideas. I'll run all this by my Bob later for reconsideration.

[James Roscoe]

I generally use the dishwasher for most of our glasses and my wife handles the "sensitive" stuff. I guess that makes me insensitive.

I've broken more glasses by handwashing , than ever with washing in the dishwasher. Riedels, Spieglaus...all go in the dishwasher.

Richard