Most likely causes
- Hard water minerals. Dallas-area water is hard enough to leave visible deposits.
- No rinse aid, or an empty dispenser.
- Too much detergent, which can leave its own film.
- Clogged spray arm holes from mineral scale.
- Low water temperature at the sink.
How to tell film from etching
Soak a cloudy glass in white vinegar for five minutes. If it comes out clear, it's mineral film, and fixable. If it stays cloudy, it's etching, permanent damage to the glass, often from too much detergent with softened water.
Try this before you book
- Fill the rinse aid dispenser and set it to a higher setting.
- Run an empty hot cycle with a cup of white vinegar on the top rack, or use a dishwasher cleaner.
- Remove the spray arms and clear the holes with a toothpick.
- Run the kitchen tap until the water is hot before starting a cycle.
When it takes a repair
- Spray arm cleaning or replacement
- Wash pump or motor
- Heating element (poor drying and washing)
- Water inlet valve
Fix it or replace it?
Hard water film is a maintenance issue, so no repair or replacement is needed. If a cleaning cycle and rinse aid don't help, a spray arm or wash pump repair is still far cheaper than a new dishwasher.
From John's notes: Most of the "my dishwasher is broken" calls about cloudy glasses end with a cleaning cycle and a bottle of rinse aid. We'd rather tell you that on the phone than send a technician out for it.
Dishes still cloudy? Book a dishwasher repair with TrueFix Appliance Repair Dallas.