How much detergent should I use and does water hardness matter?

The amount of detergent needed depends on whether your water is hard or soft — hard water requires extra detergent while soft water requires less. You should contact your water department to find out your water hardness level, as 12 or more grains is considered extremely hard and a water softener is recommended to prevent lime buildup. Too much detergent with soft water can cause permanent etching (cloudiness) on glassware. (Page 13)