A cleaning guru has shared her top tip for making sure your plates and dishes will be sparkling clean and streak-free after using the dishwasher. Sometimes you’ll find that although dishwashers do do their jobs, they may not leave your dishes as squeaky clean as you’d like.

To prevent hard water marks on plates, Carolina McCauley praised a heavily touted kitchen staple to do the job. She suggested using white vinegar in the dishwasher instead of a rinse aid. She claims this will work to break down any water marks and keep your dishes shining. 

Vinegar in the dishwasher helps prevent water spots by neutralising the mineral deposits in hard water. Vinegar's acidity breaks down these minerals, preventing them from sticking to the plates and dishes, leaving behind a film that protects the crockery.

While vinegar is safe to use in the dishwasher, it’s usually used to clean the appliance itself. However some urged to not use vinegar as a substitute for your regular washing detergent. 

The experts at Home Made Simple warned that vinegar could ultimately ruin your dishes. Vinegar can be bad for cleaning dishes in dishwashers because it can damage parts and cause discolouration. 

Vinegar does not have the same cleaning power as a traditional dish soap or detergent. It cannot effectively remove grease, oil, or other food particles that build up on dishes.

It can also cause discolouration when reacting with the likes of salt and other residues found on your dirty dishes, especially if any of the items are made from metal. 

Regular use of vinegar in dishwashers can ultimately damage the appliance. The high acidic nature of vinegar can break down rubber gaskets and hoses as it’s corrosive to certain materials.

By wearing down various parts of the machine, the vinegar can ultimately lead to problems like leaks and costly repairs. CNET warned of the potential harm of the likes of vinegar, especially apple cider vinegar.

 They said: "Be aware that vinegar can break down the rubber gaskets and hoses in your dishwasher, leading to costly damage. On top of that, if vinegar mixes with salt that's been left on your dishes, it can discolour metal pans, flatware and mixing bowls."

They cautioned against using vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser, offering tips for those who still wish to use vinegar in their dishwashers. 

• Use white vinegar with the lowest acidity possible. Most come with six percent acidity but if you can, try to find five percent. This is the lowest concentration of acidity for household white vinegar and will cause the least amount of damage.
• Pour the vinegar into the bottom of your dishwasher during the rinse cycle so it's diluted with water.
• Even better, pour a cup of vinegar into a bowl and place it on the bottom rack of your dishwasher.