How to clean crystal at home
Crystal products are gradually starting to go out of fashion. It's a pity they sometimes look more presentable than modern things made of glass. And yet, over time, the surface begins to darken, fade, become covered with dust, lose its original shine. How to return objects from crystal to their original shine and beauty?
Safety Precautions
When cleaning dishes and crystal chandeliers with chemicals, open the window. When using aerosols, it is strictly forbidden to smoke. If possible, keep children away.
To remove dust, you can use special napkins without lint. Fingerprints may remain on the surface of crystal products during processing. To avoid this, wear rubber gloves.
It is not recommended to wash chandeliers and floor lamps with soapy water. This is due to the fact that the soap is difficult to wash off, and if it is allowed to freeze, then a film forms on the surface, which accumulates the heat of the working bulbs. Gradually, the crystal begins to heat up, which can lead to cracks. It is also worth considering that the product loses its luster.
Why the crystal turns yellow
During operation or due to improper care, the crystal turns yellow. In this case, every housewife should know a secret that will help return products to their original appearance.
There is another simple rule: crystal ware is afraid of hot water. Under its influence, the surface dims and turns yellow, in some cases cracks may appear.
RECOMMENDED! Do not use aggressive detergents and use force to remove contaminants.Water should be cool or warm. After cleaning, rinse the crystal with cool water. If dried outdoors, stains will appear. To avoid this, wipe things with a clean, dry cloth.
Wash, clean and wipe must be held by the bottom. Use the dishwasher only by setting the appropriate mode, after removing fragile items that can easily be damaged.
Popular folk remedies
Before proceeding with the purification, the following features should be considered.
- Stains and dust can be removed with a dry cloth that wipes the product.
- It is recommended to wash crystal in cool water, because of hot water it begins to fade, turn yellow.
- In order not to damage or break the product during the removal of contaminants, the bottom of the container must be covered with a rag.
- Do not use cleaning products that contain abrasive substances - this will avoid scratches.
- Hold the dishes for the bottom.
- After the procedure, thoroughly wipe the dishes with a dry cloth, and do not wait until the water drains.
It is simple to wash crystal dishes at home if you approach the process correctly. It’s worthwhile to prepare the necessary equipment in advance, and to perform the actions in sequence.
Slight pollution
Soap solution will help to cope with them:
- A little liquid detergent is added to cool water;
- The dishes are washed in the solution;
- Rinsed with running, cool water;
- Wipe clean with a dry cloth.
Slight pollution
Easy to clean too:
- The dishes are washed in a solution based on chalk.
- For 2 tablespoons of cool water, add 2 tablespoons of chopped chalk and a quarter of a teaspoon of blue.
- The resulting mixture is applied to the product.
- It is wiped.
- After the dishes are wiped with a flannel to remove the blue coating.
Dust
Starch does a great job with it:
- Starch is poured onto a velvet napkin.
- The surface is rubbed until the stain disappears.
Green color
This method is suitable for dishes in which plaque has formed and requires careful processing. In this case, vinegar and salt help:
- In 2 liters of water add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of salt.
- In the solution, leave the dishes for a couple of minutes.
- After rinse with cool water.
- Wipe the surface with a dry cloth.
Sediment at the bottom of the vase
To remove green or brown traces of flowers from the bottom, you can use sea salt:
- Salt is mixed with vinegar.
- Pour into a container.
- Wait a few minutes.
- Rinse with cool water.
Gilded dishes
To cleanse you will need:
- Place the dishes in warm water for a while.
- Wipe places without gilding.
- In 2 liters of water add 2 tablespoons of vinegar.
- Rinse off.
- Wipe the surface dry.
Heavy pollution
Potato copes with this problem, which not only removes dirt, but also fat:
- Potatoes are boiled.
- Water drains and cools.
- Crystal is placed in a warm liquid.
- Left for a couple of minutes.
- After clean with a detergent.
- Rinse.
- Wipe with a dry cloth.
Traces of wine
Soda removes traces of juice or wine:
- Prepare a solution based on soda.
- Put crystal in it for several hours.
- Washed with a weak solution of vinegar.
- Wipe with a cloth.
Yellowness Removal
Raw potatoes will cope with this problem:
- Potatoes are cut into small pieces or rubbed on a coarse grater.
- Mass rub crystal.
- Leave for a while.
- A mild blue solution is prepared.
- Rinse the dishes in it.
- Wipe with a cloth to remove smudges.
How to make the crystal surface shine
It is not always enough to remove contamination and properly dry the dishes. So that crystal products can surprise guests, they should be processed additionally, which will give them shine.
Give shine
To do this, use alcohol:
- The dishes are washed.
- Alcohol is applied to the napkin and the surface is wiped.
- After wipe with a cloth.
Shine
This is done in the following way:
- A solution based on vinegar is prepared.
- In 2 liters of water add 4 tablespoons of vinegar.
- In the resulting solution, rinse the dishes.
- The surface is rubbed with a woolen cloth.
Giving initial shine with ammonia:
cool water is mixed with ammonia in a ratio of 3 to 1;
place the dishes in the solution for a while:
wiped with a cloth.
Detergents
To clean the crystal surface from contamination will help special detergents for glassware. But there is a chemistry on sale that is designed exclusively for crystal. Such substances help out when putting chandeliers in order.
Crystal decorations on the lamp can be washed without removing from the ceiling. For this, there are preparations for contactless washing, it is easy and simple to use them. It is only required to spray on all sides of the product. If required, the procedure is repeated several times.
Features of cleaning crystal chandeliers
There are many ways to clean a chandelier. Choosing one that is more suitable for pollution is required. The easiest option is when you need to remove dust. To do this, use special brushes. When working, gloves should be worn, as fingerprints remain on the surface, which negatively affects the appearance.
When there are other spots on the chandelier, resort to wet cleaning. If possible, the chandelier needs to be disassembled and flushed with each element.
If you can’t reach the lamp (high ceilings), you need to stand on the stepladder. You will have to clean each item in weight.
Do not forget that any chandelier, even a crystal one, has metal parts that are susceptible to corrosion by prolonged contact with water. Such items should be wiped dry.
In addition to special tools, you can use folk methods for cleaning crystal.
How to clean a chandelier without removing it from the ceiling
It’s not easy to wash the chandelier. The most important thing is to follow the instructions, which is carried out in stages:
- First of all, the electricity is turned off, you should not touch the wires with your hands. To avoid possible short circuits when water gets in, it is better to turn off the shield.
- All work must be done with gloves. This will help to avoid fingerprints.
- Prepare the solution in advance. To do this, ammonia is added to cool water. Soap is best eliminated to prevent film formation.
- Crystal parts are dipped into the prepared liquid in turn. Caution, work is carried out at height. Then they clean the places of pollution and wipe them with a dry cloth.
- If greasy spots have formed on the surface, a solution based on vodka or alcohol is used. It dampens a clean cloth and wipes the chandelier.
- If the stain does not disappear, leave alcohol for a while. After the residue is removed with a clean cloth.
- You can connect electricity after a few hours, not earlier. During this time, all the details, even the smallest, will have time to dry.
How to clean a disassembled chandelier
To start washing the chandelier is necessary only after it is removed from the ceiling and disassembled into parts. All work must be done sequentially:
- If the product is washed for the first time, and there is no instruction on how to assemble it, it is better to photograph the stage of analysis from all sides.
- Just in case, put a blanket or bedspread under the chandelier. If any part falls, damage can be avoided.
- The place where the cleaning will be carried out is prepared in advance.
- If a sink is selected for work, a towel is laid at the bottom, this will help not to break the fragile parts.
- It is recommended to turn off the electricity and unscrew the bulbs.
- Suspension parts are removed and disassembled.
- Each part is washed separately, the frame is wiped. To avoid rust, it must be well dried.
- You can polish the pendant with a lint-free cloth.
- You can dry the chandelier with a hairdryer.
- After all the details of the chandelier are cleaned and dried, proceed to assembly.
- After the chandelier returns to its original place, they turn on the electricity and screw in the light bulbs.
How to care for crystal
During operation, crystal products lose their original shine, fade, and plaque appears. It is impossible to avoid this, but most importantly, to know how to properly care for them.
- If the dirt is slight, you can use a detergent, and then rub the surface with a dry and soft cloth.
- To restore shine, vinegar is added to the water in the proportions: for 2 liters of cool water, 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Wipe the surface with a solution. After the alcohol has dried, the smell does not remain, the dishes begin to shine.
- With severe contamination, the dishes are placed in water after the potatoes have been boiled in it. After the surface is wiped dry.
- If the products are gilded, warm water without detergents is used. It is rinsed in a weak solution of vinegar and blue.
- To preserve the original appearance, it is recommended to periodically wipe the products with starch, then remove the residues with a cloth from wool.
- Crystal is afraid of hot water, it starts to fade and turn yellow.
- Glasses from crystal are stored separately from each other and do not put a pyramid. If they get stuck, a crack may form.
- You can avoid fingerprints using gloves.
- Do not use aggressive substances with abrasive components. Crystal is washed in cool water with detergents designed for dishes.
- Using soap when cleaning the surface, you need to be prepared for the appearance of a film, which can lead to damage to the chandelier when heated.
- If the chandelier can be disassembled and removed, it is better to do so. This will greatly simplify the work.
- Metal products should not be left in the water for a long time, this can lead to rust spots.
- If there are many pendant elements on the chandelier, it is very difficult to remove dust with a cloth. Aerosols are best used.
Useful Tips
- The ideal option is the use of special tools.
- When removing dirt, you can not use soap, since a film forms on the surface, which leads to heating of the chandelier elements and the appearance of cracks.
- To avoid corrosion on metal surfaces, it is not recommended to leave elements in water for a long time.
- Spray for processing glass surfaces will help get rid of dust.
After the subtleties of crystal cleansing have become known, the procedure will be performed efficiently and in a short time.