home Problems of pregnant women How to clean crystal to shine. How and how to wash crystal from plaque and yellowness so that it shines

How to clean crystal to shine. How and how to wash crystal from plaque and yellowness so that it shines

In the past, the pride of the hostesses were glasses, wine glasses and other dishes made of crystal. But to this day, such dishes have not lost their relevance and continue to decorate modern apartments.

However, crystal products have one drawback - over time they lose their luster, turn yellow and no longer look so attractive. In order to restore the dishes to their former beauty, you need to know how to clean crystal at home and how to care for it.

Basic Rules

Crystal is a very beautiful, but at the same time fragile material., therefore, when washing, you need to be more careful and follow some rules that will help maintain the integrity of the dishes:

Before washing crystal dishes, remove rings from hands and put on gloves - this will help to avoid scratches.
When washing glasses in a basin, it is better to lay a soft cloth on its bottom - it will help protect the dishes from cracks, scratches and chips. And also it is worth considering that the dishes should not be stacked too tightly - you need to leave a little free space between the glasses.
If the dishes have a “leg”, then when washing, the glasses should be held precisely for it, if it is not there, then the product must be held by the bottom.
The water temperature should not exceed 40 °C, and soft foam sponges should be used for washing. Products should be cleaned without pressure and effort.
When washing crystal objects, do not use powders and other abrasive cleaners that can scratch them, and do not use soap: it forms a coating.
After washing, the dishes should not be left to dry in the air, they must be wiped dry using a soft cloth, otherwise there is a risk of streaks.

Crystal glassware must not be stacked on top of each other and must be stored separately.
And also it is worth considering that such products are not intended for use in ovens and microwave ovens. Serving hot dishes in them is also not recommended.

Using the dishwasher

Nowadays, many families who often host guests have dishwashers. Of course, this way of washing dishes is very convenient, especially after big festivities, but is it possible to wash crystal in this way?

Some models of dishwashers have a lot of different modes for washing dishes, including cleaning crystal. But even with this mode there is a risk of spoiling the product if you do not take into account a number of certain features:

Detergents

You can wash crystal dishes from plaque and dirt, put them in order and make them shine even at home, using inexpensive tools at hand. To do this, you just need to follow some simple rules and know how and how to clean crystal at home.

Vinegar and baking soda

In a large container, it is necessary to prepare a detergent from baking soda and water (dilute 1 tablespoon of soda in a liter of water). The amount of soda must not be exceeded, otherwise there is a risk of scratches, stains or darkening of the crystal material on the products.

Having laid foam rubber on the bottom of the basin with a solution, you need to place dishes in it and leave it there for 2-3 hours.

While the crystal is soaking in the cleaning solution, it is necessary to prepare an acetic solution in a basin of the same volume (add 1 tablespoon of acetic acid to 1 liter of water). After that, all glasses or other utensils should be placed in this solution for 10 minutes.

Then the crystal products are washed under a stream of clean water and wiped dry with a napkin.

Vinegar solution and table salt

This cleaning method is suitable for old products., inside which a strong coating formed, and the crystal itself became dark and dull. For washing, it is necessary to prepare a solution. Proportions: 1 tablespoon of acetic acid, half a glass of sea or table salt and 1 liter of warm water.

Place all crystal products in the finished cleaning agent and leave for about 10 minutes. Then rinse them with water at room temperature and rub with a woolen or ordinary soft cloth.

Potato starch

You can wipe yellowness and other stains from glasses or salad bowls using ordinary potato starch.

To do this, apply a small amount of potato starch to the foam rubber sponge and rub the dishes previously moistened with water with it. Then the starch must be washed off under running water and the products polished.

Detergent, chalk and blue

To make the dishes shine like new, it is enough to prepare a mixture of ordinary white chalk and blue. 2 tablespoons of crushed chalk should be mixed with blue (half a teaspoon) and 2 tablespoons of water, mix thoroughly and clean the crystal products with the resulting product. Then rinse them in warm water using dishwashing detergent and polish with a soft flannel cloth.

Boiled potatoes or potato water

Potatoes contain a huge amount of starch, which will help you easily wash greasy salad bowls or dishes. There are two options for washing crystal using potatoes:

Potato water. Several tubers of fresh potatoes must be boiled, then removed and the resulting broth cooled. Salad bowls should be placed in cooled water for 15 minutes, and then rinsed without the use of detergents.
Potato. Boiled potatoes should be crushed and applied to the soiled surface of dishes for 5 minutes, then rinse the products in warm water.

To wash the crystal so that its surface is not only clean, but also shines like new, little tricks will help:

Elimination of white plaque

A white coating can often form at the bottom of a flower vase, but sometimes it is very difficult to get to it.

You can use a brush for this purpose, but this must be done very carefully so as not to scratch the product.

Here are a few easy ways to fix this problem:

Fill a vase with warm water, throw in one tablet of soluble aspirin and leave the vase to soak for 12 hours, then rinse the items with water.
Fill a flower vase with vinegar or lemon solution (3 tablespoons of acid diluted in 1 liter of water), after 10 minutes the vase can be washed with water without using detergents.
Pour warm water into a vase and add 4 tablespoons of salt and soda each, after 30 minutes rinse the crystal product in the usual way.
Pour a vase for 30 minutes with ordinary Coca-Cola, then rinse under running water.

Cleaning a crystal chandelier

Chandeliers and wall lamps made of crystal material look luxurious and very beautiful, but if you do not periodically wash the chandelier and take care of it, then it will not decorate the home interior, but rather spoil it. Cleaning a chandelier or lamp is a little more difficult than glasses and shot glasses., but nevertheless it is quite possible to do it at home on your own.

Dust can be removed with a special brush for crystal products or a soft paint brush, which can get into the most inaccessible places.

If it is possible to remove the chandelier, then it will not be difficult to wash it. It is enough to soak all the parts in soapy water, then rinse them in vinegar solution and wipe dry.

If it is impossible to remove the product, then it will be a little more difficult to wash it, since it will have to be done on weight. To clean, soak a soft, lint-free cloth in mirror cleaner, wipe all parts of the chandelier with it, and dry with paper towels.

If there are metal elements on the lamp or chandelier, then the soaking should be short-lived, otherwise there is a risk of corrosion. After washing, the products can be sprayed with antistatic glass - this will help get rid of dust on the chandelier.

Attention, only TODAY!

Over time, the crystal tarnishes, and dust accumulates in the edges of its decor, which makes the products lose all their attractiveness. Often the cause of plaque and dullness is too hard water, sometimes time, sometimes improper care. How and how to wash the crystal, so that it would shine again and sparkle like new? A few practical recipes with the help of improvised, home remedies.

Three easy ways to wash and clean crystal glassware

We will not list the special glassware chemicals that are sold in stores. Information about them is more clearly and in detail can be obtained at the point of sale. It’s better to tell you how to use improvised means for washing and cleaning crystal, which every housewife has.

The first method for very dirty crystal dishes

This method is suitable for yellowed crystal with traces of old dirt. To do this, you will need one large soaking container and a second rinsing container. Plastic bowls are ideal. You also need to remember that it is recommended to always use warm water to wash crystal dishes. The optimum water temperature varies from +35 °C to +40 °C.

Any mild dish detergent is added to warm water. It can be Aos, Fairy, "Surprise for Cinderella" and others. Each product has its own degree of foaming, but the approximate calculation is as follows: 1 tablespoon of detergent is added to 1 liter of water. Crystal dishes are placed in the ready foam solution and left for 6-7 hours in a soaked state.

Next step: Using a soft sponge, each product is washed in the same container and transferred to another container for rinsing. The second container is filled with cool (NOT cold) water with 9% table vinegar. Approximate calculation: 1 tablespoon of 9% vinegar is added to 1 liter of water. Vinegar can be replaced with citric acid.

Products are thoroughly rinsed in this solution and the final step is washed again under running water (under the tap). Objects are given a short time to drain excess water from them, then they are wiped dry.

For wiping crystal and glassware, it is better to use napkins that do not contain lint. Microfiber fabric is ideal, cotton is in second place. In order to avoid fingerprints on the transparent surface, it is better to carry out this work in thin, cloth gloves.

A short video about the correct washing of crystal

The second way to clean the crystal

This method is similar to the first, only it takes less time. In order to restore transparency and brilliance to clouded crystal, you need to place it for 10-15 minutes in a special solution. The composition of the solution: 1 tablespoon of 9% vinegar is added to 1 liter of warm water. Before placing crystal products in the solution, they must be degreased. To do this, the dishes are simply washed in warm water with some mild detergent.

The third way to wash crystal

In this case, you will need a simple decoction in which jacket potatoes were cooked. The broth cools down to a state of "warm" and dirty crystal (glass) dishes are placed in it. Products in this broth are 10-15 minutes. If necessary, clean with a soft sponge. Then they are washed under running water and wiped dry.

In this case, the dishes should also be degreased, that is, lightly washed with any mild detergent.

How to clean crystal and glass vases inside?

Everyone knows the situation when, after a wilted bouquet inside a vase, a whitish and greenish coating from water and flowers remains on the walls and bottom, which, unfortunately, is not quickly washed off. Three proven ways with the help of natural scrubs effectively solve this problem. All three results will pleasantly surprise and not disappoint!

The first way: rice + soda

Depending on the size, two servings of rice and one serving of baking soda are poured into the vase (for example, two tablespoons of rice and one tablespoon of baking soda). Warm water is added, the contents in the vase are shaken several times (like a shaker). This is done so that the rice creates friction with the walls of the vase. After 5-10 minutes, the vase is freed from the contents and rinsed with clean water.

The second way: newspaper + soda solution

Small pieces of newspaper are placed in a vase. A thick soda solution is being prepared. To do this, use a "liquid slurry" of baking soda and water. The proportions are approximately one to one (one tablespoon of soda and one tablespoon of water). The prepared vase with newspaper pieces inside is poured with the resulting solution. In this state, the product is left for 30 minutes. Then the contents are shaken several times (like a shaker) and poured out. The vase is washed with clean water and wiped dry.

Method 3: Eggshell + Baking Soda

To clean the vase, you will need crushed eggshells and baking soda. Shells with soda are poured into the vase (the ratio is one to one - one spoonful of shells, one spoonful of soda) and warm water (NOT hot) is poured. The content needs to be shaken a few times. Then pour everything out, rinse the vase and wipe it dry.

Can you wash crystal in the dishwasher?

Theoretically possible, but not necessary. High temperatures adversely affect the appearance of the crystal - it fades and becomes cloudy. After the dishwasher, the products must be rinsed in a solution with 9% vinegar. This takes extra time, so it is more practical to wash crystal dishes by hand.

How to clean glassware to a shine

Glassware is different: transparent, colored, matte, with faceted drawings and patterns. Only transparent glass can not look aesthetically pleasing, since all divorces and stains are perfectly visible on it. As for colored and frosted glassware, there are no problems with it.

In order for transparent glasses and glasses to be perfectly clean and without streaks, it is necessary to periodically remove all deposits from their surface that remain from hard water or drinks.

The best helpers here are also baking soda and 9% vinegar. In a warm soda solution (2-3 tablespoons of soda per liter of water), the products are washed, then rinsed in a solution with vinegar (1 tablespoon of 9% vinegar per liter of water). Rinse again with running water (NOT ice cold) and wipe dry with lint-free napkins.

Crystal household items never go out of fashion. Almost every home has a crystal chandelier or at least a set of glasses for festive feasts. With proper care, crystal pleases the eye with brilliance, sparkle, and the ear with a gentle melodic ringing. But from careless handling, fragile glass quickly becomes dirty, yellowness, darkening and small scratches appear on it.

It is necessary to wash the crystal strictly according to the rules. He does not tolerate aggressive detergents, boiling water and ice water, as well as rough brushes, washcloths. The former magnificence of special glass is returned with mild detergent compositions of purchased household chemicals or prepared according to folk recipes. With careful handling and timely cleaning, crystal will last for decades.

Types of crystal and causes of pollution

Common items of utensils and interior made of crystal:

lighting fixtures - chandeliers, sconces, lamps;
dishes - glasses, glasses, dishes for fruits, salads;
interior items - figurines, decorations.

During operation, crystal objects are covered with household dust, dirt, poorly washed grease. Because of the wonderful play of light on the edges, crystal is often carved. Patterns with dimples, intricate curves, flowers, leaves and even plot paintings adorn dishes, lamps and decorations for a stylish interior.

The dirt that accumulates in the thread requires thorough cleaning, deep washing. Otherwise, the product fades, darkens and loses half of its splendor.

When starting to clean crystal products, you should consider:

Especially fragile are deep ("pot-bellied") glasses on a thin high leg. When washing, they are held by the bottom, placing the base of the leg between the fingers. This is the easiest way to prevent breakage.
A soft, clean rag is covered at the bottom of the sink or basin in which washing is planned. It will help prevent breakage of fragile glass.
Wash items with cool water. Hot water spoils the surface of the crystal, it becomes cloudy and covered with small cracks.
It is very easy to scratch delicate glass. When cleaning, do not use brushes with hard bristles, cleaning powders.
Wash the crystal with liquid detergents, using a soft cloth or sponge. For deep bends, it is allowed to use a brush with soft bristles (preferably natural).

Note! Hard tap water leaves stains, whitish spots and streaks on sparkling crystal. Therefore, the products are not dried, but wiped dry with a towel, then polished to a shine with paper napkins.

How and how to clean crystal

To clean the crystal, use household detergents. But simple "folk" compositions from improvised means will also perfectly cope with the task.

Folk remedies

From folk remedies for crystal fit:

Household soap. A solution is prepared from its shavings to clean contaminants. The soap is crushed with a grater, the chips are diluted in cool water. An option is to wash the crystal with a soapy sponge.
Chalk. Products should not be rubbed with dry chalk powder, but a cleaning paste is made from it. To do this, crushed chalk is mixed with an equal amount of water: 3 tbsp. chalk - 3 tbsp. water. There should be no abrasive particles left in the paste.
Dry cleaning with starch. Starch is applied to a dry, clean napkin (paper or cloth), dirt is wiped until it disappears, and starch residues are removed.
A solution of table vinegar, salt, soda. Recipe: mix 1 tbsp. food (sea) salt with 2 tbsp. vinegar 9%, 2 tbsp. water. The composition is applied to the crystal, after 5-10 minutes, washed off with plenty of cool water.
Gentle formulations used for products decorated with painting or gilding. In a liter of water, dilute 1 tbsp. l. table vinegar. The solution is applied to the crystal, avoiding friction of the painted areas.
Potato broth Works great on greasy stains on dishes. Water after boiling peeled potatoes is cooled to room temperature, glasses and salad bowls are soaked in it. After that, even old fat can be easily removed from the products.
Soda solution. In a liter of water, dilute 1 tbsp. soda. Baking soda does a good job of removing the remains of drinks from wine glasses and glasses. The solution is poured into the dishes, after 5 minutes they are washed clean.
Raw potatoes. It has whitening properties, perfectly removes yellowness, darkening from old crystal dishes or chandeliers. The tuber is rubbed on a fine grater, the gruel is applied to the dirt, washed thoroughly, rinsed.

The components of the solutions are not harmless to the skin of the hands, the work is carried out in protective gloves.

There is an opinion that soap leaves a greasy film on the crystal, which makes it less shiny. To solve the problem, after applying the soap solution, the products are thoroughly rinsed with a weak vinegar solution (1 tablespoon per liter of water), and then polished.

Chemical household products

From household chemicals for cleaning crystal, the same preparations are used as for glasses, ordinary dishes. Also in stores they sell specialized compositions for crystal products.

General rules for using household chemicals for crystal:

for cleaning interior items, it is permissible to use ordinary sprays, aerosols for glass and tiled surfaces;
for cutlery - only gel-like, foamy dishwashing detergents.

It is not allowed to use cleaning powders, as well as aggressive preparations for removing fat (which contain chlorine, caustic alkalis).

Removal of old dirt and stains

Particularly persistent dirt, darkening require thorough cleaning. In general, compositions according to “folk” recipes and purchased chemical preparations will be able to cope with the task.

With persistent pollution crystal:

soak in cool water with the addition of detergent;
clean with the selected composition;
rinse thoroughly, rinse;
wipe, polish to a shine.

If necessary, the procedure is repeated several times.

How to polish products to a shine

To polish the crystal to a shine, use the following methods:

To give the products a special shine, grandmothers in the villages used blue - a tinting chemical that gives a dazzling whiteness to things after washing. Modern blue is sold in household chemicals for the home. For crystal, a small amount of blue is diluted in cool water (to a transparent blue color), the glass is rinsed with a solution.
Acetic rinsing solution gives the crystal shine and sparkle. Table vinegar 9% is diluted in water in the proportion: for 2 liters of water 2 tbsp. vinegar.

After rinsing, the crystal products are wiped and polished - they are rubbed with a soft cloth made of wool, pure cotton or microfiber (paper napkins will do).

How to handle fragile glass

Crystal is a fragile glass that is easily broken or scratched.

In order for it to serve for a long time and please the owners with its beauty, it is necessary to handle it with extreme care:

Crystal dishes are not put "one to one".
In cabinets, crystal objects are placed at a distance.
Do not put (pour) too hot or icy food or drinks into crystal dishes. In general, a sharp temperature drop is contraindicated for crystal.

Go to the address and learn how to get tomato and ketchup stains out of clothes.

For long-term storage, crystal objects are packed in a special way:

the insides are stuffed with soft rags or crumpled paper;
the top is also repeatedly wrapped with paper or woven napkins;
stored in solid boxes separately from other things and heavy items.

Careful handling of fragile shining glass will keep it for years and even decades.

Yellowed, darkened crystal loses its attractive appearance, but you should not immediately throw it away. It is quite possible that the problem can be eliminated by a major cleaning of the crystal product. After a general “washing” and polishing, even old glasses or sconces can sparkle like new ones, delighting the owners and guests of the house.

From the following video, you can learn a few more effective ways to clean crystal from yellowness and darkening.

To clean a crystal vase from white plaque, to add shine, you will need to purchase special detergents. But, as an option, it is possible to use inexpensive improvised products. There are also a number of important rules that are important to follow so that crystal products do not fade.

What to buy in the store?

To clean the crystal, special detergents are used in the form of liquids, gels or aerosols marked "For crystal".

Products that have not been used for a long time or with a coating inside are soaked in liquids or gels. Then wash and wipe dry. These special liquids do not leave streaks or stains on the surface and edges of crystal glassware. And with the help of an aerosol, it is easy to care for chandeliers or sconces. It allows you to clean the crystal surfaces even from heavy contamination without dismantling the lamp and manual processing of individual lenses.

Folk remedies

At home, you can use the following:

One way to restore shine to crystal is to use ammonia, both pure and diluted.

Ammonia (ammonia). Moisten a clean cloth with alcohol and wipe the surface to a shine. Or add a few drops to warm water and wash the product. This solution can restore the shine to the crystal.
Potato decoction. Potatoes are boiled until cooked, the water is drained and completely cooled. Soak for 10 minutes in a decoction, and then wash the crystal dishes. In this way, you can significantly facilitate the washing of heavily soiled dishes. Raw potatoes will also help. Grate potatoes or cut in half. Grate the object with gruel or half of the vegetable and leave for 10 minutes. Rinse with water and wipe dry. This method will help to clean the crystal from yellowness.
Vinegar 9%. The solution is prepared as follows: in one liter of warm water, dissolve half a large spoonful of salt and 1 tbsp. l. acetic acid 9%. Soak the product in the solution, then rinse and wipe dry. The tool will help remove old plaque inside the vase. You can clean dishes with gilding decor.
Chalk. Dissolve in 2 glasses of warm water 0.5 tsp. blue and 2 tbsp. l. chalk. Strain this solution carefully. Wash dishes, rinse with clean water, wipe dry. Make sure that undissolved particles of sand and other abrasive impurities of chalk do not scratch the surface of the product.

Some prohibitions

Cold or too hot water. The temperature difference will lead to darkening of the products. The optimum temperature maximum is 35 degrees.
Coarse pile fabrics. It is better to use woolen or cotton fabric.
Powders containing abrasive and paste. They are able to leave scratches on the surface of the crystal, which cannot be removed.
Toilet or laundry soap forms a film on the surface of the edges, the dishes will be dull.

It is important to know what not to do and how not to clean crystal. For example, you should be careful when washing crystal glassware in the dishwasher using neutral temperatures and gel detergents. When washing by hand, it is forbidden to squeeze and rub the product too much.

It is not recommended to use a dishwasher for cleaning, as there is a possibility of darkening or damage to the products.

Due to temperature changes in the machine, products can deteriorate - burst, fade. And due to the use of detergents with abrasive components, the surface and edges can be scratched. The composition of crystal products includes lead and barium (this is indicated on the packaging). Barium does not react in any way to automatic washing, while lead can react to special detergents. Crystal may darken irrevocably.

If there is crystal utensils in the house, then basically they do not use it. Because these are luxurious and exquisite items that require special care. But a long time of non-use also makes itself felt. How to wash the crystal, thereby returning the shine? This question worries many.

1. Crystal cleaning and shine return

In a container, you need to mix 1 liter of water, 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 0.5 tbsp. a spoonful of salt. Crystal is immersed in the finished solution, cleaned. Some places should only be rinsed, and strongly stubborn plaque should be gently rubbed with fingertips. Products are rinsed and wiped or dried. This solution is great for vases that have a dark coating on the inside walls from flowers.

2. Cleaning crystal chandeliers

If there is a need to clean such interior items, then you should use special tools. Do not remove the chandelier, thereby complicating the situation. Lay newspaper, bags or rags under the cleaning area. The solution is carefully applied to all elements of the lamp, after which it drains along with the dirt. At the end of the cleaning, the chandelier is wiped, residues are removed and shine and radiance reappears.

3. If the crystal things become cloudy

Turbidity appears most often due to prolonged non-use. To fix this problem, you need to soak the crystal in water with dish detergent. Time is determined individually from each thing and the degree of clouding. After it is worth rinsing with water with vinegar diluted in it. If this procedure does not help to remove plaque from the bottom of the vase, then you will need another solution: vinegar and sea salt. This is poured into a vase for a few minutes. Then everything is thoroughly rinsed.

4. Plaque removal

If a light coating has formed on crystal dishes, especially vases, then it can be removed with acetic, oxalic and citric acid. The solution must be gentle, but not weak, to cope with pollution. The liquid is poured into a bowl and left for 2-4 hours. Next, a handful of any cereal is poured, for example, buckwheat. And you need to shake everything gently. If suddenly there is no cereal at home, then chopped carrots or potatoes are quite suitable, you can also use their peels. Plaque after such a procedure is cleaned quickly, then the dishes are rinsed and wiped.

5. Potato decoction

Grandma's way of cleaning crystal with potatoes almost never fails. A potato broth is prepared, which is poured into the dishes, or crystal is soaked in it for about 15 minutes. After that, the item is washed with dishwashing detergent, rinsed and wiped dry.

6. How is crystal washed

To clean the crystal at home, you will need the following tools:

Crystal products should be thoroughly wiped. If such dishes are simply dried, then stains remain. Wearing gloves will help prevent fingerprints.