Glass Care
The following tips on glass care should help you to enjoy your glasses for a long time.
Glass Care
The following tips on glass care should help you to enjoy your glasses for a long time.
Cleaning Glassware
Both machine cleaning and gentle hand washing are suitable. The advantage of the dishwasher is that manual polishing, the most frequent cause of glass breakage, is not necessary. The exclusive use of a glass washing programme and an optimal setting of temperature, water hardness and rinsing chemistry must be ensured in order to avoid glass corrosion.
Hand washing is, of course, the chemically gentler method of cleaning. However, greater attention must be paid to avoid the risk of breakage. Never grip the glass only by the stem or the base, but hold the goblet gently in your hand so that the stem is between your index and middle finger.
Machine Washing
All of our products are suitable for dishwasher use, provided the following recommendations are observed:
- Service your dishwasher regularly and set the correct water hardness.
- Use salt to prevent lime stains from hard water.
- Set water softener to a hardness range of 3 to 8 and adjust rinse aid accordingly.
- Follow manufacturer's instructions for settings, detergent, rinse aid, and salt.
- Keep dishwasher clean and grease-free.
- Rinse dirty items before placing them in the dishwasher.
- Clean strainer inserts, filters, nozzles, and flushing arms.
- Use quality detergents and rinse aids, avoiding additional additives.
- Rinse residues from glasses after use, especially for acidic beverages.
- Handle glasses carefully to prevent scratches and breakage.
- Crack open dishwasher door after the cycle to release steam.
- Wait for cooling process before removing glasses.
- Grip stems or bases to avoid fingerprints.
- Lift glass vertically to prevent water from running over the rim, and dry with a towel.
Hand Washing
When washing by hand, make sure in advance that the work area offers sufficient space and that there is no danger of the glasses coming into contact with nearby objects. If necessary, also make sure to put aside sharp objects such as rings.
- Clean glasses by hand with warm water and a small amount of mild detergent.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice to the rinsing water for streak-free shine.
- Wash the goblet and base separately, holding the glass gently by the bowl with the stem between your middle and index finger.
- Avoid applying pressure or using a brush or scouring pad on the inside of the glass.
- Use a soft cloth, not a sponge with a scouring pad, to prevent scratching.
- Rinse the glasses thoroughly with warm water to remove detergent residues.
- Enjoy their new luster.
Drying and Polishing
In all high-quality wine glasses, including those of our competitors, the stem is generally one of the most sensitive parts.
To avoid stem breakage, and for best overall results, please follow the drying and polishing instructions below:
- To dry, place the glass with its bowl on a tea towel.
- For extra shine, hold the glass with the bowl over steam.
- Dry your glasses carefully with a lint free cloth.
- Do not use fabric softener or textile starch to clean your tea towels.
- Wait until the glasses have cooled down before polishing.
- Dry and polish the base first.
- Do not hold the glass by the base, though, for it could break off.
- Then take it in your hand and polish the bowl with the other hand.
- Start with the inside of the glass, then the rim and finally the outside.
- When polishing, avoid rotating the base and bowl in opposite directions.
Cleaning Decanters and Carafes
In particular, decanters and carafes tend to build up deposits that are very difficult to remove, especially in the bulbous shapes. Below are a few cleaning tips that we hope will help you keep them in good form:
- Clean carafes by dissolving baking soda in hot water, swirling, and rinsing well.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice to warm rinsing water when using dishwashing liquid for slender decanters and narrow champagne glasses.
- Use salt and vinegar to clean decanters for removing alcohol residues and calcium deposits.
- Add uncooked rice to the carafe and swirl for more stubborn stains.
- Use white wine to clean carafes with minor red wine discoloration.
OTHER GOOD THINGS TO KNOW
- Glass is subject to corrosion and can develop irreversible cloudiness over time.
- Reversible cloudiness can be due to calcium deposits or detergent residues and can usually be removed with cleaning agents.
- Avoid aggressive cleaning agents that can cause irreversible clouding due to corrosion.
- Some methods involve adding metal oxides to reduce corrosion and increase structural strength, but they are not preferred.
- Soft water can actually accelerate the corrosion process of glass, so using minimal detergents is recommended.
- Engraved, cut, colored, or decorated lead crystal glasses should be washed by hand to prolong their life.
- Modern glass types are designed for dishwasher cleaning, but older glasses should be treated more gently.
- Follow these tips when washing glasses in the dishwasher for better longevity.