Best Glasswasher Rinse Aid for UK Pubs 2026: Stop Wet Glasses for Good

Wet glasses coming off the glasswasher is one of those problems that sounds minor until you’re pulling a Saturday night shift with 180 covers and bar staff complaining every ten minutes. At Teal Farm we went through a period last year where glasses were coming out damp regardless of cycle time. The fix wasn’t the machine — it was the rinse aid setup.

Here’s what actually works.

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Why Rinse Aid Matters More Than You Think

Rinse aid isn’t optional. It’s what makes water sheet off glass surfaces rather than sitting in droplets that leave marks and take an age to dry. Without correct rinse aid dosing, you get:

• Wet glasses that need towel-drying (a hygiene risk your EHO will flag)
• Smear marks and filming on pint glasses
• Longer bar turnaround between washes
• Customer complaints about cloudy-looking drinks

In a busy pub, glasses cycle fast. Your glasswasher needs to produce dry, clear glass every two minutes or so. Rinse aid is what makes that possible.

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Setting Dosage Correctly

This is where most operators go wrong. They fill the rinse aid reservoir and assume the machine handles the rest. It doesn’t.

Most commercial glasswashers have a dosage dial — typically 0 to 10. The right setting depends on your water hardness. In the North East we’re on moderately hard water, so Teal Farm runs at around 3–4 on the rinse aid dial. If you’re in a harder water area like London or the Midlands, you’ll likely need 5–6 or higher.

Signs your dosage is too low: glasses come out wet or with water spots.

Signs your dosage is too high: glasses have a greasy, slippery feel or foam appears in the wash tank.

Check your dosage monthly. Usage spikes on busy weekends and the reservoir empties faster than you expect.

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Products Worth Using

Diversey Suma Rinse L6 is what most Marston’s sites default to and for good reason. It’s formulated for commercial glasswashers, performs well in hard and soft water zones, and comes in 10-litre containers that last a decent while.

Hobart Rinse Aid works well if you’re running Hobart equipment — pairing manufacturer chemicals with manufacturer machines removes a variable.

For smaller operations or those who want to order via Amazon rather than a catering supplier, Selden Excel Rinse Aid is a solid option available on Amazon UK and works across most commercial machines. [Check current pricing and availability on Amazon UK here.](https://amzn.to/4ukKRuU

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The Wet Glasses Fix — Step by Step

1. Check the rinse aid reservoir isn’t empty (obvious, but it happens)
2. Confirm the dosage pump is actually running — listen for the click during the rinse cycle
3. Increase the dosage dial by one increment and run ten glasses
4. Check water temperature — rinse should be hitting 82–85°C minimum
5. Descale the machine if you haven’t in the last month

One thing that often gets missed: check the drain pump. A partially blocked drain pump means dirty water isn’t fully evacuating before the rinse cycle starts, which contaminates the rinse and leaves glasses wet and smeared regardless of how much rinse aid you’re using. Pull the drain filter, clear any debris, and test the pump is clearing the tank completely before you assume the rinse aid is the problem.

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Final Thought

Rinse aid is a small weekly cost that protects your glass stock, your EHO rating and your bar speed. Get the dosage set right, keep the reservoir topped, and deal with the drain pump. The glasses will sort themselves out.

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