Crystal glassware at all times symbolized luxury, prosperity, sophistication. But unfortunately, it is used infrequently, which cannot but affect its appearance. Therefore, the question of how to wash and care for the crystal so that it shines and sparkles is very relevant.
Features of crystal products
A peculiar shine, refraction of light in crystal products look very solemn and beautiful. In order for crystal dishes to serve for a long time and delight the owners, they should be stored separately from each other, at a short distance. If it happens that two glasses have stuck to one another as a result of storage, do not try to separate them right away. They can simply burst. In such cases, one glass should be filled with warm water, and the second with cool (but not hot and cold). Glasses will easily come off from each other.
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Cleaning crystal from various contaminants
For quick cleaning of dishes from dust, you need to use a solution of 1 liter of water, 1 tbsp. l. vinegar and 0.5 tbsp. l. salt. Wash the crystal with this solution, then rinse in warm water and wipe dry.
If crystal items have stood idle for a long time and have darkened from time to time, they should be soaked in a solution of any dishwashing detergent. Then rinse with vinegar and water and dry.
If the crystal is very dirty, traces of juice or wine have not been washed off, place it in a potato broth for a while.
Antique items may turn yellow. Here, half a raw potato will come to the rescue. You need to rub the surface with it, and then rinse in a light blue solution.
What means and how to wash the crystal dishes so that they shine
Let's start with the fact that first of all, the crystal dishes must be washed. To avoid breaking the dishes, put a towel in the washing container. The solution for washing can be prepared either with the addition of crushed soap or with any other detergent. The washing process itself takes place in almost the same way as in the case of any other dishes, only more carefully.
Glasses and glasses should be held by the bottom when washing to avoid damage. After that, all glassware should be rinsed from soap in clean water and wiped dry with a cotton towel. The temperature of the water is of great importance: the crystal must be washed only in water at room temperature. Hot water can burst, and cold water tends to tarnish.
And only after thorough washing can you start procedures that can return the shine to the crystal. There are quite a few such ways:
- 2 tbsp. l. crushed chalk, 1/4 tsp. l. blue, 2 tbsp. l. mix water, apply to the product, wipe thoroughly with a flannel or woolen cloth until completely dry and remove the blue color;
- apply ordinary potato starch with a napkin to the products and wipe until the stains disappear;
- 1 liter of water, 1 tbsp. l. vinegar, 0.5 tbsp. l. salt: in such a mixture, you can additionally soak the crystal if there are more significant contaminants on it, for example, green dried bloom on flower vases;
- sea salt and vinegar are mixed in water, dishes are also soaked in this solution. This is done to remove green or brown sediment;
- A vinegar solution is used to clean glassware with gilded fragments. After soaking and washing, the product is wiped with a woolen cloth. For products with gilding, it is not recommended to use detergents with aggressive ingredients, they contribute to the erasure of gilding;
- the liquid in which the potatoes were boiled. In order to soak dishes in it, it must first be cooled to room temperature. It is recommended to leave the dishes in the broth for a few minutes, and then rinse in clean water and rub with a towel. This broth perfectly removes stubborn dirt and greasy stains;
- soda solution will do an excellent job of removing traces of vinegar;
- raw potatoes can be grated, with this mass to clean the crystal. Then rinse the product in a weak blue solution, rub with a woolen cloth until the blue stains are eliminated;
- to give crystal glassware a noble shine, you can rub it with rubbing alcohol. Just apply it to the fabric and rub it into the crystal.
Cleaning a crystal vase from white plaque
In order to remove the old white plaque from hard water from the vase, first you need to fill it with water with a dissolved aspirin tablet and leave it for 10 hours. When time passes, you need to pour this water and pour a solution of water with vinegar (3 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water). After that, the product is polished with a clean napkin until it shines. If a vase with a narrow neck and you need to use a brush, you need to do it very carefully so as not to scratch the surface.
Another good tool to clean off yellowness and white plaque is tooth powder. In a solution of tooth powder, you need to soak the vase so that it is completely covered with liquid. A few hours of soaking is enough, then you need to thoroughly dry the vase and polish to a shine.
With a swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, white spots of plaque inside the vase are very well and easily removed.
An aqueous solution of sea salt with the addition of vinegar is excellent at fighting white spots of plaque. To do this, you just need to pour this mixture inside the vase and leave it for a few minutes, then rinse the vase with warm water and dry it with a towel, bringing it to a shine.
How to clean a crystal chandelier from yellowness to shine
A crystal chandelier is an excellent interior decoration. To look expensive and delight the eye with the play of light, it must be perfectly clean. When dirty, shades and pendant elements let in less light and look very unpresentable.
If the chandelier has removable pendants, it will be better to remove them. To cleanse them, you can prepare any of the following solutions:
- water with ammonia. Such a remedy will help to restore the former shine and radiance;
- water, vinegar and salt in equal proportions;
- water, soda and soap;
- water and dishwashing detergent. This solution is indispensable for removing grease and soot.
For effective cleaning, the crystal elements must be held in a solution, then thoroughly and carefully washed in it. Then rinse in clean water and brush to a shine with a fiber cloth.
The part of the chandelier that cannot be removed from the ceiling will have to be washed directly on the ceiling.
To begin with, of course, you need to de-energize it. All non-removable elements of the chandelier should be wiped with a soft cloth soaked in a solution of water (1 l) with ammonia (1 tsp. l.) or ammonia (1 tsp. l.).
Also, pollution can be eliminated with vodka. To do this, apply vodka to a cotton pad and wipe off the dirt. After cleaning the chandelier, you must wait for it to dry completely, only then you can turn on the light.
Is crystal dishwasher safe?
Today there are many variants of dishwashers with different functions and modes. But you need to be extremely careful with crystal products. Manufacturers generally do not recommend using a dishwasher to wash crystal. However, some models still allow this function to be used, although the risk of damage remains. The first thing that negatively affects the appearance of such dishes is the temperature drops in the water. Usually the crystal is washed with warm water, but due to the sharp temperature drop, the glass can lose its luster.
Before placing crystal glassware in the dishwasher, you need to know the composition of the crystal. If it contains barium, then machine cleaning can be used. If the dishes are made on the basis of lead, then upon contact with the detergent, a reaction will occur, which will ruin the dishes.
Another important point is the choice of detergent. Here you should give preference to delicate mixtures, since the powders contain abrasive particles that can scratch the crystal.
From the above, we can conclude that crystal products can be washed in a dishwasher. You just need to follow three main rules:
- Choose a delicate dishwasher.
- Use only non-abrasive detergents.
- Wash crystal without lead.
Rules for the care of crystal products
In order for the dishes to have a brilliant shine, they must be wiped with a soft cloth previously moistened with alcohol. The alcohol will evaporate very quickly, and only shine will remain on the surface.
It is strictly forbidden to use soda for cleaning crystal - it darkens.
If the items have a gilded decor, they should be washed with plain warm water. Then rinse in water with vinegar and wipe dry.
Since crystal itself is a very fragile material, it is contraindicated to wash it in hot or cold water. The same applies to food - it is better to put a little cooled food in such a dish.
Modern dishwashers can clean the crystal to a shine with a simple rinse. After washing, the crystal should be wiped dry with a cotton towel. It is undesirable to use terry cloth, as it will leave fluff on the surface.
Never place crystal in a microwave or oven.
Using these simple tips and rules for caring for crystal products, your dishes will sparkle on the festive table and delight everyone with their splendor.
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