How to clean the crystal and maintain it well?

How to clean tarnished crystal? Whether it’s a wine goblet, glass, bowl, or decorative object, crystal can become dull and lackluster if you don’t take care of it.

So today I present to you some great tips and tricks to clean the crystal and make it shine like new crystal!

1. Clean the crystal in the dishwasher

Crystal glasses usually bear a small mention under the stem of the glass or cup indicating whether or not they can be washed in the dishwasher.

If there is no indication on the crystal glasses, it is better to wash them by hand to be sure not to damage the crystal.

Here’s how to properly clean crystal in the dishwasher:

1. Reserve the entire floor for crystal goblets and glasses and make sure they don’t touch each other.
2. Run a cycle for delicate and fragile dishes and let the cleaning go without ever opening the dishwasher door.
3. Allow the crystal to cool before emptying the dishwasher and use a soft cloth to avoid fingerprints on the crystal.

If you are looking for tips and tricks to clean wine glasses specifically then this article is worth reading: How to clean a wine glass?

2. Clean crystal by hand with soapy water

If you prefer to clean the crystal by hand then here is how to proceed to clean it well and especially not to damage it.

1. Place a rag or rubber mat in the bottom of the sink or basin.
2. Fill the sink with warm water and pour in some liquid dish soap.
3. Put on a first crystal glass and let it act for a few minutes.
4. Wash the crystal with a soft cloth and a narrow brush for small openings.

It is important to clean only one object at a time so as not to risk damaging and breaking the crystal.

3. Clean tarnished crystal with vinegar

Over time it is normal to see the crystal tarnish and lose its luster.

So here is a super simple and effective trick to restore the shine to the crystal:

1. Fill a basin with lukewarm water and add a little white vinegar.
2. Clean the crystal with this solution and a soft cloth and wipe dry with a microfiber cloth.

White vinegar diluted with water is also excellent for removing lime stains from crystal and glass.

4. Make the crystal shine like new

Kind of like the vinegar trick, if the crystal is dull with an opaque white veil on its surface then here is another cleaning trick that works great!

1. Add 4 tablespoons of baking soda to a bowl.
2. Add a glass or 200ml of lukewarm water to the bowl and stir.
3. Soak a soft cloth in this solution and rub the crystal gently.
4. Rinse with lukewarm water and quickly dry the crystal with a microfiber cloth.

This trick is ideal to make the crystal shine again!

If you are used to using a wine carafe (crystal or glass) it is important to clean it quickly after use.

In fact, to avoid stubborn stains that are difficult to remove from the bottom of a carafe, simply clean it immediately once emptied.

Here’s how:

1. Fill the jug with warm water and liquid dish soap.
2. Hold the opening closed with your hand and shake to thoroughly clean the inside of the carafe.
3. Empty and dry with a soft cloth and a wooden utensil to wipe off the water inside.

6. Rub the crystal with a potato

If you like to test grandma’s tricks then here is one with a potato to clean and shine crystal!

1. Cut a potato into a slice and rub the entire crystal surface.
2. Rinse with lukewarm water and dry the crystal with a new soft cloth.

The potato can restore the shine to your crystal objects in the kitchen but also to make the glass shine.

7. Other tips for cleaning and maintaining crystal:

Here are some other tips and tricks for maintaining as well as cleaning crystal at home:

Lemon juice and salt: If the crystal or glass is very dirty, you can rub the surface with lemon juice with coarse salt and a cloth.

Methyl alcohol: Rub the crystal objects with a little rubbing alcohol. An effective trick to properly clean and remove stubborn stains on crystal.

A little toothpaste: To remove scratches on crystal and glass you can rub the surface with white paste toothpaste.

Thoroughly dry the crystal: It is important to quickly and delicately dry the crystal with a soft cloth (microfiber for example). Air drying will cause water spots to appear on the crystal.