When people talk about "ugly film," there not talking about your pictures; There talking about a cleaning problem in the kitchen. Learn how to get the best out of your dishwasher, get rid of the white film on dishes and even get my own recipe for a homemade spot remover.

Eliminating spots from glassware
You can make your own "spot stopper" formula instead of buying it.

Take a clean container that can be sealed; any plasticware works well.

Label it before you start.

Combine 1 cup of borax with 1/2 cup of baking soda. When doing your dishes, add 1 teaspoon of the mixture along with your regular dishwasher detergent. Experiment a little; you might be able to use less detergent when using this formula.

Removing hard water spots from glassware
Most of us in Arizona have experienced that milky film on our glassware. Try this formula to remove it.

Fill the dishwasher with your glassware (no metal). Use no dishwasher detergent. Put a bowl in the bottom of the dishwasher and pour in 1 cup of liquid chlorine bleach. Run through the wash cycle, but do not dry.

Fill the bowl again with white vinegar and let the dishwasher go through the entire cycle.

You might need to repeat this process depending on the degree of buildup on your glassware. Remember, letting the buildup go for too long can result in etching of glass.

This is also a great method for cleaning out the dishwasher.

I have also found a product that I like for removing hard water spots and film. It's called LemiShine. You can purchase it at most grocery stores.

When using it, fill the pre-wash cup with your regular detergent (powder recommended). If your dishwasher doesn't have a pre-wash cup, put the suggested amount of detergent in the bottom of the dishwasher. Fill the detergent cup with LemiShine. Wash dishes as usual. It may take a few uses, but LemiShine works really well.

After a few uses, you might be able to use a 50/50 ratio of your powdered detergent and LemiShine combined in the dispenser cup.

Read the directions carefully as there a few items LemiShine should not be used on.

Dishwasher odor
Sprinkle borax in the bottom of the dishwasher and leave it overnight. Using a damp sponge, wipe down the inside of the dishwasher, door and gaskets with the borax. No need to rinse; just do the next load of dishes.

Quick dishwasher cleanup
Fill both detergent cups with orange-flavored breakfast drink, such as Tang®. Run the dishwasher through with no dishes in it. The citric acid in the drink works wonders.