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Article

Restoring Gleam To Your Old Crystal

Q: I have an antique crystal decanter that is very dull looking. Any cleaning suggestions?

 

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A: To return some sparkle to your antique crystal decanter, try washing it in the sink (lined with a rubber mat or hand towels) with hand dishwashing liquid and a few drops of ammonia. This should cut away most of the dulling residue from both the interior and the exterior. Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to the rinse water and you should see some improvement.

If not, try washing your decanter with a product like CLR, Lime Away or any hard water stain remover.

If the glass feels rough to the touch, then it is possible the glass itself has been damaged. Some experts claim this can occur from repeated cycles in the dishwasher. Or it may just be a function of time with antique pieces such as yours.

Another, more aggressive method to return the crystal sparkle to your decanter is to clean it with regular dish soap, then scrub the crystal gently with No. 000 (very fine) steel wool. If this does not remove the clouding, it is likely the glass is damaged beyond simple restoration.

The Housekeeping Channel (HC), a for-profit educational LLC, provides the information on HousekeepingChannel.com as a free service to the public. The intent is to disseminate accurate, verified and science-based information on cleaning and housekeeping.

 

While an effort is made to ensure the quality of the content and credibility of sources listed on this site, HC provides no warranty - expressed or implied - and assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product or process disclosed on or in conjunction with the site. The views and opinions of the authors or originators expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of HC: its principals, executives, Board members, advisors or affiliates.

Restoring Gleam To Your Old Crystal:  Created on July 21st, 2005.  Last Modified on April 7th, 2010

 

About Tara Aronson

Tara Aronson

Tara Aronson is author of Housekeeping With Kids. Her San Francisco Chronicle column entitled "Coming Clean" — focusing on household cleaning and maintenance — reaches 1.5 million readers. Aronson is an expert in home cleaning and organizing. Her advice has appeared in numerous national and regional publications, including Ladies' Home Journal, The Washington Post and Woman's World. Visit Tara's Web site.

Aronson is fast becoming a familiar face on national television (Living It Up with Ali & Jack, Soap Talk, The Other Half, CNNfn, etc.) and is also a much sought-after lifestyle expert for local television news and radio programs nationwide.