You can enjoy your crystal vases and other crystal glassware for a very long time, provided you give them sufficient care. Like most items of value, some ‘maintenance’ work is required if your crystal vases remain as beautiful and magnificent as the first time you took them out of their box.
Through time, even if you just displayed your crystal vases in a corner, they will still accumulate dust from the air. And more likely, you are probably putting your crystal vases to good use by regularly putting flowers in them. There is no problem with enhancing the beauty of your vases even more. However, this process of filling your crystal vases with water—likely to be tap hard water, will unavoidably leave them bearing some water stains and dirt on their surface.
Keep your Crystal Vases Sparkling like Diamonds
A reminder though before cleaning, the objective is to make sure that you continue to enjoy your crystal vases by not robbing them of their ability to create that diamond-like sparkle whenever light touches upon their surface. And that is only possible if you keep their surface free not just of dirt, but of scratches as well.
Crystal vases are not like ordinary glass for which you can use ordinary soaps and detergents for cleaning. Crystal or lead glass is highly sensitive to any kind of cleaning agent that contains highly abrasive chemicals or any abrasive material (e.g., ordinary wiping cloth). For sure, using anything abrasive on your crystal vases would drastically alter their appearance, ruining their brilliance and radiance forever.
Process for cleaning Crystal Vases
To start cleaning your crystal vase, prepare tepid (warm only; subjecting your crystal vase to extreme temperatures can damage them) water mixed with a very mild detergent. Use a clean soft sponge or felt cloth to wipe the surface of your crystal vase. Make sure that your wiping cloth is free of any minute foreign material that may scratch your crystal vase.
Solution for More Stubborn Dirt
You can add a small amount of ammonia or white vinegar to your cleaning solution to wipe away spots, water stain or any stubborn dirt. You can opt to fill your vase with the cleaning solution and let stand for awhile (about 10 minutes) if the dirt doesn’t get removed immediately. Rinse afterwards with tepid water and air dry. You may opt to wipe with felt cloth to make sure you don’t get any hard water stains back.
A word of caution. Do not immediately use by putting cold water: allow it to adjust from its warm water cleaning.
No comments:
Post a Comment