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  • 15.02.2023
  • 4 min

The 5 biggest challenges when washing glasses

Glasses. They are the business card of any foodservice establishment. They can bring your guests into ecstatic raptures – or spoil any pleasure right from the outset. What happens on the tables at the front is decided backstage: during the washing. After all, the path to immaculately clean, hygienically perfect and brilliantly shining glass is strewn with hurdles. But why is glasswashing so difficult? In this article, we take a closer look at glass and show you what the five biggest challenges are when glasswashing.

1. There is a different glass for almost every drink. And no two glasses are the same.

Verre à vin Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» Delicate glasses
Fine and delicate glasses should be washed as gently as possible and with low wash pressure. Otherwise there is a danger that they will break during the wash cycle.
Verre à bière Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» Robust glasses
Heavy and robust glasses should be washed as vigorously as possible and with higher water pressure. This means that they are hygienically clean as quickly as possible and can be reused.

2. Water leaves limescale, streaks and marks. The little greetings from the kitchen.

tartre flute à champagne Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» No water treatment
When washing with raw water, the range of minerals and salts dissolved in the water can be deposited as residues on the glasses. Limescale is particularly visible: as a white, non-water-soluble deposit that is difficult to remove.
trace flute à champagne Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» With water softening
With water softening, the water is decalcified and the calcium carbonate is replaced by water-soluble salts. This prevents limescale deposits on the glasses. After washing, however, salt residues may still remain in the form of streaks.
flute à champagne Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» With partial demineralisation
As the name suggests, the water is not just desalinated during partial demineralisation: it also removes some of the salts dissolved in the water. Glasses washed with it have significantly less salt residue.
verre à champagne Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» With full demineralisation or reverse osmosis
With full demineralisation and reverse osmosis, up to 98% of all minerals and salts are removed from the water. This prevents any deposits on glasses and gives them a radiant shine. Straight from the machine.
Topic: Water treatment

You can find more information about the different methods of water treatment, their advantages and disadvantages and the relevant products on our website in the water treatment section.

3. Glasses are delicate. And expensive.

verre à vin cassé Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» Glass breakage
Glass breakage is usually a result of strong mechanical impact: for example, if the pressure on the glass is too high when washing or polishing by hand. Or the glasses in the rack bump into each other. However, glasses can also break if there is a large temperature variation in a short space of time. This can happen, for example, when ice cubes are poured into a freshly rinsed and still hot glass.
verre à vin tarte Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» Glass corrosion
Glass corrosion is a normal ageing effect: every time a glass is washed, a tiny amount of the glass material is removed from its surface. With older and already damaged glass, this does not happen evenly and becomes visible: as milky clouding or in the form of vertical white lines. This process cannot be reversed. But: you can slow it down.
verre à vin cheers Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» Faded decorations
The coloured decorations on beer glasses are particularly sensitive to physical and chemical effects: they may not only fade during washing, but also flake off. The same applies to gold rims.
Red wine glass with scratches and scuff marks
» Scratches
These are caused by mechanical impact: for example, when glasses touch and bump against each other during washing. This can also happen when putting the glasses in the cupboard or on the shelf.
deux verres à vin Winterhalter lave verre professionnel

Glass corrosion: what you as a foodservice professional need to know.

In this article you will learn what glass corrosion is and what you can do about it.

To the article

4. Glasses show all soiling. Visible and invisible.

rouge à lèvre flute à champagne Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» Lipstick residue
Lipstick is marketed as being “waterproof” and “long-lasting”. True: residue on glasses is equally stubborn.
tache tasse à café Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» Tea and coffee stains
Tea and coffee contain colouring and tanning agents such as tannin. These can leave traces on glasses: in the form of unsightly stains and dark edges.
flute à champagne Winterhalter lave verre professionnel
» No beer foam
Oily and greasy residues in the glass structure cannot be seen with the naked eye. However, they prevent a good beer foam from developing.

5. High demands are placed on glasses. From foodservice professionals and guests.

Une serveuse du restaurant vérifie si le verre à vin lavé est impeccablement propre
» Foodservice professionals
Anyone who serves drinks to guests wants to present them in the best possible way: in a glass that complements the drink and highlights it to best effect.
Les invités s'assoient à table dans le restaurant et trinquent avec des verres à vin parfaitement lavés
» Guests
Anyone who visits a restaurant as a guest wants to enjoy a drink with all their senses: from a glass that is hygienically clean and visually immaculate.
Professionelle Spültechnik von Winterhalter: die Untertischspülmaschine der UC-Serie.

The system solution for glasswashing!

The challenges involved in washing glasses are considerable and cannot be overcome with a machine alone. Winterhalter shows what a professional solution for glasswashing can look like: with the perfect combination of the UC Series glasswasher, suitable water treatment, special chemicals and appropriate glass racks.

Find out more now!
Written by
Joachim FunkContent Marketing Manager

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