Stop Water Spots Forever: The 5-Minute Tea Towel Dishwasher Hack

Difficulty: Novice
Time: 5 minutes
Cost: ~$0 (uses items you already have)

Why You'll Like This

Hate opening the dishwasher to foggy glasses and clingy water spots? This viral hack uses nothing more than a clean tea towel to change the ending of every cycle, according to Cookist. The towel soaks up excess steam and moisture, cutting down those pesky marks, as reported by Tom's Guide. It can also help reduce mold growth inside the machine by eliminating trapped moisture, according to the same Tom's Guide testing. No gadgets. No wait-around wipe-down.

Cleanup & Disposal

• Wash the towel after use, it will be damp from absorbing steam
• Keep a couple of tea towels near the dishwasher for quick grabs
• Swap towels regularly to stay ahead of odors

Troubleshooting

Problem: Towel gets too wet too quickly → Fix: Use a thicker, more absorbent cotton towel
Problem: Door will not close with towel in place → Fix: Adjust towel position or use a thinner fabric
Problem: Still seeing water spots → Fix: Leave the towel in longer, up to 30 minutes, or check for hard water issues

Variations & Upgrades

• Budget option: Any clean kitchen towel you already own works, cotton dish towels are great
• Efficiency boost: Combine this method with cracking the door after cycles for better air flow
• For hard water areas: Pair this technique with vinegar rinse aids for stronger spot prevention

Ready to transform your dish-drying game?

After testing this technique on multiple loads, users report noticeably drier dishes with fewer water marks to fuss over, as noted by Cookist. I like it for weeknight dinners when I would rather put plates away than stand around waving them dry.

While appliance experts suggest using this as a helpful addition rather than a replacement for proper drying cycles, the trick plays well with all kinds of machines, old or new. Give it a try tonight, your future self will be stacking spotless dishes without extra wiping or waiting.